By Vincent Delforge, Special to Kickin’ the Tires
Created in 1954, the West Series will begin its 71st season this Friday, March 8, 2024 and already the fifth under the aegis of the ARCA. This race will be combined with the national ARCA Menards Series (Race No. 2).
The 2024 season will have 12 races spread between March and November when we will return here to Phoenix for the final.
Phoenix Raceway, located in Avondale, AZ is hosting the opening race of the West Series championship for the 14th time. This will be the 53rd race on this tri-oval one-mile located in the middle of the desert. The General Tire 150s will also mark the 1017th race since the series’ inception.
Everything will take place on the single day of Friday with a practice session (1:30-2:15 p.m. MT), a qualifying session at 2:30 pm and the start of the race at 6:00 pm (MT). Add two hours for the East Coast.
The race will be split into two segments with the midway break scheduled at or near the conclusion of Lap 75. It will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 / Fox Sports App and MRN / ARCARacing.com.
More information on the 2024 schedule and West Series team Chart here: www.kickinthetires.net/nascar/arca-menards-west-series-2024-team-chart/
The Race Procedure
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the General Tire 150 is limited to 32 starters plus provisionals for a maximum starting field of 40. This event will run under the 2024 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.
QUALIFYING: Starting lineup set by speeds in Timed Session qualifying, plus provisionals. No adjustments or repairs may be made on car after entering pit road to qualify. All cars must make a qualifying attempt, and all drivers must practice before they can qualify.
RACE PIT STOP: Break pitting procedure. Break at / or near the conclusion of Lap 75. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is 12. Maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race is eight (8).
ARCA West at Phoenix
This will be the 53rd race on this tri-oval one-mile located in the middle of the desert since 1977 and Cale Yarbourough’s victory.
As far as statistics are concerned, of the 52 races already contested in Phoenix Raceway we can highlight:
-Ken Schrader is the most successful driver with four wins. Richard Petty, Greg Pursley and Ty Gibbs follows with three. In all, 38 different drivers have won at least one race. The last race winner at Phoenix is William Sawalich in November 2023.
-Among the manufacturers, Chevrolet leads the dance with 16 wins ahead of Ford (14), Toyota (11), Pontiac (6), Dodge (3) and Buick (2).
-Among the manufacturers, Chevrolet leads with 21 poles ahead of Ford (12), Toyota (9), Dodge (4), Pontiac (3) and Buick (3).
-The most successful team is Bill McAnally Racing with five wins in front of Joe Gibbs Racing with four wins. Petty Enterprises and Gene Price Motorsports follows with three wins each.
-Concerning the poles, Gene Price Motorsports and Duncan Racing are the most successful teams with four.
-The track record is owned by Ty Gibbs for Joe Gibbs Racing at 135.064 mph achieved in 2021.
-The poleman has won the race 15 times.
-Ricky Rudd won the race in 1995 from 29th position on the starting grid, which is a record.
-As far as yellow flags are concerned, the record is 13 in 2023 (March race). The 2023 March race holds the record for the number of yellow flag laps with 78.
-Note that from 1988 to 1996 the Phoenix race was combined with the NASCAR Cup Series.
-The most leader changes occurred in 1993 with 20. The least leader change is zero, three times in 2012, 2014 and 2021 #2.
-The largest starting field was in 1996 and 1996 with 44 cars.
-The smallest starting field was in 2003 #2 with 22 cars.
In memory of Ted Pollock and John “JR” Edgett
It is with great sadness that we learned during the offseason of the deaths of two great men of the West Series.
On December 8, 2023 Ted Pollock left us, he who had been with Pollock Motors a faithful support during the 60s to drivers like Hershel McGriff or Bill Amick. He was also the long-time owner of Yakima Speedway, WA and the promoter of races at Portland Speedway, OR, his home area.
More recently, on February 23, Canadian John “JR” Edgett passed away. Faithful to his homeland and to the West Series which he began attending in 1976, he helped George Stuart become the first Canadian driver to win a West Series race, it was in 1977 in Canada in Victoria, BC. He would then be the man who allowed Canadian Roy Smith to win his third consecutive championship in 1982. He continued until the mid-90s with drivers like Gary Smith and Lance Wade.
The Drivers
The entry list is superb with 43 drivers. Among them we find 16 drivers who will discover the Phoenix oval. But we also have the latest winner on the Arizona oval, William Sawalich. Without forgetting the 2023 champion Sean Hingorani. Last March, it was a driver, Tyler Reif and a team, Lowden-Jackson Motorsports, who laid down the law. Will it be the same this year?
