By Vincent Delforge, Staff Writer
We’re already halfway through the 2025 ARCA Menards West Series season. This Friday, July 11, the traditional Californian summer stage will take place in Sonoma, California, the main city of Sonoma Valley, a very important wine-growing region in California. The sixth of the season’s twelve races, the General Tire 200, is also the first of two road races in 2025. The other will take place on August 29 in Portland, OR.
As last year, ARCA will use the short Sonoma version of the 1,990-mile, 11-turn track, similar to the layout used between 1998-2018 and 2022-2024, named The Chute.
It will be the 1034th race since the West Series’ inception in 1954 and the 46th here in Sonoma. The West has been there since 1969, including nine combined Cup / West races between 1989 and 1997 when the two series had the same technical regulations.
Curiously, the Californian road track has always refused to Bill McAnally Racing. The Roseville team failing several times in second position! Will this year be the right one? For this BMR enters two cars for the first time this season with the No. 16 for Jack Wood and the No. 19 for Christian Eckes.
Among the drivers, we note the presence of a few road ringers from the West like Davey Magras, Ryan Philpott or Rodd Kneeland, as well as the presence of other Xfinity Series drivers like Corey Day and William Sawalich, who came to acquire seat time. But they won’t be the only non-regulars in the West Series, as there will be several drivers coming from the ARCA national series like Dale Quarterley.
The entry list is made up of 26 drivers. Several drivers will be making their debut in the West Series, including Israeli Alon Day and young Kaylee Bryson. The latter will be the 40th woman to take part in a West Series race and the 10th at Sonoma. Isabella Robusto is the woman with the best result at Sonoma, finishing 6th last year. Hailie Deegan earned two top-10 finishes (7th in 2018 and 8th in 2019) and a pole in 2019. Bridget Burgess also earned two top-10 finishes, finishing 8th and 10th in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Other women who have raced at Sonoma include Nicole Behar, Sharon Bishop, Jessica Brunelli, Julia Landauer, Marta Leonard, and Brittney Zamora.
Last year, Xfinity Series driver Sam Mayer won the race for the Sigma Performance Services team. This team will be competing with Tyler Reif this year.
The General Tire 200 is a 64-lap (127.36-mile) race starting Friday 11, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. PT. It will be preceded by a practice from 10:40 a.m. – 12 p.m. and a 20-minute qualifying session from 12:10 – 12:30 p.m. PT. The race will be broadcast live on FloRacing.
Joe Nava and PP1M dedicate this race to the late Steve Weber
Sonoma is an opportunity for Joe Nava, owner of Performance P-1 Motorsports, to give his longtime friend Nick Joanides the opportunity to return to racing in the West Series. Joanides lived with chronic pneumonia for three years and required surgery and hospitalization for several weeks in the fall of last year. His recovery was long and tiring, but he is now strong enough to compete in a race as physically demanding as the one at Sonoma behind the wheel of the iconic No. 77.
Joe Nava, for whom loyalty and friendship are two inseparable notions, wanted to pay tribute to one of his friends, Steve Weber, who passed away last year and who long held an important place in the Performance P-1 Motorsports organization. « I want to honor my good friend Steve Weber, who just passed away on November 8, 2024. We were friends for over 50 years. Steve was instrumental in my early years of racing providing friendship and sponsorship support. I want to dedicate this race to him and his family as a testament to our bond together as brothers. He owned a company called Weber’s Auto Parts. That name adorned my race cars for many years.” Nava said.
ARCA West quick stats at Sonoma
The West Series was the first NASCAR series on this road track in 1969. with the victory of the late Ray Elder.
There were even two races in 1969. The second was won by the late Jack McCoy.
It will be necessary to wait until 1978 for the drivers of the West to return to Napa Valley. Jimmy Insolo won the race three years in a row.
Following the closure of Riverside road track at the end of the 1988 season, the NASCAR Cup Series logically settled in Sonoma. Between 1989 and 1998, the Cup and the West will race together nine times. The Cup drivers claimed the nine victories. However, some years, the West also performed there in a standalone.
In 1998, Kevin Harvick won the race, his fifth and last victory of the season, at the end of which he would win the championship.
Then nothing until 2006. And since the West comes every year except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
-72nd season in history.
-Race No. 1034 since the inception of the West Series in 1954.
-2025 race No. 6 of 12.
