Toledo Speedway did not disappoint as the host racetrack for the ARCA Menards Series season finale. The Shore Lunch 200 at the 0.5-mile short track saw nine lead changes, seven cautions, the winning pass with three laps to go and some heated folks post-race: drivers, team owners and team personnel alike.
When the checkered flag flew, Nick Sanchez hoisted the championship trophy as he claimed his first ARCA championship. The driver of the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet overcame an engine change before qualifying to finish sixth and claim the title.
Daniel Dye finished a gut-wrenching 18th after a broken right-front ball joint derailed his bid for the championship.
Rajah Caruth gained five spots from start to finish to finish fifth and wound up third in the championship standings.
Sammy Smith won the season finale with a bump-and-run to finish fourth in the championship standings.
Greg Van Alst rounded out the top five in the championship standings after he wrapped up his first full-time ARCA season with a ninth-place finish at Toledo.
The 2022 ARCA season is now complete, so where did the top running drivers finish in the power rankings?
1. Nick Sanchez
In addition to entering Toledo with confidence, Sanchez was also more relaxed.
“Probably more relaxed in this one because you know exactly what you have to do,” Sanchez told Frontstretch pre-race. “You don’t have to worry about another race. If you do it, you’ll become a champion. It’s straightforward.”
Sanchez certainly provided some drama throughout Saturday. His team discovered a problem with the engine, so his Rev Racing crew members switched the engine, finishing as qualifying began.
The No. 2 engine works. @RevRacin has successfully switched its engine. The team hopes @Nicksanchez080 will be able to qualify. pic.twitter.com/I4Ey9To9JB
— Mark Kristl (@MarkKristl) October 8, 2022
Because Sanchez practiced, albeit in his teammate Caruth’s No. 6, he kept his qualifying position of eighth.
When the race began, Dye led a lap, so Rev opted to keep Sanchez out on track during the first competition caution to lead a lap and match the bonus point. While he slid back due to older tires, Sanchez never wavered in his pursuit of the title.
Moments before misfortune struck Dye’s No. 43, Dye passed Sanchez for a position. Yet the combination of Dye’s mechanical woes combined with Sanchez’s calm composure culminated in Sanchez winning the 2022 ARCA championship.
With his title,…
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