For more information on the West Series drivers, I invite you to consult the 2024 West Series team chart available here: www.kickinthetires.net/nascar/arca-menards-west-series-2024-team-chart/
No. 03 Alex Clubb (Clubb Racing Inc.)
Clubb will make his third race in the West Series and his third at Phoenix. In fact, for the last two years he has participated in the combined race between the two series. Finishing 21st and 18th respectively. His crew chief will be Brian Clubb.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18th | 2 starts, best result 18th |
No. 05 David Smith (Shockwave Racing)
The Canadian veteran leaves for a second full season with his own team. Like last year, it benefits from a technical alliance with Naake-Klauer Motorsports. Brandon Carlson will once again be his crew chief. He knows Phoenix well but has never had success there until now.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10th | 3 starts, best result 17th |
No. 06 Cody Dennison (WP Motortpsorts)
Denison, a driver from Hokes Bluff, AL, just celebrated his 34th birthday on March 4 and hopes to qualify for his first race in the West Series and more generally in ARCA. In fact he missed his qualification at Daytona last month. This time he drives the Toyota of veteran Wayne Peterson and Nate Moeller will be his crew chief. He will discover the Phoenix Raceway.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 07 Danica Dart (Kennealy Keller Motorsports)
The young rookie will make her debut in the West Series and will also discover the Phoenix track. Her crew chief will be John Keller. Note that she will use No. 11 this season except here in Phoenix. For more information, I invite you to read the article dedicated to it here: www.kickinthetires.net/nascar/get-to-know-arca-west-driver-danica-dart/
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 1 Robbie Kennealy (Kennealy Keller Motorsports)
After a very convincing partial season in 2023, Kennealy will have his first full season with the aim of victories and the championship. With experienced crew chief Charlie Wilson, he has all the cards in hand to perform on the tracks. The family team has grown significantly during the off-season and will be with at least three cars in each race, a force to follow closely.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5th | 1 start, best result 18th |
No. 2 Andres Perez de Lara (REV Racing)
The Mexican has three starts in the West Series with his best result being second on the Las Vegas Bullring. He finished twice in the top5 at Phoenix with respectively 3rd and 4th positions in 2022 and 2023. Glenn Parker is his crew chief and together they hope to have better luck than at Daytona where he was caught in a big one just before the finish line.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2nd | 2 starts, best result 3rd |
No. 3 Todd Souza (Central Coast Racing)
You’ll have to get used to it, but 2024 marks the start of a new era for Todd Souza. In fact, he retired from full-time racing at the end of the 2023 season. This year, he will only do the races he enjoys like Phoenix, Tri-City or road tracks for example. As at the end of last season, Jason Dickenson will be his crew chief. This will be his 16th start in Phoenix. He will be keen to find the top-five here as he has already done, just to forget his accident last November. Note that No. 3 will be hired full time. The driver(s) who will replace Souza in the races he will not do will be announced later.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 120 | 1 | 22 | 69 | 0 | 1st (1x) | 15 starts, best result : 5th |
No. 4 Eric Nascimento (Nascimento-Joiner Motorsports) WITHDRAW
The end of the 2023 season was excellent for Bubba Nascimento apart from the Phoenix race. But he comes back stronger than last year and still with his very experienced crew chief Ty Joiner. His goal will be the championship.