-148th road track race (including the 4 street races) in history.
-Race No. 46 at Sonoma Raceway since 1969, including nine combined Cup / West races between 1989 and 1997 when the two series had the same technical regulations.
-Among the manufacturers, Ford leads with 17 wins ahead of Chevrolet with 13. Buick (5), Pontiac (5), Oldsmobile (2), Dodge (2) and Toyota (1) share the other victories.
-The all-time most successful manufacturer is Ford with 294 wins.
-The all-time most successful owners in history are Bill McAnally (76), Fred Elder (45), Bob Bruncati (42) and Ernie Conn (41).
-The all-time most successful teams in history are Bill McAnally Racing (100), McCoy Racing (54), The Racing Farmers (47), Bruncati Racing (42) and Gene Price Motorsports (26).
-The most successful team at Sonoma is Bruncati Sunrise Ford Racing with five victories. Jerry Pitts Racing has three wins. Among the teams still in activity, only one has ever won here, Naake-Klauer Motorsports (Previously named Naake-Klauer Motorsports until 2024) in 2012.
-The most prolific drivers at Sonoma are Jimmy Insolo, Bill Schmitt and Hershel McGriff, three wins each.
-33 different drivers have won at least one race at Sonoma.
-15 times in history, the driver starting on pole position wins the race at Sonoma in 45 races, including the last three races. The driver who won the race from the worst starting position was Jimmy Insolo (1978).
-Among the manufacturers, Chevrolet leads with 16 poles ahead of Ford (15), Buick (5), Pontiac (4), Dodge (2), Toyota (2) and Oldsmobile (1).
-The all-time most successful manufacturer is Chevrolet with 263.
-The most successful team in history is Bill McAnally Racing with 82 poles. The most successful owner in history is Bill McAnally with 55 poles.
-The qualifying lap record for the 1.990-mile version (The Chute) is held by Sam Mayer in 92.873 mph.
-As far as yellow flags are concerned, the record is 12 (2008). The 2008 race holds the record for the number of yellow flag laps with 40.
-The record for the fewest cautions is 1 (1969 race #2 and 1980). With just 5 laps behind the pace car, the 1969 (race #1) race holds the record for the fewest laps under yellow flags.
-The most leader changes occurred in 1986 with 12. The fewest lead changes is zero in 2014.
-The largest starting field was in 1990, 1996 and 1997 with 44 cars (combination race with the Cup Series).
-The smallest starting field was in 1984 and 1995 (race #2) with 19 cars.
-The drivers with the most races are Hershel McGriff and Jack Sellers with 20.
-The drivers with the most wins are Jimmy Insolo, Hershel McGriff and Bill Schmitt with 3.
-The driver with the most poles is Ricky Rudd with 4. For the West stand-alone race is Hershel McGriff with 3.
-The drivers with the most Top 5 is Bill Schmitt with 8.
-The driver with the most Top 10s is Bill Schmitt with 9.
-The driver with the most laps is Bill Schmitt (1120).
-The driver with the most laps led is Rusty Wallace (148). For the West stand-alone race is Hershel McGriff (142).
-7 times the race has been extended by overtime (2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2024)
-One time, the race was shortened due to time constraints in 2022.
The Race Procedure
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 32 starters plus provisionals. This event will be run under the 2025 ARCA Menards Series West rules, procedures, regulations, and specifications.
QUALIFYING: Starting position will be set by each car’s fastest recorded lap in Timed Session Qualifying.
RACE PIT STOP: Modified live pitting procedure, with the following two exceptions: Fuel may not be added prior to the completion of lap 20; Tire changes for emergency use only, any change must be approved by ARCA. There will be a Scheduled Caution at or near lap 32.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is 8. Any tire change must be approved by ARCA officials.
It’s time to take a detailed look at the list of 26 drivers who are registered for this race.
