MASON MASSEY PREVAILS IN DEBUT ARCA WEST START, TAKES OIL WORKERS 150 AT KERN RACEWAY

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (February 28, 2026) – Georgia’s Mason Massey brought Bill McAnally Racing back to victory lane in the ARCA Menards Series, West, taking Saturday’s 2026 season opener from Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield after two overtime restarts. The Oil Workers 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame served as Massey’s debut in the tour.

Massey took on the challenge of battling with two-time series champion Sean Hingorani of Newport Beach, with the Californian aiming to defend home turf in the Central Coast Racing No. 13 Toyota.

“I don’t know man we got kind of tight there towards the end. It got tight on me and I had to make something happen on that restart there with (Sean Hingorani). He was really fast. I just had to run him up a little bit and get by him. He did a good job racing me clean,” Massey said. “I just had to go earn it out there and had to make it happen. I still can’t believe it. Hopefully two-for-two next week at Phoenix. It’s a really good track for me.”

Clovis, Calif.’s Jade Avedisian earned the pole position but Hingorani struck first, leading the opening circuit from the outside pole.

The outside proved to be advantageous throughout much of the race, with Hingorani leading 2025 champion Trevor Huddleston around the outside to second position on a restart. Madera, Calif.’s Robbie Kennealy slowed with a mechanical failure on lap 59. A spin for rookie Mia Lovell out of Las Vegas, Nevada then brought the race to its scheduled halfway break. Massey answered back when racing resumed, seizing second from Huddleston.

Lovell spun challenging Jaiden Reyna for position in turn three, requiring a caution flag with less than 25 to go. Massey pounced on Hingorani, making a strong bid on the inside line to nab the top spot down the backstretch. Hingorani and Massey made contact into turns three and four, briefly running three-wide with 15-year-old Taylor Mayhew of Bakersfield. Massey motored ahead with the top spot.

On the first overtime attempt, Hingorani attempted to answer back in turns one and two but could not succeed in passing Massey for the lead. Lovell and her fellow rookie teammate Julian DaCosta tangled on the backstretch, giving the field a second attempt in overtime. Massey darted away with the Oil Workers 150 victory while Central California driver Eric Nascimento, Jr. drove into the second position. Mayhew stormed into third. Huddleston worked his way into fourth by the checkered flag with Hingorani finishing fifth.

“It’s super cool. Starting in the back wasn’t ideal obviously. I kind of played the patience game and worked our way up slowly. We were there at the end. I couldn’t be more happy about my team, my spotter Spencer Davis, and everybody who helps out on this MMI machine. Pretty good for the first race,” Mayhew said.

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

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