UPDATE: WITHDRAW
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 20 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 2nd (1x) | 3 starts, best result: 14th |
No. 6 Lavar Scott (REV Racing)
For his West Series debut here last November, it was not an easy race for Scott. His start to the season at Daytona did not live up to his expectations where, like his teammate Andres Perez, he was caught in the big one on the last lap. With crew chief Danny Johnson, they hope to bounce back in Phoenix and kick off their season in the ARCA National Series.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17th | 1 start, best result 17th |
No. 7 Takuma Koga (Jerry Pitts Racing)
The Japanese veteran returns for an eighth consecutive full season, his fourth with Jerry Pitts Racing. Pitts who will be his crew chief with Denny Moyer. In his last three races in Phoenix, Koga had good speed but was sorely unlucky when he could have obtained a top-10. Note that he will become the foreign driver with the most races in the West Series during the eighth race of the season at Tri-City Speedway. He will in fact take part in his 122nd race, beating the record of 121 races held by Canadian Daryl Harr.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 113 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 5th (4x) | 12 starts, best result : 15th |
No. 10 Brayton Laster (Fast Track Racing)
ARCA’s fastest pizza deliveryman will make his debut in Phoenix and the West Series. DNQ at Daytona, he changes teams by joining Fast Track Racing for whom he has already driven in 2023. Nathan Davis will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 11 Brad Perez (Fast Track Racing)
Although Perez already has national series experience in the Xfinity Series or Craftsman Truck Series, he will only make his second race in ARCA, the first since Watkins Glen in 2021, and his first in the West Series. He will also discover Phoenix, he who has mainly driven on road tracks. Chris Vanscoy will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 12 Ryan Roulette (Fast Track Racing)
The U.S. Army veteran continues his career in the ARCA National Series. But it was in the West Series here in Phoenix that he made his first race. He could have had a good result at Daytona but the end of the race was not in his favor. His crew chief will be Jeremy Petty.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22nd | 3 starts, best result 22nd |
No. 13 Tyler Reif (Central Coast Racing)
A dazzling winner here last year during the combined race with the national series, Tyler has since the middle of last season changed teams to join CCR and take the wheel of the No. 13. This year with his crew chief Michael Munoz, the objective is announced, to win the championship.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 14 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1st | 3 starts, best result 1st |
No. 15 Kris Wright (Venturini Motorsports)
Very fast last November until contact with Hingorani, Wright is determined to go for victory with the reigning champion car. A car that was driven by… Hingorani precisely! His crew chief will be Larry Balsitis.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 2 starts, best result 18th |
No. 16 Jack Wood (Bill McAnally Racing)
Last year he finished fourth at Phoenix in November, it was with Pinnacle racing Group. But a lot has changed for the Loomis, CA native since then. In fact he has joined BMR and will drive the iconic No. 16 with the aim of bringing the championship back to the Roseville, CA team. He will also be keen to win the 100th victory for Bill McAnally. Kevin Bellicourt will be his crew chief. Note that this will be Wood’s first full season in the West Series. He is also a part-time driver for the MHR team in the Craftsman Truck Series.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 19 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 4th (3x) | 4 starts, best result 4th |
No. 17 Marco Andretti (MMI Racing)
Victim of an accident at Daytona, Andretti continues his reconversion to the world of NASCAR with his second start this year in ARCA. It will be his first in the West Series but not his first in Phoenix. In fact, he has already done three races there between 2016 and 2018 when he drove in the IndyCar Series but without ever obtaining the slightest top-10. His crew chief will be Sean Samuels who already has two West Series victories and also knows the Phoenix track well.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 18 William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing)
Last November Sawalich won his first West Series victory. Making him the first driver to win at least one race in the West, East and the ARCA national series in the same year. You don’t change a winning team and he comes back with the goal of winning another victory in Phoenix. His crew chief will be Matt Ross with whom he was already a team last year.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1st | 2 starts, best result : 1st |
No. 19 Eric Johnson, Jr. (Bill McAnally Racing)
After having completed four races last year for BMR, he demonstrated his qualities both on the road tracks and on the ovals he was discovering. He will therefore have the opportunity to play the full season and we should see him gain strength throughout the season. His crew chief will be the experienced John Camilleri.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9th | n/a |
No. 20 Giovanni Ruggiero (Venturini Motorsports)
This will be Ruggiero’s West Series and Phoenix debut. He who has little experience in ARCA where he only made one start in the East Series last year in Nashville but with a good fourth position at the finish. He will be in a car that was a candidate for victory last year here with Jesse Love. Shannon Rursch will be his crew chief as in Nashville.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 22 Amber Balcaen (Venturini Motorsports)
This is the Canadian’s return to the West Series where she has four starts (three in 2021 with BMR and one in 2022 with Rette Jones Racing). Victim of a crash in 2022 for her only race at Phoenix, she hopes to thwart bad luck and continue her good start to the 2024 season since she finished in ninth position at Daytona. Dave Fuge will be her crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 start, best result 30th |
No. 23 Grant Enfinger (Sigma Performance Services)
This is an interesting deal between Enfinger and SPS. Indeed, the links uniting SPS to the former GMS Racing team where Enfinger drove in the past in the Truck Series are multiple and as it is an off weekend in the Craftsman Truck Series season where Enfinger is driving this year for Codie’s team Rohrbaugh, it makes sense to find them together.