The Drivers
No. 05 David Smith (Shockwave Racing)
The Canadian veteran is having a difficult 2025 season, but the mid-season marks the arrival of the two road races on the calendar. And it’s on this type of track that he has the most experience. The goal will be to stay on the leader’s lap and avoid problems. Brandon Carlson will of course be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 33 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10th (3x) | 2 starts, best result : 15th |
No. 1 Robbie Kennealy (Jan’s Racing Team)
In his first race at Sonoma last year, Robbie couldn’t do better than 17th. The main reason was the use of a short track chassis that was ultimately ill-suited to the road track, even though Sonoma’s is very twisty. This year, he’ll need to finish as well as possible to maintain his championship chances. The competition will be fierce, with many drivers experienced in right-hand turns coming to the West specifically for this race. Chris Greaney will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 17 (2 DNS) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3rd | 1 start, best result 17th |
No. 3 Todd Souza (Central Coast Racing)
Souza is undoubtedly the most experienced driver in the West Series at Sonoma, as he will be competing there for the 17th time. He has had good results there, with eight top-10 finishes, including a fifth-place finish in 2021. Last year, he suffered a mechanical failure. He will be keen to achieve a strong result after the disappointment in Bakersfield. Gilbert Munoz will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 134 | 1 | 23 | 76 | 0 | 1st (1x) | 16 starts, best result 5th |
No. 4 Eric Nascimento, Jr. (Nascimento-Joiner Motorsports)
What a pleasure to see Bubba and his family team competing in a West Series race this season. Having suffered a mechanical issue last year when he was at least a top-10 contender, he’ll be eager to put in a strong performance on this Sonoma road track where he’s always shown great speed. Ty Joiner will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 26 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 2nd (2x) | 4 starts, best result: 7th |
No. 5 Eric Johnson, Jr. (Jerry Pitts Racing)
Last year, Johnson, Jr. finished seventh on the Californian road track. This year, his goal is clearly to aim for victory. He has taken on a new dimension this season, constantly battling for the top five. He is only one victory away, and his background on road tracks is impressive. Remember that Eric began his career on this type of track, with ovals having arrived only three years ago in his racing career. Dustin Ash will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 21 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 2nd | 2 starts, best result 7th |
No. 6 Caleb Shrader (Jerry Pitts Racing)
After making his oval debut in the West Series this year in Tucson, where he earned a solid sixth place, Shrader is back on what he knows best: road tracks. This specialist, with countless victories on circuits that turn left and right, was not as successful last year in Sonoma, having to retire due to handling issues. He intends to set the record straight and aim for victory. R.J. Johnson will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6th | 1 start, best result 27th |
No.7 Corey Day (Spire Motorsports)
His first career race in the West Series ended with a 10th place finish at Phoenix last March. He is back with Spire Motorsports but will use the No. 7 instead of the No. 77 reserved for PP1M. His experience on road tracks is very limited and that is why he is racing in West, to get seat time for the next day’s race in the Xfinity Series that he will compete for Hendrick Motorsports. Shane Huffman will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10th | n/a |
No. 8 Jeff Anton (Quarterley “1/4” Racing)
At 44, Jeff Anton made a remarkable return to Lime Rock in the ARCA Menards Series this year. He finished eighth in the race. Anton is a veteran of the East Series, which he competed in from 2004 to 2012. In 70 races, he had three top-five finishes and 19 top-10 finishes. He has competed in the West Series twice, first in Phoenix in 2006 and then at Iowa Speedway in 2009. This will be his first time at Sonoma with an ARCA-type car. David Reese will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17th | n/a |
No. 13 Tanner Reif (Central Coast Racing) Stat: 3rd – Fin: 4th
So far, Sonoma and Tanner haven’t been a love story. At least as far as results are concerned. 18th in 2022 and 20th in 2023. He wasn’t present last year and this year he’ll be driving with a third different team. Michael Munoz, his crew chief, is very experienced and knows all the intricacies of Sonoma. So, logically, the eldest of the Reif brothers should be fighting at the front. In addition to earning big points for the championship, he’ll also be keen to beat his little brother Tyler, who is back in the West Series at Sonoma.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 30 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 2 | 1st (3x) | 2 starts, best result 18th |
No. 14 Davey Magras (Davey Magras Racing)
