Friday, March 12
Track: Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, one-mile paved tri-oval
Race: 2 of 20
Event: General Tire 150 (150 laps, 150 miles)
Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ripper Coffee Company Ford Fusion
Start: 4th
Finish: 9th
Qualifying was rained out and the field was lined up by practice speeds, thus slotting the No. 17 in the fourth starting position.
Gray held steady in fourth for the opening 57 laps before caution flag waved. On the ensuing restart, he would launch from the outside front row to first and lead the remaining 11 laps until the lap 75 caution break.
The Ripper Coffee Fusion came down pit road for four tires and fuel, but ARCA officials ruled that the team changed tires and fueled the car at the same time and assessed a 2-lap penalty. After restarting 18th, Gray advanced up to the 10th position as the first car two laps down when caution waved on lap 120.
A lap 143 yellow allowed the team to gain one lap back for the final dash to the end, but ultimately Gray was credited with a ninth-place finish, one lap down.
Thad Moffitt, No. 46 CleanPacs Ford Fusion
Start: 9th
Finish: 3rd
With qualifying rained out, Moffitt’s No. 46 CleanPacs Fusion started the race from the ninth position as a result of practice speed.
Moffitt quickly moved to sixth in the opening laps of the race and was running there when caution waved on lap 57. The team elected to stay out and vaulted to second on the restart behind teammate Taylor Gray and would ultimately be third when the yellow flag came out for the lap 75 break.
The CleanPacs team opted to take fresh tires and fuel during the break, but received a penalty for removing equipment from the pit box and had to restart at the tail end of the lead lap in ninth.
When the caution came out on lap 120, Moffitt was up to fourth. The leaders came down pit road and the No. 46 stayed out and inherited the lead for the restart. Fresh tires quickly prevailed and when caution waved again on lap 143, Moffitt was in fourth.
On the final restart, the green and white flag were waved simultaneously setting up a one lap dash to the finish and Moffitt brought the No. 46 CleanPacs Fusion across the stripe in third.
Next event: General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama on April 24 at 1 p.m. ET.
