Toledo Speedway’s half-mile oval sets the stage on Saturday, Oct. 4, for the Owens Corning 200, the final race of the ARCA Menards Series season. Even with the championship mostly settled, the finale in Toledo is an event that fans will not want to miss.
At the conclusion of the Owens Corning 200, a worthy series champion will be crowned in Brenden Queen. His 85-point lead over Lavar Scott is significant enough that as long as he completes a lap in practice, he will finish as the champion. If Queen also wins the race, he would become the first driver to both win the ARCA championship and post a Toledo victory since 2012.
This season, Queen has showcased his versatility with victories on super speedways, intermediate ovals, dirt tracks, and short tracks. His strong performance across multiple track types earned him eight victory celebrations at Waffle House. In a post-race interview, he told Frontstretch that winning an ARCA Title would mean “Double the waffle count” that he had all year. Although he mentioned he would celebrate his success with his team, he would “not rest on it, because it makes you more hungry to do it on another level.”
Moreover, Queen’s Pinnacle Racing Group team can clinch the owner points championship as long as Queen finishes 16th or better. If Queen and PRG win their respective titles, it would be the first time since 2023 that the same entry has claimed both the driver and owner titles.
The No. 28 is currently 22 points ahead of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the owner standings. The No. 18 has six victories this season, with Max Reaves scoring two. Reaves will wheel the No. 18 in his first ARCA start at Toledo. He finished third in the ASA Stars National Tour super late model race at Toledo on Sept. 13. The No. 18 team is strong at Toledo, claiming four straight triumphs.
Queen has a teammate, Tristan McKee, driving the No. 82 Chevrolet. Earlier this season, McKee became the second-youngest winner in ARCA history with his road course victory at Watkins Glen International. Running a limited schedule this year, he followed up his run at WGI with a disappointing 11th-place finish at Madison International Speedway. He rebounded, though, finishing second in his most recent start at Bristol Motor Speedway.
While PRG and JGR have dominated the ARCA circuit this season, 2025 marks the last one for Venturini Motorsports. For Toledo, the team will field Julian DaCosta in its No. 20, marking his second start. DaCosta finished fifth in his series debut at Madison.
VMS will also have two women racing its Toyotas. In her No. 55, Isabella Robusto will make her first Toledo start. She will capture Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the series’ second female ROTY. Robusto has set the single-season record for most top-five finishes by a female driver with 10. Joining Robusto on the grid is Taylor Reimer in the No. 25. Reimer delivered a top-five finish at Kansas Speedway in her debut at a mile-and-a-half racetrack.
Tyler Reif returns to the series behind the wheel of the No. 23 Sigma Performance Services Chevrolet. He comes off a strong performance in the ARCA Menards Series East, where he finished second to Isaac Kitzmiller. Isaac’s father, Jason Kitzmiller, is also enjoying a successful ARCA season in the CR7 Motorsports No. 97. He currently holds a 13-point lead over Robusto for third place in the standings and aims to maintain that lead at Toledo.
Sitting solidly in second place, 85 points behind Queen, but 87 points ahead of third-place Kitzmiller, is Scott. Scott will not make it back-to-back titles for his Rev Racing team, which claimed a championship with Andres Perez last season.
Scott has demonstrated remarkable speed and consistency this season. He has 16 top-10 finishes, tying him with Queen for the most in the series, and 11 top-five finishes, second only to Queen. After narrowly missing out on a victory two weeks ago during a late restart at Salem Speedway, he has one more time this season to claim his first ARCA win. He finished fifth in the 2024 ARCA race at Toledo.
If you are in town for the race, I would be remiss not to share a local favorite from me as an Ohio native. Stop by Tony Packo’s, a Toledo landmark known for its one-of-a-kind mix of chili dogs and Hungarian specialties. And for those planning to celebrate a Queen championship, you will also find a Waffle House nearby.
The Owens Corning 200 goes green on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. ET, with live coverage on Fox Sports 2.
