TOLEDO, Oh. (Oct. 5, 2024) – History was made on Saturday as Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) became the first foreign-born champion in the 72-season history of the ARCA Menards Series. Perez, from Mexico City, won the title with an incredibly consistent season, scoring ten top-five finishes, including a trio of runner-up finishes, and 17 top-ten finishes in 20 starts.
He officially locked up the title when he took the green flag in the Owens Corning 200 Presented by CGS Imaging; he finished the final race of the season in sixth.
Additionally, his Rev Racing teammate Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished second in the final standings, earning the series’ Bounty Rookie of the Year award. It marks the first time a Black driver earned the top rookie award and the first time two members of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program swept the top two positions in the final ARCA Menards Series standings.
Perez is a second-generation champion, following in the footsteps of his father Ricardo, who earned a multitude of championships in the Super Copa Seat Leon (2011-2013), Ferrari Challenge North America (2014), and Tractocaminoes Freightliner (2015) series.
His championship is the second ARCA Menards Series drivers title for Rev Racing in the last three years. He also joins former NASCAR Cup Series champion and current playoff contender Kyle Larson and current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship contender Nick Sanchez as drivers to earn a title while driving for Rev Racing; Larson earned the championship in what is now the ARCA Menards Series East in 2012 and Sanchez was the ARCA Menards Series champ in 2022.
“We are thrilled to see Rev Racing and Andres win the 2024 Drivers Championship,” said Max Siegel, Rev Racing owner. “As an organization that continues to focus on development and results, it is clear that what we are striving for is working. Two drivers championships in three years is both something we are proud of and will continue to work toward each season. We are thankful to our partners, staff and drivers who stay committed to excellence.”
Perez kicked his championship run into overdrive with a hot mid-summer stretch that saw him rack up five consecutive top-five finishes, including three runner-up finishes at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Salem Speedway, and Michigan International Speedway in addition to a pair of fifth-place finishes at Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway.
“I have grown and learned so much from competing in the ARCA Menards Series these past two years. The racing in Mexico is different than the racing in the US and being able to hone my skills and grow with Rev Racing has been extremely impactful to my development. Being the first AMS Champion from Mexico is an honor and I take pride in representing my country on the track. I’m extremely thankful to Rev Racing, NASCAR Drive for Diversity, Max Siegel, and the entire No. 2 Chevrolet team for this opportunity and for their support.”
Scott had an equally strong season as his teammate, but a slow start hampered his championship hopes. Scott’s season also heated up with the summer temperatures as he scored a pair of runner-up finishes at Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway.
The Elko race was bittersweet, however, as he led 99 of the final 102 laps; he was passed by eventual race winner William Sawalich with three to go but ran side-by-side not wanting to give up a shot at his first career series win. He nosed ahead down the backstretch and into turn three, but Sawalich got back around off the final turn to win by just 0.011 seconds, the second-closest finish in the ARCA Menards Series since the advent of electronic timing.
Scott completed his first full season in the ARCA Menards Series with a fifth-place run at Toledo Speedway.
“My debut season in the ARCA Menards Series has been full of lessons on and off the track. Rev Racing’s success this season is a testament to the program and its mission of bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and contending for wins and championships. Being the first Black driver to earn the Bounty Rookie of The Year Award is an honor and while I am the first I know that with programs like Rev Racing, I won’t be the last. A huge thank you to the entire No. 6 team for their hard work this season and for pushing me to always try my hardest and finish the best we can.”
“We are very proud of the accomplishments both Andres and Lavar achieved on the racetrack in 2024,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “They both competed at an extremely high level throughout the course of the season and have proven themselves to be worthy of being the ARCA Menards Series champion and rookie of the year.
“On top of their accomplishments on the track, they have conducted themselves like champions off the track. They are exactly the type of young driver we like to see in the ARCA Menards Series platform, and we look forward to seeing what they do on the track in 2025 and beyond.”
Perez and Scott will be honored as ARCA Menards Series Champion and Bounty Rookie Challenge Rookie of the Year at the NASCAR Regional Awards Ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte on Thursday, November 21.
The 2025 ARCA Menards Series season kicks off with the 62nd annual Daytona ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 15. The race will be broadcast live on FOX at 1 pm ET and will be carried on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network. For up-to-the-minute news and updates, follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter).
About ARCA
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).
About Menards
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