Magras returns to the West Series after not racing last year. This road ringer has three career starts in the West Series. Two in Portland (7th in 2022 and 9th in 2023) and one in Sonoma in 2023. A race he finished in 16th place after experiencing technical issues. This year, he had time to properly prepare his Chevrolet. The tests conducted in mid-June were conclusive, and Magras has high ambitions for this race. His son, Zach Magras, will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7th | 1 start, best result : 16th |
No. 16 Jack Wood (Bill McAnally Racing)
Last year, he had one of his best races of the season in the West Series, finishing fifth. But Wood has already done better in Sonoma, finishing fourth twice in 2022 and 2023. He’s coming to the West this season with the sole goal of winning. His crew chief will be Kevin Bellicourt, as he was last year when he was racing full-time in the West Series with BMR. Note that this will be the first race in 2025 for BMR’s iconic number 16.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 31 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 2nd | 4 starts, best result 4th (2x) |
No.17 Kaylee Bryson (Cook Racing Technologies)
Born on March 11, 2001, Muskogee, OK driver Kaylee Bryson will make her West Series debut with Bruce Cook’s team. This young driver is a regular in Midget and Sprint Car races on asphalt or dirt. Her background in the USAC Silver Crown Series has often seen her battle for the top positions in recent years. But she also has experience on the road track, having competed in TransAm races since 2023. First in the SGT class, where she has three wins in 12 races. And since this season in XGT, where she has already visited Victory Lane twice in four races. Suffice to say, she could surprise us for her debut at Sonoma. Her crew chief will be Sean Samuels.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
No. 18 William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing)
Sawalich is performing very well at Sonoma, as evidenced by his 5th and 4th place finishes in 2023 and 2024 respectively. He will make his first race in 2025 in the West Series, and the goal is clearly to get some extra seat time in preparation for his Xfinity Series race the following day. His crew chief will be Matt Ross.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 8 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1st (3x) | 2 starts, best result 4th |
No. 19 Christian Eckes (Bill McAnally Racing)
Eckes will be making his West Series debut. The current Xfinity Series driver with Kaulig Racing drove for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2023 and 2024. He’s coming to Sonoma with Bill McAnally’s team to gain experience. He’ll be getting his first taste of the California road track. His West Series seat time will be beneficial for the Xfinity race the following day. His crew chief will be Cayden Lapcevich
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
No. 23 Spencer Gallagher (Clark Racing)
Spencer Gallagher is back in the West Series for the first time since 2011, a year that saw him start six races. His best result, a seventh-place finish, came on the Portland road track. At Sonoma, he could not do better than 28th. At that time, he was already driving for T.J. Clark’s team, as he is this year, and had the No. 23. The number was used in memory of Spencer Clark, T.J.’s son, who tragically died in a traffic accident in 2006. His crew chief will be Chris Bray, who was the crew chief for Sam Mayer, last year’s winner.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 6 (+2 DNQs) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7th | 1 start, best result 28th |
No. 24 Tyler Reif (Sigma Performance Services)
Reif is swapping his No. 23, used in Phoenix at the start of the season and in the ARCA National and East Series this year, for the No. 24. Team owner Joe Farrè is leaving his friend and former partner at SPS, T.J. Clark, to carry the No. 23 with his Clark Racing team. But back to Tyler, who will be aiming to win the race. Last year, SPS won his first race with Sam Mayer here in Sonoma. And Tyler will be one of the big favorites this Friday. Last year, he finished second behind Mayer. His crew chief will be Tom Ackerman, as in the East Series.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 27 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 5 | 1st (3x) | 2 starts, best result : 2nd |
No.25 Alon Day (Venturini Motorsports)
The Israeli driver will be making his debut in the West Series. He just finished second at Lime Rock in the ARCA Menards Series. He is a road track specialist. His background, whether in Europe or even in the USA, has been almost exclusively on this type of circuit. It should be remembered that he is a four-time NASCAR Euro Series champion (2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022). He has competed in races in all three NASCAR national series, his best result being a 13th position in the Xfinity Series on the Mid-Ohion road track in 2016. He is familiar with Sonoma, having raced there in the Cup Series in 2017, where he finished in 32nd position. As at Lime Rock, his crew chief will be Jamie Jones.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
No. 32 Dale Quarterley (Quarterley “1/4” Racing) Start: 15th – Fin: 14th
