RPW Column: Brandon Jones Takes Advantage Of Contact Between Smith & Gray To Win ARCA Race At Watkins Glen
Column By: MARTY CZEKALA / RPW – WATKINS GLEN, NY – Brandon Jones led only the most important lap, the final lap, to win the ARCA Menards’ Series General Tire Delivers 100.
Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray were 1-2 in the final restart and collided and moved each other up the track in turn one.
“This has been a long time coming,” Jones told RPW in victory lane. We put a lot of hard work into getting better with these road courses. We have a shot at winning these races, and it’s just a dedication to the game a little bit. I try to be a student as much as I can. It takes a long time for an oval racer to translate that and build onto road course stuff. Today was a massive confidence booster going to the Xfinity Series race.”
The win is Jones’ 3rd of the season in ARCA, and he looks to win two this weekend in Xfinity Series racing, where he is looking for his first road course win in the Series.
Sammy Smith led 39 of the 41 laps today after starting from pole position and would finish in the 5th position after getting doored by Gray. Smith and Gray talked afterward, with Smith saying at the end, “No worries, man, it’s all good.”
“81 was pushing me down into one, and I got down farther than I would’ve liked to, made a mistake, hit the big side of the curb, and shot me into Sammy. Our day was pretty much done from here. I can’t thank all my guys enough for bringing a fast Ford Mustang today,” Gray commented, who finished in 8th.
ARCA has a quick turnaround Sunday at Springfield, IL, for the Atlas 100 on the dirt.
NASCAR weekend at The Glen continues tomorrow at 3pm with the Xfinity Series’ Sunoco Go Rewards 200.
General Tire Delivers 100
81 Brandon Jones, 2. 2 Nick Sanchez, 3. 20 Jesse Love, 4. 43 Daniel Dye, 5. 18 Sammy Smith, 6. 15 Parker Chase, 7. 32 Austin Wayne Self, 8. 17 Taylor Gray, 9. 4 Dale Quarterley, 10. 55 Conner Jones, 11. 6 Rajah Caruth, 12. 11 Stanton Barrett, 13. 35 Greg Van Alst, 14. 25 Toni Breidinger, 15. 3 Casey Carden, 16. 23 Connor Mosack, 17. 12 Ed Pompa, 18. 71 Christopher Werth, 19. 30 Amber Balcaen, 20. 06 Rita Thomason, 21. 7 Ed Bull, 22. 73 Andy Jankowiak, 23. 1 Zachary Tinkle, 24. 48 Brad Smith, 25. 10 Tim Monroe
