By Vincent Delforge, Special to Kickin’ the Tires
Back to back !! Sean Hingorani is the ARCA Menards West Series champion for the second consecutive year. At the end of the last race this Friday, November 8, 2024, the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino 100 held at Phoenix Raceway, by finishing third, he was able to prove himself stronger than Tyler Reif, eighth, to win the trophy.
A race dominated by Connor Zilisch who was making his first appearance in Phoenix and in the West Series. Zilisch who was able to take the measure of the poleman and double winner on the one-mile oval of Avondale, AZ, William Sawalich and thus pride himself on having won at least one race in the three ARCA series this year, the national, the East and the West.
In the owners’ championship, it is Kelly and Todd Souza and Central Coast Racing who won the trophy for the first time thanks to the superb season of Tyler Reif and his crew chief Michael Munoz. Hingorani who will have had a stressful season because he drove for four different teams (Hattori Racing Enterprises (1 race); Sigma Performance Services (1 race); Jerry Pitts Racing (6 races) and Venturini Motorsports (4 races) to achieve his goal. A historic record. In the past, five times, the champion had to drive for two different teams to achieve this. It was in Chuck Bown (1976), Jimmy Insolo (1978), Roy Smith (1980 and 1982) and the most recent Eric Holmes in 2006.
Note that Hingorani also collaborated with six different crew chiefs in twelve races, which is also a record in the history of the West Series.
Finally for lovers of statistics, know that the first three of the 2024 championship, Sean Hingorani, Tyler Reif and Trevor Huddleston, are the same and in the same order as last year. A first since 1967 and 1968 with Scotty Cain champion ahead of Ray Elder and Jim Cook.
The 71st season in the history of the West Series ended with a magnificent race, just like the entire 2024 season. Looking forward to next season!
Here is the full summary of the race.
ARCA West Practice/Qualifying
Finally, and despite Jonathan Reaume and his family team being out, there were still 24 drivers participating in the race. Indeed, Fierce Creature Racing entered its second car, the No. 0, at the last minute, driven by Tony Huffman, crew chief for himself and his teammate/owner Bobby Hillis, Jr.
During Thursday’s practice, Connor Zilisch was the fastest ahead of William Sawalich, Jack Wood, Sean Hingorani and Tyler Reif. The Canadian David Smith, somewhat tired, received help from Joey Iest who did a few laps in his Toyota No. 05. Iest is also regularly the hauler driver for Shockwave Racing. On the Nascimento-Joiner Motorsports side, Ethan Nascimento did a few laps (for the setup) in his usual No. 21 car driven here by Alex Malycke.
Trevor Huddleston and High Point Racing arrived at the track at the last minute. The team had to empty its race shop in a hurry to save the equipment due to the fires raging in California and which did not spare the town where HPR is headquartered.
During the qualifying session, it was Sawalich who obtained the pole position in 26.780 sec (134.429 mph). It was his fourth consecutive in Phoenix, a record! He was ahead of Zilisch, Wood, Reif and Hingorani. Rip Michels, Hillis, Jr. and Huffman did not participate in the session.
Green green green !!!
The Toyota Camry serving as a pace car steps aside to free the pack after three pace laps. Note that Trevor Huddleston and Jake Finch start from the rear following unapproved adjustments. Off we go for 100 laps at full speed. And from the first meters the battle rages side by side between Sawalich and Zilisch. They fought all year in the East Series and want to do battle for the last time in the ARCA platform before heading to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025.
Zilisch leads the first lap and he will gradually widen the gap on Sawalich. Behind Wood, Reif and Hingorani did not take off superbly and lose a few positions.
At the end of the first lap Tony Huffman puts his Chevrolet in the garage. He will be followed the next lap by Bobby Hillis, Jr. This double “start and park” had been planned by the team.
The first yellow flag comes on lap nine following Rip Michels’ spun between turns one and two. It’s his left rear tire that burst. He doesn’t touch anything and can restart by himself. No free pass awarded.
During the yellow, on the 10th lap, David Smith who was already being caught by the leaders before the caution stops at his pit box and gets out of his car. He is relieved by Joey Iest.
