Max Reaves earns his second ARCA East Collection victory at Flat Rock Speedway on Saturday night time within the Sunbelt Rentals150
FLAT ROCK, Mich. – With Saturday’s Sunbelt Leases 150 at Flat Rock Speedway serving as the ultimate standalone ARCA Menards Collection East race of 2026, it was crucial for factors chief Max Reaves to capitalize on the event.
One late restart almost derailed his dominant afternoon.
Max Reaves: Victory at Flat Rock
Tristan McKee and reigning East Collection champion Isaac Kitzmiller every took pictures at Reaves in the course of the ultimate dash to the end. The pace of Reaves’ No. 18 Cook dinner Out Toyota, alongside along with his resolve, paid dividends as he withstood each to safe his second East Collection triumph of the season.
Though Saturday’s triumph at Flat Rock was barely extra arduous in comparison with his win at Flat Rock one 12 months in the past, there was by no means a second within the closing laps when he doubted himself or the Joe Gibbs Racing tools at his disposal.
“My guys introduced me such a superb automotive, so we needed to win this one,” Reaves stated. “I wished to again it up from final 12 months, however there was a whole lot of good competitors right here this 12 months. They ran a superb race. I like this observe; I’m studying to love it quite a bit. I like these little tracks like this.”
Identical to in 2025, Reaves spent many of the day one step forward of his competitors, efficiently climbing from third to wrestle the lead away from polesitter Carson Brown after just a few laps.
For many of the day, the one impediment standing in Reaves’ means was the onslaught of slower visitors. Regardless of a few shut calls, Reaves navigated by the slower automobiles with ease and even managed to increase his benefit on lengthy runs.
When Jeff MacZink and Blaine Donahue introduced out the ultimate warning flag of the night within 20 laps to go, Reaves knew he wanted to remain dialed in. McKee could be to his outdoors for the restart, and defending East Collection champion Kitzmiller began proper behind him.
No punches have been pulled between Reaves and McKee as quickly because the inexperienced flag waved with ten laps remaining. McKee instantly dove in behind Reaves and used his bumper to maneuver him out of the way in which within the third flip to take the lead, just for Reaves to return the favor one lap later.
That contact enabled Kitzmiller to briefly take management of the race, however his place on the entrance was temporary. Reaves moved Kitzmiller up popping out of the fourth flip to reassume the lead. Kitzmiller did every part doable to remain alongside Reaves, however misplaced his momentum after McKee rejoined the battle.
That gave Reaves sufficient respiratory room to shut out the victory. Though McKee almost made his means again to Reaves after passing Kitzmiller, he in the end ran out of time.
Nothing in regards to the ultimate ten laps was straightforward for Reaves, however he knew precisely what to do with the circumstances he confronted
“That’s racing,” Reaves stated. “I used to be ensuring to remain on the surface of [Kitzmiller] as a result of I knew we have been higher than him. Me staying to his outdoors and never tucking in behind him is what received us the race.”
Though Kitzmiller light to 3rd, he departed Flat Rock firmly within the East Collection championship hunt along with his fifth high 5 in six races.
“I used to be going to do no matter I might do to get to Victory Lane, simply fell quick,” Kitzmiller stated. “I tousled there on exit, acquired Max. Bought moved into [Turn] 1, however that’s nearly the one approach to go right here. If you happen to get somebody free a bit bit, you possibly can go them, but it surely’s fairly laborious to go right here.“I do know there’s a number of issues I might have executed in another way.”
McKee understood how vital it was to seek out his means round Reaves and wrestle momentum again into his favor. The late-race warning gave McKee the chance he wanted, however he anticipated it will be a slugfest between himself and Reaves.
“I believe every part was honest; we have been all simply racing aside from the restarts,” McKee stated. “That’s a bit unacceptable, I believe [with Reaves] simply operating me up like that, slinging stuff in all places and about hitting the wall. Every little thing on the observe was advantageous; we have been simply beating and banging. That’s what occurs whenever you’re on a observe this small.”
Matt Kemp backed up his fourth-place run at Flat Rock from 2025 by matching that exhibiting in Saturday’s Sunbelt Leases 150. Rounding out the highest 5 was Quinn Davis, who earned one of the best end of her younger profession.
Regardless of his win on Saturday, Reaves is in no way snug along with his benefit within the East Collection standings, particularly after witnessing how robust McKee was earlier within the 12 months. But the effectivity he and the JGR group confirmed below stress at Flat Rock on Saturday supplies Reaves loads of optimism as he seeks to provide the group its fifth East Collection title in six years.
“It’s by no means over till it’s over,” Reaves stated. “I don’t need to say something but, however I’m very assured in me and my guys, so we’ll see.”
Subsequent Up
Subsequent up for the ARCA Menards Collection and the East Collection is the JR&CO 150 at Iowa Speedway Friday night, Aug. 7. The occasion will air stay on FS1 beginning at 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET.
