Four different drivers led on the final lap of the ARCA Menards Series West race at Portland International Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 8.
The winning driver, Mason Massey, took the lead for the first time all race in the final turn. The driver who he took the lead from, Kyle Steckly, wound up 0.423 seconds shy of notching his first ARCA triumph.
While both drivers had speed in their racecars, neither was as fast as the Nitro Motorsports Toyotas, especially Sam Corry and Ethan Tovo.
Yet if you look at the results sheet, you’ll see Tovo finished fourth and Corry in 15th, neither indicative of their days. However, Corry led at the white flag, one of his race-high laps led, with Tovo close behind in second.
Chaos ensued in the final lap, though.
While Corry and Tovo didn’t win, they shared different viewpoints about the finish.
“Yeah, our racecar was really good today,” Corry told Frontstretch post-race. “I obviously haven’t seen the replay … no class today. So, it’s part of racing, I guess … we had a really bad fast Toyota Camry today. The Nitro boys brought us an awesome racecar so I can’t thank them enough and Toyota Racing. But yeah, just wasn’t our day.
“Yeah, like I said, I haven’t seen a replay yet, so would like to be raced with more class next time. So, it is what it is, man. It’s racing.”
Corry won the other West series road course race at Sonoma Raceway. While he started on the front row, he missed the turn 1 chicane and had to undergo a stop-and-go penalty.
Undeterred, he soon regained the lead and kept it despite several restart attempts and challengers for the lead.
Unfortunately, his dominance, highlighted by leading a race-high 49 laps, didn’t result in a win. Corry wanted more class racing his teammate on the last lap. Tovo chalked it up to last-lap racing for the win.
“Yeah, so we started 25th, so I feel like the main goal was just to finish up front,” Tovo said. “I got to P2 eventually. But, yeah, we tried our best. I’m very proud of all the guys at Nitro and Toyota Racing that helped me get here. I mean, stuff like this happens. You just had to get your elbows out a little bit. We’re all out here racing for the win and, I think, just got the short end of the stick but it happens.
“I mean, I don’t feel like it was too aggressive. It’s the last lap so I feel like anything goes. If it was too aggressive, I don’t know, I mean I’m not mad at him. But yeah, I respect him very much as a driver. Feel like I have nothing wrong with him. I just feel like that was racing out there. I don’t have anything wrong with it. Hopefully, he had a good weekend. I’m pretty proud of the result I came up with so just want to thank all the guys at Nitro and Toyota Racing again.”
Son of Nitro team partner Joe Tovo, Ethan Tovo impressed in his series debut at Portland. He captured the pole but started at the tail end of the field due to unapproved adjustments after qualifying. He steadily piloted his No. 70 through the field to the front, led one lap, and ran in second when the final caution came out.
As a result of the contact though, Tovo was denied his bid to become the 31st driver in series history to win in their debut.
Furthermore, for Nitro to leave the road course without the trophy is a disappointment. The team’s fleet posted the fastest time in practice and qualifying, courtesy of Corry and Tovo, respectively.
Corry started on the front row with teammate Mia Lovell, but the duo missed the chicane on lap 1. While Corry recovered to run up front, Lovell banged fenders with her competitors and ventured off track. She wound up 11th.
With 10 laps to go in the race, Nitro drivers ran 1-2-3.
In his first career West race, Jacobson led the first six laps and had a fast No. 90. After the craziness of the last lap, he crossed the line right behind Lovell in 12th place.
Portland was the last road-course event on the ARCA series calendar in 2026. Corry and Tovo had the opportunity to win, but they cost each other that trip to victory lane. As for Nitro, it is still chasing its first oval-track triumph of 2026.
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.
Hailie Deegan third place. Hopefully truck/O’reilly start soon. Mia Lovel progressing. The others going unless $$$ nothingville.
Before the season Deegan claimed she was going to win multiple races and the championship, neither is happening, she’s had enough chances.
Hope hailie deegan gets truck starts soon, if not august or September, October 23 is talladega truck race, two of hailie deegans top truck races in back to back years were at talladega 6th and 8th place and there is no arca west race that week