For Enfinger it will be his West Series debut and he will have Jeff Stankiewicz, his Truck Series crew chief with him. SPS, which debuted in the West Series last year in a season race in Roseville, CA with Bradley Erickson, had a good performance in Phoenix, finishing in seventh position. The driver who will continue the season with the No. 23 has not yet been announced.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 24 Joe Farrè (Sigma Performance Services)
The owner of SPS, Joe Farrè, who is also a Late Model driver, decided to treat himself by realizing his dream of racing at this level. For this he will make his debut at Phoenix and in the West Series with his team’s second car. Chris Bray will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 25 Toni Breidinger (Venturini Motorsports)
Breidinger knows Phoenix well since she has already raced there five times in the West Series. Unfortunately without success even though she had demonstrated that she was a candidate for the top-10 last season until a late-race accident ended her day early. Cayden Lapcevich will be her crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11th | 5 starts, best result 11th |
No. 27 Bobby Hillis, Jr. (Fierce Creature Racing)
The veteran Hillis will take part in his 22nd race in Phoenix. He is one of the most experienced drivers on this Arizona oval. However, he never managed to do better than 11th. This year he acquired a new car from the former John Krebs Racing and will do the full season. Tony Huffman will be his crew chief. Note that in Portland, fourth race of the season, he will join the club of drivers having at least 100 starts in the West Series.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 96 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8th (1x) | 21 starts, best result : 11th |
No. 28 Connor Mosack (Pinnacle Racing Group)
This will be Mosack’s first race in the West Series since the Portland road track in 2022 where he finished second. He also had a race at Phoenix that year with a 10th position. He will have a great car on his hands. Indeed Jack Wood took it to fourth place last November. Shane Huffman will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 1 start, best result : 10th |
No. 31 Garrett Zacharias (Rise Motorsports)
And yet another debutant in the West Series and in Phoenix at the same time. The young driver from Candor, NY will have everything to discover. Tim Goulet, co-owner of the team will be its crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 32 Christian Rose (AM Racing)
After a disappointing 2023 season where he was not spared by bad luck, Rose and AM Racing set out again to attack the ARCA championship. The combined race in Phoenix will probably be his only visit to the West Series this year where he already has six starts including three in Phoenix but without having achieved success there. Ryan London will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7th (1x) | 3 starts, best result : 21st |
No. 34 Isaac Johnson (Greg Van Alst Motorsports)
The 23-year-old rookie joined Greg Van Aslt’s team this year after racing in 2023 with Costner-Weaver Motorsports. At Daytona he was in the top-10 before being one of the countless victims of the big one at the end of the race. Kevin Shannon will be his crew chief. He will discover Phoenix and the West Series.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 35 Greg Van Alst (Greg Van Alst Motorsports)
The annual stop in the West Series for Van Alst. Last year he finished 10th after winning the Daytona race. This year he finished third at the Florida Superspeedway. Jim Long will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10th (1x) | 2 starts, best result : 10th |
No. 41 Johnny Borneman III (Lowden Jackson Motorsports)
The collaboration between Borneman and LJM began here last November. The result, an accident, did not affect the relationship between them and it is with pleasure that we will see Johnny Borneman III do at least the first six races of the season at the wheel of the No. 41. He has already done 23 races in Phoenix and achieved a third position as his best result. LJM having won the race last year with Tyler Reif. The Borneman/LJM combination should perform well and aim for nothing more and nothing less than victory. Tony Jackson will be the crew chief of the team like last year.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 125 | 3 | 27 | 61 | 1 | 1st (3x) | 23 starts, best result: 3rd |
No. 42 Tanner Reif (MMI Racing)
New team for the eldest of the Reif brothers. After Bruncati Racing in 2022, after BMR last season, this time he joined MMI Racing, another team with a first-rate CV. And in Phoenix the team of Bruce Cook and Steve McGowan has already had great success. Tanner will be keen to beat eighth position which is currently his best result in four races at Phoenix. Jerry Babb will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 23 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 2 | 1st (2x) | 4 starts, best result : 8th |
No. 48 Brad Smith (Smith Bros. Racing)
426 starts in the national series but only three in the West Series and always during the combined race in March between the two series. But three races and as many DNFs. It is also planned to do a start and park. Rand Bitter will be his crew chief as was the case in 2022 and 2023 in Phoenix.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26th (1x) | 3 starts, best result : 26th |
No. 50 Trevor Huddleston (High Point Racing)
After a convincing 2023 season for Huddleston and HPR, the objectives for 2024 are revised upwards. They have now perfectly taken charge of the old Bruncati Sunrise Ford Racing cars purchased at the end of the 2022 season. Jeff Schrader is a great crew chief and with four races on ovals that Huddleston is particularly fond of (Irwindale and Bakersfield), this n It is nothing other than the championship which will be their one and only objective.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 65 | 3 | 24 | 53 | 2 | 1st (3x) | 6 starts, best result : 7th |
No. 55 Isabella Robusto (Venturini Motorsports)
At 19-years-old, Robusto will make her debut in ARCA and at the same time in the West Series. She will discover Phoenix but with the powerful Venturini Motorsports, she is in the best conditions to learn and aim for a good result. In addition, she will have Kevin Reed, Jr. as crew chief. The latter having contributed to Hingorani’s coronation last year in the West Series.