The restart comes on the 14th lap and we will go to the midway break under green flag regime. Alex Malycke parks his Toyota in the garage following electrical problems on the 15th lap. Zilisch first widens a nice lead on Sawalich before the latter reduces the gap in the last laps before the second yellow flag. Huddleston loses a lap shortly after the fortieth lap. Anonymous end of season for the one who had lit up the races leading up to the final with his mastery. Eric Nascimento, Jr. will end his race on the 47th lap due to vibration problems.
Midway break
It was on lap 52 that the yellow flag of the midway break was waved by the flagman. Marco Andretti, 13th, for his first race with Venturini Motorsports received the free pass.
The classification is as follows: Connor Zilisch leader ahead of William Sawalich, Giovanni Ruggerio, Kaden Honeycutt, Brent Crews, Kole Raz, Sean Hingorani, Jack Wood, Tyler Reif and Kyle Keller for the top 10. Next are Lavar Scott, Jake Finch, Marco Andretti, Trevor Huddleston (-1), Eric Johnson, Jr. (-1), Sebastian Arias (-1), Todd Souza (-1), Takuma Koga (-1), Joey Iest (-2) and Rip Michels (-3). Eric Nascimento, Jr. (-9 vibration), Alex Malycke (-40 Electrical), Bobby Hillis (-50 suspension), Tony Huffman (-51 suspension) having all four abandoned.
The teams have the opportunity to change two tires, put fuel and make adjustments during the five-minute break. Note that among others Tyler Reif and CCR make big adjustments.
The restart is given on lap 55. Sawalich manages to surprise Zilisch and crosses the line in the lead but by a few inches! Zilisch and his Chevrolet of Pinnacle Racing Group, a brand new chassis used in the race for the first time this year, does not give up and takes back the lead by the outside line and will again take cover in a few laps against Sawalich. Behind the drivers exchange positions in the top 10.
On lap 91 Andretti crashes in turn 2. He returns to his pit box slowly. It is the third yellow flag of the race. Lavar Scott, 12th, receives the free pass and returns to the leader’s lap.
The last restart comes on lap 96. Sawalich tries everything by Zilisch is intractable and manages once again to keep the lead of the race. He goes to the checkered flag and wins the race. His first career victory for his first race in the West Series. He leads Sawalich by 1.3 seconds. Hingorani manages to overtake his teammate Giovanni Ruggiero and finishes third. Brent Crews is fifth ahead of Kaden Honeycutt and Jake Finch. Tyler Reif also manages to gain two positions but fails in eighth position. He offers CCR the owners’ trophy but will have to settle for the vice-champion title like last year. The rest of the top 10 is made up of Kole Raz who lost three positions in the last few laps and Kyle Keller, 10th.
“We’ve struggled in the past at tracks like this such as [as The Milwaukee Mile]. This is a brand new car we haven’t run this year before. I’m so proud of all these guys, because when we struggled at a track, they work so hard to bring me a fast car the next time we go to a track. It’s been an awesome year with this team and it’s great to cap it off with a win.” Zilisch said.
With three wins (all with Venturini Motorsports), eleven top 5s (eleven top 10s) in twelve races, Hingorani will have had a great season. With 653 points, he is better than the 626 obtained last year during his first championship. He finishes with a 19-point lead over Tyler Reif.
“It’s been a long season with a lot of different people that have helped me get to this point. I want to thank Venturini Motorsports for everything they’ve done for me, [along with] Jerry Pitts Racing and Sigma Performance Services. It was harder this year acclimating every week to a different team, but I can’t thank [everyone] enough. Two tries and two times, it’s really special.” Hingorani said.
Congratulations also to Eric Johnson, Jr. who gets the title of rookie of the year. This is the 8th time that Bill McAnally Racing gets this award.
See you right here at Phoneix Raceway in March 2025 for the start of the 72nd season in the history of the West Series. In the meantime, we will be offering you many articles and interviews concerning the West Series, starting this Tuesday with the article “teams reactions and analysis”.
A BIG THANKS to all the team owners, drivers, mechanics, crew chiefs, race officials, volunteers on the tracks and of course all the fans for making 2024 an excellent vintage!