For the 10th time this ARCA Menards Series season, Ty Gibbs drove the No. 18 Toyota to victory lane. He dominated the Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, winning the race after nabbing the pole earlier Thursday (Sept. 16).
Gibbs controlled the race, leading the majority of the laps, despite nine cautions in the 200-lap race.
It’s the 18th win of his ARCA career. Gibbs became the first driver since Frank Kimmel in 2002 to win 10 races in a single season.
Because this race was the final combination race for ARCA and the ARCA Menards Series East, it’s Gibbs’ fourth East win this year and the sixth of his career.
“First of all, this is just awesome,” Gibbs told FS1 after climbing victoriously out of his No. 18. “To have all my guys here, my teammate and close friend [Sammy Smith] to wrap up a championship. It’s just awesome – a great night for our organization.”
Gibbs will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday also at Bristol, his first Xfinity Series start there.
“I learned a lot. Hopefully, we have a good run and my crew chief got a great car, I really have faith in him,” Gibbs added.
Gibbs’ Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sammy Smith finished second to claim the ARCA Menards Series East championship. It’s Smith’s best career main ARCA series finish.
“It’s a good day, 1-2 for Gibbs,” Smith said. “I can’t thank all my guys on the Nos. 18 and 81 teams for getting us through these last couple of races. We just had to hang on. I felt like we were a bit tight. We didn’t have as best of a car as Ty did so I felt like we had a second-place car and that’s all I was going to get out of it. So, I tried there at the end; it just wasn’t enough.”
EPIC@TyGibbs_ | @sammysmithSS pic.twitter.com/0tOOWOgeP3
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 17, 2021
After winning the most recent ARCA West race at Portland International Raceway, Taylor Gray finished third at Bristol. Rookie Nick Sanchez returned to ARCA competition to finish fourth. He didn’t race in the ARCA race at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds; instead, Landen Lewis drove that No. 2 to victory. After his Venturini Motorsports team threw a bevy of adjustments on his No. 20 Toyota, Corey Heim finished fifth. Unfortunately, he lost further ground on Gibbs in the championship with two races left this season.
Gibbs dominated the day, posting the fastest time in practice and winning the pole. As he led, Sam Mayer and Jason Kitzmiller got together right in front of him, though Gibbs evaded being collected.
Caution for an incident involving Jason Kitzmiller and @sam_mayer_
And it almost involved race leader @TyGibbs_ ? pic.twitter.com/fCShdSQlSF
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 16, 2021
Another caution featured a hard hit involving Andy Jankowiak, who was running around the top 10.
? Caution ?
Trouble for @AndyJankowiak @FS1 | @BMSupdates pic.twitter.com/CiW7A5Ddpq
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 16, 2021
The final caution involved Drew Dollar and Thad Moffitt, who also got together earlier this season at Michigan International Speedway.
Yikes.@ThadMoffitt spins after contact with @DrewDollar00 ?@FS1 | @BMSupdates pic.twitter.com/cPyLK8gqLp
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 17, 2021
Despite the aggressive racing at this 0.533-mile short track, Gibbs leaves with an unofficial 26 point lead over Heim, his largest lead thus far this season.
ARCA Bristol Results
Salem Speedway is the next stop on the ARCA schedule. The Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 will take place on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. ET with TV coverage provided by MAVTV.
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.