One for One – Mason Massey earns ARCA West triumph in first begin at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on Saturday evening within the Oil Staff 150.
BAKERSFIELD, CA. – Throughout a motorsports profession that spans over a decade, Mason Massey had by no means as soon as competed within the ARCA Menards Sequence West earlier than the Oil Staff 150 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway.
One for One – Mason Massey
Massey now finds himself on the West Coast as a part of a Invoice McAnally Racing workforce in search of to regroup after a disappointing 2025. Alongside his teammate Hailie Deegan, Massey supposed to start McAnally’s pursuit for his first title since 2021 by placing collectively a powerful efficiency on Saturday night.
The debut West Sequence look for Massey didn’t disappoint, as he maintained monitor place inside the highest 5 all night earlier than passing Sean Hingorani for the lead on a late restart. Massey then survived two additional time makes an attempt to begin his West Sequence profession completely.
“I don’t suppose it [gets better than this],” Massey stated. “All these guys work tremendous onerous at [Bill McAnally Racing]. I had a sizzling rod tonight due to [my crew chief] Ty [Joiner]. He actually bought this child going, and it was a whole lot of enjoyable on the market.”
A local of Douglasville, Georgia, Massey’s brief monitor background consists of begins in each Professional Late Fashions and Tremendous Late Fashions, together with a handful of appearances in dust late fashions.
Massey finally labored his means into NASCAR’s high divisions, making 98 mixed begins between the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence and the Craftsman Truck Sequence. The very best displaying Massey recorded on the nationwide degree was a sixth throughout an O’Reilly Sequence race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2022.
Though the West Sequence was uncharted territory for Massey, he did have the success and expertise of McAnally to depend on throughout the transition. Amongst those that have competed for McAnally’s program are Brendan Gaughan, Eric Holmes, Todd Gilliland, and the workforce’s most up-to-date champion, Jesse Love.
In a area that featured 12 rookies throughout the 22 starters, Massey’s expertise paid dividends. He patiently conserved his tires throughout the opening stretch of the Oil Staff 150, which supplied him sufficient of a bonus to remain inside vary and finally overtake Hingorani, who had dominated many of the race.
One of many rookies who challenged Massey on the finish of the evening was Taylor Mayhew, additionally making his first West Sequence begin. The son of seven-time West Sequence winner David Mayhew, Taylor drove with loads of composure and ended up getting two alternatives to take the lead away from Massey in additional time.
The second additional time try proved expensive for Taylor, who ended up dropping second to Eric Nascimento Jr. in a photograph end. Regardless of this, Taylor thought of his maiden West Sequence outing successful as he gained useful expertise and introduced his No. 17 MMI Toyota residence in a single piece.
“I’m tremendous happy with me and the entire workforce,” Mayhew stated. “An enormous due to my spotter Spencer Davis for driver teaching me by the entire thing. I had a sizzling rod for my first time racing [in the West Series]. I didn’t want that final restart, however we labored with what we bought and I’m joyful to finish up P3.”
Identical to the Mayhews, McAnally is a reputation synonymous with success on the West Coast. With Massey’s victory on Saturday, McAnally picked up his one hundred and first victory as a automobile proprietor and his first since Jake Bollman received a rain-shortened race at Colorado Nationwide Speedway final Could.
An extended season awaits Massey with McAnally’s program, however he made a powerful first impression towards a gifted West Sequence area on Saturday. Extra performances from Massey, just like the one at Kern Raceway, may play a vital half in McAnally returning to the highest of the West Sequence pedestal on the finish of the 12 months.
Defending West Sequence champion Trevor Huddleston, who swept each occasions at Kern Raceway final 12 months, settled for a fourth-place end. Hingorani rounded out the highest 5 after a powerful begin in his one-off look with Central Coast Racing.
The remainder of the highest ten consisted of Deegan, Joey Iest, Jade Avedisian, Gavin Ray, and Cole Denton.
Subsequent Up
ARCA Menards Sequence West rivals may have lower than every week to organize for his or her subsequent occasion at Phoenix Raceway on Thursday night, which is a mixture occasion with the nationwide ARCA Menards Sequence. The inexperienced flag for the Normal Tire 150 is about to wave at 4 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. ET, with FS1 offering stay flag-to-flag protection.
