Thursday, September 23
Track: The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 3/8 mile oval
Race: 7 of 9
Event: Star Nursery 150 (150 laps, 75 miles)
Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion
Start: 2nd
Finish: 1st
- Taylor Gray started second for the Star Nursery 150 by virtue of his best lap from a combined practice/qualifying session earlier in the afternoon.
- On the initial start, Gray settled into second right on the bumper of the leader. He took the lead on lap 23 as the leaders entered lapped traffic.
- After a brief caution on lap 24, the Ford Performance driver launched back out to over a one second lead and held it until another yellow bunched the field back up for a lap 65 restart.
- Gray fell to second on the restart, but quickly got back to the bottom lane and passed back for the lead on lap 70 just before another caution flag waved.
- A string of cautions from lap 94 to 115 set up three more restarts. The field went back to green for the rest of the race with 28 laps to go. Gray built up a 1.3-second lead in the closing laps and picked up the win.
- The victory marked Gray’s second consecutive ARCA Menards Series West win and first career victory at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his first appearance at the 3/8-mile oval.
Next event: NAPA Auto Parts 150 at All American Speedway in Roseville, California on October 9 at 10 p.m. ET.
