For the first time since 2006, the ARCA Menards Series West season begins in January. Its 2025 season begins Saturday (Jan. 25) at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway.
Twelve drivers are entered for the 150-lap season opener so your 2025 champion will come from one of those.
Of those 12, the top two points finishers from 2024 are not entered so there will be a new champion. Furthermore, there are some changes to the full-time driver lineup. For starters, six of the top 10 from last year are not racing on Saturday night.
So, will this year finally be Trevor Huddleston’s title? The 28-year-old has 77 career starts with a record of five wins, 30 top fives, 62 top 10s and 846 laps led. He also has six top-10 points finishes with back-to-back third-place outcomes.
He’s in his family-owned No. 50 and Kern Raceway is where he finished second in a photo finish in its first ’24 race. This year will be Huddleston’s third straight with Jeff Schrader atop the pit box. The duo improved from 2023 to ’24. Can they continue that improvement into hoisting the championship trophy?
Not if Central Coast Racing drivers Tanner Reif and Adrian Ferrer have anything to say about it.
🏁 THE 2025 LINEUP IS SET! 🏁
— Central Coast Racing (@cencoastracing) January 15, 2025
Introducing your Central Coast Racing dream team for the @ARCA_Racing West Series!
#13 Tanner Reif 🇺🇸
– 2022 ARCA West Runner-Up
– Multiple ARCA West victories
– Las Vegas racing prodigy
#3 Adrian Ferrer 🇪🇸
– 2024 Toyota GR 86 Cup champion
-… pic.twitter.com/Prjws4cVTp
Tanner is the older brother of Tyler Reif, who piloted the No. 13 to the owner’s championship on the strength of two wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s and a second-place result in the driver’s standings.
Tanner Reif endured a rough ’24. In seven starts in the ARCA series, he had no top 10s and only two lead-lap finishes. In his West tenure though, he has solid outcomes. Two wins, nine top fives, 16 top 10s and top-five points finishes in both full-time seasons. Reif will be a contender in all races, especially with owners Todd and Kelly Souza massively improving the organization once Tyler Reif came on board.
Tanner’s teammate in the No. 3 will be Spaniard Ferrer. Ferrer will make his West debut on Saturday night. Almost 16 years old, Ferrer won the 2024 Spain GR Cup championship. The No. 3 CCR entry finished seventh in West owner points last year with one top five and six top 10s. Those are reasonable goals for Ferrer this year.
Jan’s Racing Team will field two full-time drivers this season: Robbie Kennealy in the No. 9 and Kyle Keller in the No. 71. Keller ran full time last year en route to fifth in points thanks to three top fives and nine top 10s. He started the season’s final two races for Jan’s Racing, highlighted by 10th place in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Kennealy meanwhile contested seven of the 12 races last season and wound up 11th in points. Both drivers and the organization will continue to grow so they will be ones to watch as the season progresses.
Eric Johnson Jr. switched teams from Bill McAnally Racing to Jerry Pitts Racing, and he has a gorgeous No. 5 paint scheme too.
Johnson endured some growing pains in his rookie season at BMR. He indeed came home sixth in points with one top five and six top 10s but also only had two lead-lap finishes. Pitts’ No. 5 meanwhile registered one win, six top fives and eight top 10s in a part-time 10-race slate. If Johnson can replicate those numbers, he’s a dark horse for the title.
The West field has its smallest field size since the 2020 race at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. So shoutout to two entrants who, although they probably will not go to victory lane, will eagerly take positions if others stumble.
Blake Lothian makes his ARCA series debut after contesting three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. He will pilot the No. 51 for the new organization Strike Mamba Racing.
SMR will also have full-time ARCA Menards Series driver Cody Dennison in its No. 72. Kern will be a great opportunity for the drivers and team to learn and just race in a small field at the 0.5-mile short track.
Canadian David Smith hopes to run full time again. The 74-year-old has run full time for the past two years, earning top-10 points performances. While he only has two top-10s, he has improved throughout the race, as his average finish is better than his average starting spot. If he runs all 12 races, Smith will provide some stability. Should the frontrunners falter, he will keep chugging along, gaining spots and points that could be vital for the title contenders.
The West season kicks off at Kern on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 6:20 p.m. ET with live coverage provided by FloRacing.
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.
was hoping to see Isabella Robusto and Danica Dart in the race.