17-Year-Old Racer Continues to Shine in ARCA Menards Series
Date: Saturday, April 4
Event: Rockingham ARCA Menards East 125
Series: ARCA Menards Series
Location: Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway (.94-mile oval)
Length: 125 laps (117.5 miles)
Start/Finish: 3rd / 2nd (Running, completed 125 of 125 laps)
Overview:
Carson Brown came up one spot short in his bid for back-to-back ARCA Menards Series victories. The 17-year-old from New London, North Carolina, finished second in the Rockingham ARCA Menards East 125 Saturday at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway, trailing his Pinnacle Racing Group teammate Tristan McKee by 1.446 seconds. Brown came into the 125-lap race around the .94-mile oval after having won from the pole in his previous ARCA start March 5 at Phoenix Raceway. In that race, Brown led every lap and beat McKee by .299 of a second in a green-white-checkered finish. At Rockingham, it was a bit of a role reversal, with McKee winning the pole and leading all 125 laps. But Brown still made it interesting. He qualified third and took second place from Joe Gibbs Racing driver Max Reaves on the opening lap. Brown then settled into the No. 2 position, stalking McKee and waiting for an opportunity to make a move. With 20 laps to go, that opportunity finally came with McKee navigating lapped traffic. Brown made a bold dive to the inside of a lapped car going into turn three as McKee took the outside lane. Brown’s No. 28 Distributor Wire & Cable Chevrolet went into a four-wheel drift through the middle of the corner, allowing McKee to reassert his position at the front of the field. Brown held firmly in second, with his runner-up finish giving him an average result of 2.75 in his four career ARCA starts.
Carson Brown, driver of the No. 28 Distributor Wire & Cable Chevrolet for Pinnacle Racing Group:
“It was a very fun race. We struggled at first. I’m not sure what was wrong, but the car was really loose. We just struggled to get going, but it finally felt like it was coming to us. I almost wrecked both of us at one point – me and Tristan – but I was able to hold onto it and keep it straight. After the break we were decent because we made some changes. Our Distributor Wire & Cable Chevrolet fired off better, but was still a little bit of a struggle. Overall, it was a good day.”
Notes:
● Brown qualified third for the Rockingham ARCA Menards East 125 with a time of 22.702 seconds at 153.819 mph. In four career ARCA starts, Brown has never qualified lower than sixth.
● Brown made his ARCA debut last March at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, when he finished sixth in the ARCA East season opener. His second ARCA start came in November at Phoenix in the ARCA West finale when he finished second. His victory March 5 at Phoenix came in just his third ARCA start.
Next Up:
Brown returns to the zMAX CARS Tour for the Tootsie’s Music City Showdown April 11 at Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway. It will serve as good preparation for his next ARCA start, which comes May 2 in the Cook Out Music City 150 at Nashville. Across ARCA, the ASA Stars National Tour, the zMAX CARS Tour and select Late Model races, Brown is scheduled to compete in 53 pavement races in 2026.
