After winning at Winchester Speedway a week prior to Memphis, Ty Gibbs had high hopes of winning at Memphis International Raceway. Gibbs started on the pole but lost ground early due to potentially saving his equipment and tires. However, Gibbs made the pass for the lead and the eventual win following the Segment 3 restart on Lap 153 for his sixth ARCA Menards Series win of 2020.
“Yeah, this (win) means a lot here,” Gibbs told MAVTV. “My guys worked hard and we never gave up, and we came away with the win, was ale to beat all these guys out here. It (the win) was hard to work for, but we just never gave up. It was a fun time and thank you Tennessee.”
For the first time time in 19 years, ARCA Menards Series competition returned to Memphis International Raceway for race No. 18 of the year. Three segments made up the 200 lap event, with the first ending on Lap 75 and the second at Lap 150. The Sioux Chief PowerPex 200 also marked the championship race of the Sioux Chief Showdown Championship.
Segment 1: Lap 1 – Lap 75
Gibbs led early on in the Sioux Chief PowerPex 200 but was passed by the No. 23 of Bret Holmes on Lap 18. Meanwhile, the No. 15 entry of Drew Dollar struggled early on and nearly made contact with the No. 12 of D.L. Wilson on the backstretch. On Lap 20, two laps after Gibbs lost the lead, he dropped as far as back as eighth in the running order.
In addition, 2020 breakout star Sam Mayer, rallied from the back after the Wisconsin driver started in the rear due to changing a tire when qualifying was complete. Mayer cracked the top five at Lap 58.
When Lap 75 came for the first segment break, it was Bret Holmes who led the way with Dollar, Mayer, Deegan, Self, Gibbs, Moffitt, Wright, and Chandler Smith rounding out the Top 10.
Segment 2: Lap 80 – Lap 150
Just one caution flew for the second segment when the No. 15 of Drew Dollar made contact with the No. 32 of Gus Dean entering Turns 3 and 4. Dollar would also collect Deegan in the process as well which spun her No. 4 Monster Energy car sideways a little bit.
Surprisingly, this was the only caution that was seen in the second segment, which was once again dominated by the No. 23 of Holmes. Gibbs, Mayer, Deegan, Gray, Self, Thad Moffitt, Smith, Dollar and Wright were the Top 10.
Segment 3: Lap 153 – Lap 200
The changing moment of the race came on the final segment restart. Holmes lost the lead to Gibbs and begin riding around in second. Once it looked as though Gibbs would check out a caution flew with seven to go as the No. 17 of Taylor Gray suffered a right-rear flat tire thus setting up a late-race restart with three laps to go.
Even though Holmes tried his best with very few laps remaining, Ty Gibbs went on to claim the eighth checkered flag of his ARCA Menards Series career. Sam Mayer, Bret Holmes, Thad Moffitt, and Chandler Smith completed the top five.
After finishing in the second position, Mayer collected the 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown Championship.
“We didn’t win the battle, but we won the damn war,” Mayer, the 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown Champion said. “I’m so proud of these guys, it’s just awesome. What a race. This track was so green all day, and the tires were wearing on the right-front after the first (pit) stop. We were cutting it close, but had enough to finish there (at the end).”
There were four cautions for 17 laps and three lead changes among four different leaders.
Official Results following the Sioux Chief PowerPex 200 at Memphis International Raceway.
- Ty Gibbs, led 58 laps
- Sam Mayer
- Bret Holmes, led 135 laps
- Thad Moffitt
- Chandler Smith
- Michael Self
- Hailie Deegan
- ,Drew Dollar, led 7 laps
- Taylor Gray, 2 laps down
- Kris Wright, 2 laps down
- Gus Dean, 5 laps down
- Mike Basham, 8 laps down
- Tim Richmond, 13 laps down
- Eric Caudell, OUT, Battery
- Brad Smith, OUT, Transmission
- D.L. Wilson, OUT, Overheating
- Wayne Peterson, OUT, Vibration
- Richard Garvie, OUT, Did Not Start
Up Next: The ARCA Menards Series will head to the dirt tracks of Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Illinois Truck & Equipment Allen Crowe 100 on Sunday, Oct. 4, live at 3 p.m. ET on MAVTV.