Robusto’s debut comes one season removed from her original plans. A concussion suffered in an accident in the CARS Tour sidelined the up-and-coming driver for much of the 2023 season.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 61 Sean Hingorani (Hattori Racing Enterprises)
Champion last year in the West Series, Hingorani left the Venturini Motorsports team to join HRE this year. The team led by Shigeaki Hattori has put together an incredible program for him in ARCA since he should participate in almost all the remaining races in the national series but also in the East Series. Without forgetting the West Series where he will try to retain his champion title. The very experienced Mark MacFarland will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 17 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1st (4x) | 3 starts, best result 3rd |
No. 63 John Aramendia (Spraker Racing Enterprises)
After a third-lap crash at Daytona, Aramendia hopes to do better in Phoenix. An oval that he will discover just like the West Series pack. Jeff Spraker will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 70 Kyle Keller (Kennealy Keller Motorsports)
Top-five last March and 14th in November. Ups and downs for Keller in Phoenix but this year he is guaranteed to do the full season with the same team. In fact, since September 2023, the Kennealy and Keller families have joined forces to create KKM. A team which in a few months has become an essential force in the West Series. Brian Kizer will be his crew chief and together they will aim for the championship. Note that he will use No.12 for the rest of the season.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 22 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 4th (3x) | 4 starts, best result : 5th |
No. 71 Nick Joanides (Jan’s Racing)
Jan Qualkenbush made his dream come true last year by passing the milestone. In fact, he was, with his company Jan’s Towing, a historic sponsor in the West Series. Most often for Joe Nava’s team. In the 2023 season race, he took the plunge and created his own team. With the experienced driver Nick Joanides, the first top 10 arrived after the third race. The team really started from a blank slate. We had to buy all the equipment. The off-season was very short but today the team is ready and with its crew chief Rip Michels, we will have to keep a close eye on the No. 71.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 28 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 4th | 2 starts, best result 16th |
No. 73 Andy Jankowiak (KLAS Motorsports)
In ARCA, we have the fastest pizza fan but we also have the fastest plumber, Jankowiak. He will discover Phoenix and the West Series. A fast driver who adapts to all types of circuits, he will be one to follow because he is often very fast and consistent. Mike Dayton will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 77 Cody Kiemele (Performance P1 Motorsports)
At 17, Kiemele will make his debut in Phoenix and in the West Series. This excellent baseball player, who dreams of making a career in this sport, is also a very good driver in Late Models. He will do at least the first three races of the season. The rest depends on the budget he gets. Ryan Sebek will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
No. 88 Jake Bollman (Naake-Klauer Motorsports)
Bollman is the new NKM driver for 2024. He should do at least the first half of the season at the wheel of the No. 88. And if the budget allows it the objective will be to do the full season. Mike Naake will be his crew chief. Bollman has made three races in 2023 for HPR but not the one in Phoenix. An oval that he will discover.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Irwindale |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7th (2x) | 2 starts, best result : 7th |
No. 93 Caleb Costner (Costner-Weaver Motorsports)
Costner knows Phoenix having driven there in 2021 during its only season in the West Series. That year he took part in three races. Since last year, he has tried the adventure with his own team. Unlucky at Daytona where he was caught in an accident on the 14th lap, he will try to cross the finish line without incident this time. Darrell Phillips will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| 2 (+1 DNS) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14th (1x) | 1 start, best result : 30th |
No. 99 Michael Mapples (Fast Track Racing)
Mapples is the fourth driver in the Fast Track Racing armada in Phoenix. And like two of his three teammates (apart from Ryan Roulette) he will also discover Phoenix and the West Series. At 60, the veteran is having fun and realizing a childhood dream by participating in a national championship. He was not unworthy at Daytona where, by avoiding accidents, he was able to finish 21st. Mike Sroufe will be his crew chief.
| Starts | Wins | Top5 | Top10 | Pole | Best result | At Phoenix |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |
Final Notes
-Fierce Creature Racing has decided not to enter its second car, No. 0, with driver Tony Huffman, who is also the crew chief of Bobby Hillis, Jr.’s team (No. 27) because the team does not have a place provisional in the event of non-qualification on times.
-Nascimento-Joiner Motorsports has unfortunately decided not to participate in the Phoenix race with its No. 4 and Eric Nascimento, Jr. at the wheel. This will make the championship quest more difficult for them using their “joker” here.