NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series West is heading into a busy weekend of racing in California, with an event at All American Speedway in Roseville on Friday and a race at Kern County Raceway Park near Bakersfield on Sunday.
The circuit visits All American Speedway for the NAPA AUTO PARTS 125 presented by CashInTheCan.com on Friday night. The series then travels approximately 300 miles south for the NAPA/ENEOS 125 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame at Kern County Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
With only one race remaining on the schedule after the weekend, drivers and teams know good finishes in these two races can be critical to their final ranking in this year’s championship standings.
Four talented young rookies at Bill McAnally Racing hope to capitalize over the weekend, with the pair of races. They also look to continue the success that BMR has had at the two tracks. They have momentum with them, coming off a 1-2-3 finish in the most recent series event, at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Jesse Love has a 16-point lead in the championship standings, heading into the final three races of the season. The 15-year-old from Menlo Park, California, has seven top-three finishes – along with a fourth-place finish – in eight series starts this year. He finished third at The Bullring.
Gracie Trotter is coming off her history-making win at Las Vegas, in which she became the first female winner of an ARCA Racing sanctioned event. The 19-year-old from Denver, North Carolina, is third in the series standings – 31 points out of first and 15 points behind second. She has top-five finishes in all six short-track events this season.
Giovanni Scelzi had a career-best series finish in the runner-up spot at Las Vegas. That performance moved the 18-year-old Fresno, California, driver to fourth in the standings – 44 points out of the lead and 13 markers behind Trotter.
Holley Hollan, 18, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is seventh in the championship standings. She saw a possible career-best podium finish slip away at Las Vegas, due to a flat tire less with than 15 laps remaining – resulting in a ninth-place finish.
All American Speedway is a third-mile track known for its tight, door-to-door action. The facility is considered BMR’s home track, with the team’s race shop located just a few miles away. BMR dominated series competition at the Roseville track for several years, winning six of eight races there from 2008 to 2011. The team also won there in 2014 and 2018.
At Kern County Raceway, BMR will be aiming to extend its streak of consecutive wins to seven. Todd Gilliland began that string of victories on the high-banked, half-mile track with back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017. Derek Kraus carried that on, winning the four most recent series races there.
A group of guests from the NAPA Distribution Center in Sacramento will be at All American Speedway on Friday, along with guests from Riebes Auto Parts. They will get a special pit tour and meet-and-greet with the BMR drivers, along with a catered meal.
Guests from the NAPA Distribution Center in Fresno will receive the same VIP treatment at KCRP on Sunday.
In addition, NGK VIP honorary crew members will be recognized at both events.
BMR expressed thanks to ENEOS, BBB Industries, NAPA Filters, NAPA Belts & Hoses and Gates Corp., for making the opportunity to provide guests with the VIP experience.
Medical screening will be in place at both locations and guests will wear masks and observe social distancing. Grandstands at both races will be not be open, due to state and county pandemic restrictions.
ARCA Menards Series West Events:
Race: NAPA AUTO PARTS 125 Presented by CashInTheCan.com (Race 9 of 11) Oct. 23, 2020
Location: All American Speedway, Roseville, Calif. (third-mile oval)
Television: TRACKPass on NBCSports Gold (Live) Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. PT/ NBCSN, Oct. 28 3 p.m. PT
Race: NAPA / ENEOS 125 Presented by the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame (Race 10 of 11) Oct. 25
Location: Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, Calif. (half-mile oval)
Television: TRACKPass on NBCSports Gold (Live) Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. PT/ NBCSN, Oct. 29, 2:30 p.m. PT
BMR Drivers:
Giovanni Scelzi
No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS / Curb Records Toyota Camry
Age: 18
Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
2020 season series stats:
Races: 8 starts, 1 pole, 6 top fives, 7 top 10s
Series standings: 4th
Rookie standings: 3rd
Jesse Love
No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota Camry
Age: 15
Hometown: Menlo Park, Calif.
2020 season series stats:
Races: 8 starts, 3 poles, 3 wins, 8 top fives, 8 top 10s
Series standings: 1st
Rookie standings: 1st
Gracie Trotter
No. 99 ENEOS Toyota Camry
Age: 19
Hometown: Denver, N.C.
2020 season series stats:
Races: 8 starts, 1 win, 6 top fives, 8 top 10s
Series standings: 3rd
Rookie standings: 2nd
Holley Hollan
No. 50 JBL / NAPA Filters/ NAPA Belts & Hoses Toyota Camry
Age: 18
Hometown: Broken Arrow, Okla.
2020 season series stats:
Races: 8 starts, 6 top 10s
Series standings: 7th
Rookie standings: 4th
BMR Series Record at All American Speedway:
BMR has won eight of 21 series races at All American Speedway.
BMR Series Record at Kern County Raceway Park:
BMR has won six of the 10 series events held at Kern County Raceway Park.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
