The ARCA Menards Series, East and West combined have completed five races. In January, Trevor Huddleston captured the win at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, while Brenden “Butterbean” Queen survived a crashfest race at Daytona International Speedway to win in February, only to finish second to Brent Crews at Phoenix Raceway in March. Also in March, 15-year-old Max Reaves secured the checkered at Five Flags Speedway, and Tanner Reif began April by saving his tires to roll into victory lane at Tucson Speedway.
Counting combination races as one for the national and one for the East, there are 34 races left in 2025. Who are five drivers who can get the job done and get their first win?
1. Lavar Scott
Lavar Scott finished second in points in the ARCA main series in 2024 finishing 11 of the 20 races in the top five. You don’t just find yourself battling for a championship if you don’t have any talent, which is why it’s hard to believe that the 21-year-old from New Jersey doesn’t have a win yet in his young career.
Where will he win? Where will he not? He’s already competitive in 2025 finishing at Daytona and Phoenix in the top five, and he’s competitive everywhere. While Scott can get the job done just about anywhere, be on the lookout for the short-track stretch in the schedule during the summer months in June and July. Tracks like Berlin Raceway, Elko Speedway, Salem Speedway and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park are where Scott can easily capture that eluded first win. Once he does win, don’t be surprised if he does it again, and again, and again.
2. Corey Day
What can you say about Corey Day, he’s the new Kyle Larson. After a career in the Sprint Car world including 10 wins across Kubota High Limit Racing and World of Outlaws, stock car racing called his name and he is now competing in four ARCA races this season and part time in the NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series.
While Day finished 22nd and 10th at Daytona and Phoenix, respectively, look for the next two starts that he makes to be winning ones, as he has the talent and the support to be a star. With backing from Hendrick Cars and the support from Hendrick Motorsports, the sun is shining on Day, and Day could be a new light for ARCA.
3. Isabella Robusto
While 2025 hasn’t gone off to the greatest start for Isabella Robusto, you can’t deny that she’s a talented racecar driver who will turn some heads this year. The short-track racer from South Carolina has already won in the NASCAR Late Model series, as well as a second-place finish at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in her first-ever East race.
Like Scott, look for the short track stretch of the season for Robusto to shine. Let’s maybe even throw a mile-an-a-half track like Kansas Speedway (where she won the pole in the fall race in 2024) for her to run up front. Robusto can drive, and she will drive her way into victory lane.
4. Lawless Alan
While Lawless Alan hasn’t found victory lane in his 77 races run in the Truck Series, look for him to earn a checkered flag in ARCA. He and his Venturini Motorsports No. 20 Toyota are coming off a top-five finish at Phoenix in March and could find himself contending in more races.
Where could he win? Good question. Alan earned an eighth-place finish at Kansas last fall, so possibly the mile-and-a-half tracks like Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas, or maybe even Dover Motor Speedway or Iowa Speedway. If Alan can keep finishing as he did at Phoenix, look for him to win a race or two in 2025.
5. Garrett Mitchell
Is it probable? Perhaps. Is it possible? Absolutely. Garrett Mitchell, better known by his YouTube persona Cleetus McFarland, has already announced he will run at Talladega Superspeedway and Bristol Motor Speedway after a decent run at Daytona for Rette Jones Racing in the No. 30 Ford.
Maybe this is more of a wish than an actual prediction, but could you imagine what it would do for ARCA and NASCAR if Mitchell wins at Talladega? It would shine a huge spotlight on this sport, with millions of his followers checking out more races. It would draw huge numbers of people just checking what NASCAR is about. It might even inspire other big-name YouTubers to maybe sponsor ARCA or try getting behind the wheel. I’m calling it now, the headlines in late April will read ‘Cleetus Wins Talladega’.
