Sean Hingorani earns his second ARCA West title; Connor Zilisch wins at Phoenix Raceway on Friday evening within the Desert Diamond On line casino West Valley 100
The trail to a second consecutive ARCA Menards Collection West championship was a lot more durable for Sean Hingorani than the primary.
Sean Hingorani Earns His Second ARCA West Title at Phoenix
Regardless of competing with 4 separate organizations throughout the 12-race schedule, Hingorani put collectively an environment friendly marketing campaign that noticed him tally three victories. All these triumphs got here with the identical workforce that guided Hingorani to his first West Collection championship, Venturini Motorsports.
A 3rd-place end in Venturini’s No. 15 for Hingorani throughout Friday’s season-ending Desert Diamond On line casino West Valley 100 at Phoenix Raceway was greater than sufficient for Hingorani to say the West Collection crown over Tyler Reif, a feat the 17-year-old competitor discovered each rewarding and cathartic.
“It’s been an extended season with a number of completely different people who have helped me get up to now,” Hingorani stated. “I need to thank Venturini Motorsports for every part they’ve accomplished for me, [along with] Jerry Pitts Racing and Sigma Efficiency Providers. It was more durable this yr acclimating each week to a distinct workforce, however I can’t thank [everyone] sufficient.
“Two tries and two occasions, it’s actually particular.”
By heading off Reif, Hingorani joins an elite group of drivers which have gained back-to-back West Collection championships, with Jesse Love being the latest to take action from 2020-21.
A Difficult 2024 Season for Sean Hingorani
Phoenix was the place Hingorani’s pursuit of a second championship started in March behind the wheel of the No. 61 Toyota for Hattori Racing Enterprises. Ending fifth in a 40-car discipline offered Hingorani some optimism about his outlook for the remainder of the yr.
The take care of Hattori solely lasted one race for Hingorani, which left him scrambling to establish how he would hold his hopes of one other West Collection championship alive. Hingorani discovered salvation over the following three races by piecing collectively offers with Jerry Pitts Racing and Sigma Efficiency Providers, albeit with combined outcomes.
A reunion at Irwindale Speedway with Venturini proved to be the turning level of Hingorani’s 2024 season. Two consecutive victories throughout Irwindale’s doubleheader weekend throughout Independence Day galvanized Hingorani and gave him the momentum wanted to maintain the West Collection championship inside attain.
Hingorani didn’t document a single end exterior the highest 5 following his clear sweep of Irwindale. He tallied three straight runner-up finishes piloting the No. 5 Toyota for Pitts earlier than closing out the yr with Venturini; incomes his closing victory with the group at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway.
Connor Zilisch Wins the ARCA West Race at Phoenix
Regardless of Hingorani’s consistency, all he may do at Phoenix was management his future whereas Connor Zilisch pulled away with the victory.
As soon as he wrestled the lead away from polesitter William Sawalich, Zilisch confronted no resistance from the sphere till the ultimate restart with 4 laps remaining. A cost by Sawalich was not sufficient to usurp Zilisch, who secured his seventh victory on the ARCA Menards Collection platform this yr and his first within the West Collection.
“We’ve struggled prior to now at tracks like this corresponding to [The Milwaukee Mile],” Zilisch stated. “This can be a model new automobile we haven’t run this yr earlier than. I’m so pleased with all these guys, as a result of once we struggled at a monitor, they work so exhausting to carry me a quick automobile the following time we go to a monitor.
“It’s been an superior yr with this workforce and it’s nice to cap it off with a win.”
Though Sawalich earned an ARCA Menards Collection East title and had extra victories between the 2, Zilisch bought the final chortle over his burgeoning rival with a win at Phoenix Each are set to proceed their on-track excursions after they be part of the NASCAR Xfinity Collection full-time in 2025.
For Hingorani, his future is extra fluid in comparison with Zilisch and Sawalich. Heading into 2025, Hingorani doesn’t have any plans at present solidified, which is one cause why bringing house a second West Collection championship meant a lot to him.
Hingorani seems to have a extra coherent imaginative and prescient for his racing future initially of the brand new yr. Till then, Hingorani plans to take delight in every part he achieved in 2024 figuring out that so many alternative folks got here collectively to make sure he may hoist a second West Collection championship trophy.
“We had a few issues crumble coming into this yr, and it put us in a foul spot,” Hingorani stated. “We had been fortunate to search out some individuals who had been prepared to assist us out in order that we could possibly be ready to do that once more.”
Connor Zillisch Captures the Proprietor’s Title for Central Coast Racing
With Hingorani balancing his 2024 schedule throughout 4 separate groups, Tyler Reif comfortably obtained the ARCA Menards Collection West proprietor’s championship for Central Coast Racing. Lengthy-time automobile homeowners Todd and Kelly Souza loved two victories with Reif behind the wheel, their first within the West Collection since 2008.
Rounding out the highest 5 within the Desert Diamond On line casino West Valley 100 had been Hingorani’s Venturini Motorsports teammates Gio Ruggiero and Brent Crews. Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Finch, Reif, Kole Raz, and Kyle Keller comprised the remainder of the highest ten.
