The ARCA Menards Series’ Atlas 150 kicks off the first race weekend at Iowa Speedway featuring the NASCAR Cup Series. The 150-lap race will be the 18th time the ARCA national tour has visited the 0.875-mile short track and the 21st for the ARCA Menards Series East.
With 26 drivers entered, who stands out for the race on Friday (June 14) night?
The top three contenders are the top three, in order, in the East standings: Connor Zilisch, William Sawalich and Gio Ruggiero.
Zilisch and Ruggiero are visiting Iowa for the first time in their careers. Zilisch’s team Pinnacle Racing Group won at Iowa last year when Luke Fenhaus snatched the victory on an overtime restart.
In addition to Fenhaus’ win last year, Zilisch’s crew chief Shane Huffman won at Iowa in East competition in 2014 with Brandon Jones. Zilisch has proven a quick learner, winning at 0.25-mile Flat Rock Speedway and 1-mile Dover Motor Speedway. He’ll be quick in his No. 28 Chevrolet once again on Friday night.
Venturini Motorsports has only won at Iowa once, in 2019 with Chandler Smith. Ruggiero has been fast every time he’s piloted the No. 20 Toyota though. In 10 total starts across the ARCA series, he has one win, eight top fives, eight top 10s and led 255 laps. Barring any misfortune, such as his crash at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, he’ll firmly be in contention.
For Sawalich, this race offers the opportunity for redemption from last year’s event. In that one, he was fastest in practice, won the pole, led the first 154 laps … and then lost the race to Fenhaus on that last restart. He absolutely enters as the favorite. To boot, halfway through the East season, he trails Zilisch by 12 points. Winning would lower that gap.
Mason Mitchell enters as the sentimental favorite, though. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native won the 2015 race via a last-lap pass. In six starts at his home racetrack, he has one win, one top five and five top 10s. It is his first national tour race since the 2018 Iowa race. He also is the 2014 champion.
“It means a lot to be able to come back here and race at my home track,” Mitchell told the Newton Daily News. “It just feels right. I’ve always had a connection to the fans there. It’s a special place.”
Mitchell joined newcomer organization Sigma Performance Services for a few ARCA events, with his first in the ARCA Menards Series West race at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. Unfortunately, mechanical woes relegated him to an 18th-place DNF.
“We had some mechanical stuff go wrong for us at that first ARCA race,” Mitchell said. “I’m trying to control the things I can control. I think my maturity, confidence and mentality will help me at Iowa. I will rely on my championship experience and my ability as a driver.”
Moreover, SPS won the most recent West race at Sonoma Raceway with Sam Mayer piloting its No. 23 Chevrolet. It was the team’s first ARCA series win. Mitchell is eager for a stout run on Friday night.
“The stars just aligned for us,” he continued. “It’s going to be electric there. I love that place. The Sigma Performance Services team leaves no stone unturned. They have a no excuses mindset. I just need to perform to the best of my ability.”
The hometown driver will have a fresh paint scheme with Iowa car dealership Karl Chevrolet sponsoring him.
All four of those drivers are not full-time national tour regulars. No series regular has won thus far this year, and recent trends at Iowa don’t signal that’s about to change. Of the last five ARCA races there, only one series regular, Ty Gibbs, has won.
Fortunately, even if the series regulars remain shut out of victory lane, the 26 drivers entered ought to put on a good show. It’s the most drivers who’ve competed at Iowa since 2017.
The ARCA race takes place on Friday (June 14) night at 8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
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.