Veteran Quarterley comes to road track races almost every year in the West Series, and Sonoma is a track that suits him well, having achieved a third-place finish there as his best result in 2022. Last year, it wasn’t an uneventful race. He had a collision with Huddleston, then, while in fifth place, had a complicated final restart due to an engine cutout. His fuel tank was almost empty. It’s worth noting that he just finished ninth at Lime Rock in the ARCA National Series. His crew chief will be his son, Alex Quarterley.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 15 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 2nd (1x) | 6 starts, best result: 3rd |
No. 50 Trevor Huddleston (High Point Racing)
The championship leader has never had success at Sonoma, as evidenced by his race last year, where he was twice pushed off the track while in the top 10. His goal will clearly be to obtain the best possible result to maintain his championship lead. Jeff Schrader will of course be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 82 | 7 | 34 | 66 | 3 | 1st (7x) | 5 starts, best result: 10th |
No. 51 Blake Lothian (Strike Mamba Racing)
The rookie will be discovering Sonoma and, more generally, road track driving with an ARCA-type car. This race will therefore serve as a learning curve for Blake and his team. All the experience gained here will be beneficial for the next road track in Portland. It’s in Oregon that we’ll truly be able to judge the performance of the driver of the No. 51. His crew chief will be John Reaume.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8th | n/a |
No. 52 Ryan Philpott (Philpott Racing)
Last year, Philpott had bad luck here at Sonoma, breaking an axle on the first lap. With a few exceptions, he has focused on road track races in the West Series for several years. In 2021, he finished a solid ninth in Sonoma. Without any mechanical issues, he’ll be a potential top-10 contender. Unsurprisingly, Chuck Dozhier will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 43 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 6th (2x) | 6 starts, best result: 9th |
No. 68 Rodd Kneeland (Rodd Racing)
15th last year in his only race in 2024, Kneeland is back and has had time to properly prepare his car with the technical help of Naake Motorsports. A road track specialist, especially at Sonoma, he has had a lot of success there in the past in various categories… except in the West Series. It’s time to ward off bad luck and get his first career top 10. His crew chief will be Tony Caputo.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11th | 7 starts, best result 14th |
No. 71 Kyle Keller (Jan’s Racing Team)
With the family team, Keller had two ninth-place finishes last year on the Portland and Sonoma road tracks. This year, he’s the favorite for the championship and will have to finish the Sonoma race at the top of the standings. To do this, he’ll be able to count on the help of his crew chief, Brian Kizer. It’s worth noting that the team will be using a road track chassis from Bob Bruncati’s former team, which has already visited Victory Lane with Jake Drew in Portland in 2022, for example.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 38 | 0 | 12 | 25 | 0 | 2nd (3x) | 2 starts, best result : 9th |
No. 72 Jonathan Reaume (Strike Mamba Racing)
After a strong race in Bakersfield, where he earned his first top-10 finish, the Canadian will make his West Series debut at Sonoma. Like his teammate Blake Lothian, it will be interesting to see how he performs here in California, and we’ll be able to better gauge his progress in Portland in August. Al Lebert will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8th | n/a |
No. 77 Nick Joanides (Performance P-1 Motorsports)
Aside from the non-championship race at Irwindale on December 21, 2024, we haven’t seen Nick Joanides behind the wheel of a West Series car since last year’s Tri-City race, where he finished 10th. He’s back after his long recovery from a terrible pneumonia that severely impaired him physically. He’ll be competing in the California race with his old friend Joe Nava and his PP1M team. He finished 14th here in 2023 with the No. 77. Last year, he had a collision with Noah Gragson and finished a distant 19th with Jan’s Racing. Dave McKenzie will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 36 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 4th (2x) | 3 starts, best result 14th |
No. 88 Will Rodgers (Naake Motorsports)
What a pleasure to see Will Rodgers back in the West Series. An excellent driver who is particularly talented on road tracks. As proof, his four victories obtained with an ARCA-type car between 2017 and 2018. Three in the East Series and one in the West Series in 2018 at Sonoma. He will be making his first race with Mike Naake’s team and the iconic No. 88. Naake, who already won the Californian race as an owner in 2012 with David Gilliland as driver. As for Rodgers, the last time we saw him in the West Series was in 2020 during the doubleheader on the road track in Tooele, UT. He finished 5th and 8th respectively in the two races. Mike Naake will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Sonoma |
| 30 | 1 | 11 | 21 | 2 | 1st | 4 starts, best result 1st |
Final notes
-Fearce Creature Racing, Bobby Hillis, Jr.’s team, will not be present at Sonoma. The car was damaged during testing at a club race. It will be serviced, including the engine, at Ed Ash’s workshop in preparation for the Portland race.
– For the first time since 2021, Brian Kamisky is not participating in the Sonoma race.
– Aside from 2019, this is the first time since 2012 that Tim Spurgeon has not participated in the race.