2023 Menards 250 Explained

Type:CUST
First Driver:Jesse Love
Announcers:Brent Stover and Phil Parsons
Distance Mi:93
Year:2023
Race Name:Menards 250
Scheduled Mi:93
Course Mi:0.375
Distance Laps:250
Scheduled Laps:250
Distance Km:150
Scheduled Km:150
Avg:59.671mph
Car:20
Location:Elko Speedway, Elko New Market, Minnesota
Most Driver:Jesse Love
First Team:Venturini Motorsports
Most Laps:235
Most Team:Venturini Motorsports
Pole Team:Joe Gibbs Racing
Date:June 24
Network:FS2
Pole Driver:William Sawalich
Description:Race 7 of 20 of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series
Official Name:8th Annual Menards 250
Course Km:0.604
Radio:ARCA Racing Network
Details Ref:[1] [2] [3]
Grid From Prev Perf:yes

The 2023 Menards 250 was the 7th stock car race of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season, and the 8th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, June 24, 2023, in Elko New Market, Minnesota at Elko Speedway, a 0.375 mile (0.604 km) permanent oval shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 250 laps to complete. In a wild and controversial race that had an exciting battle between Jesse Love and William Sawalich, Jesse Love, driving for Venturini Motorsports, would hold off a fast-charging Sawalich in the final 20 laps of the race to earn his sixth career ARCA Menards Series win, and his fourth of the season. Love dominated the entire race as well, leading 235 of the 250 laps.[4] Sawalich, who started on pole, led 15 laps of the race until getting spun by Sean Hingorani on lap 150.[5] [6] To fill out the podium, Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Hingorani, driving for Venturini Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Background

Elko Speedway, is a 3/8 mile asphalt oval NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Elko New Market, Minnesota. Elko Speedway is a track in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. The track is located in the former Elko portion of the merged city.

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
01Davey CallihanFast Track RacingToyotaCW Metals
2Andrés Pérez de Lara (R)Rev RacingChevroletMax Siegel Inc.
03Casey CardenClubb Racing Inc.FordClubb Racing Inc.
06A. J. MoyerWayne Peterson RacingToyotaRiver's Edge Cottages & Park
10Willie MullinsFast Track RacingFordCW Metals
11Bryce HaugebergFast Track RacingFordHaugeberg Farms, UTI
12Ryan RouletteFast Track RacingFordVFW, Bellator Recruiting Academy
15Sean HingoraniVenturini MotorsportsToyotaYahoo!, Mobil 1
18William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaStarkey, SoundGear
20Jesse LoveVenturini MotorsportsToyotaJBL
25Conner JonesVenturini MotorsportsToyotaJones Utilities
30Frankie Muniz (R)Rette Jones RacingFordReSkills
31Rita GouletRise MotorsportsChevroletDNA Collision & Repair
32Christian Rose (R)AM RacingFordWest Virginia Tourism
43Jalen MackTamayo Cosentino RacingChevroletTamayo Cosentino Racing
45Tony CosentinoTamayo Cosentino RacingFordTamayo Cosentino Racing
48Brad SmithBrad Smith MotorsportsChevroletCopraya.com
55Toni BreidingerVenturini MotorsportsToyotaVenturini Motorsports
66Jon Garrett (R)Veer MotorsportsChevroletVenture Foods
Official entry list

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Saturday, June 24, at 3:40 PM CST, and would last for 20 minutes.[7] William Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 14.439, and an average speed of 93.497mph.[8] A second session was scheduled to be held at 4:10 PM CST, but was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
118William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyota14.43993.497
220Jesse LoveVenturini MotorsportsToyota14.69091.899
325Conner JonesVenturini MotorsportsToyota14.70791.793
Full practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was scheduled to be held on Saturday, June 24, at 5:20 PM CST. The qualifying system used is a single-car, two-lap system with only one round. Whoever sets the fastest time in that round wins the pole. Qualifying was cancelled due to inclement weather. The starting lineup would be determined by practice speeds. As a result, William Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would earn the pole.[9]

Pos.DriverTeamMake
118William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
220Jesse LoveVenturini MotorsportsToyota
325Conner JonesVenturini MotorsportsToyota
415Sean HingoraniVenturini MotorsportsToyota
530Frankie Muniz (R)Rette Jones RacingFord
610Willie MullinsFast Track RacingFord
755Toni BreidingerVenturini MotorsportsToyota
801Davey CallihanFast Track RacingToyota
92Andrés Pérez de Lara (R)Rev RacingChevrolet
1032Christian Rose (R)AM RacingFord
1166Jon Garrett (R)Veer MotorsportsChevrolet
1206A. J. MoyerWayne Peterson RacingToyota
1311Bryce HaugebergFast Track RacingFord
1403Casey CardenClubb Racing Inc.Ford
1512Ryan RouletteFast Track RacingFord
1631Rita GouletRise MotorsportsChevrolet
1748Brad SmithBrad Smith MotorsportsChevrolet
1843Jalen MackTamayo Cosentino RacingChevrolet
1945Tony CosentinoTamayo Cosentino RacingFord
Official starting lineup

Race results

Fin[10] StDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts
1220Jesse LoveVenturini MotorsportsToyota250235Running48
2118William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyota25015Running44
3415Sean HingoraniVenturini MotorsportsToyota2500Running41
4325Conner JonesVenturini MotorsportsToyota2500Running40
592Andrés Pérez de Lara (R)Rev RacingChevrolet2500Running39
6801Davey CallihanFast Track RacingToyota2500Running38
71845Tony CosentinoTamayo Cosentino RacingFord2490Running37
8610Willie MullinsFast Track RacingFord2490Running36
9755Toni BreidingerVenturini MotorsportsToyota2480Running35
101032Christian Rose (R)AM RacingFord2460Running34
111166Jon Garrett (R)Veer MotorsportsChevrolet2420Running33
121512Ryan RouletteFast Track RacingFord2400Running32
131311Bryce HaugebergFast Track RacingFord2330Running31
141631Rita GouletRise MotorsportsChevrolet2170Running30
151206A. J. MoyerWayne Peterson RacingToyota2160Running29
16530Frankie Muniz (R)Rette Jones RacingFord1990Accident28
171403Casey CardenClubb Racing Inc.Ford1130Valve27
181748Brad SmithBrad Smith MotorsportsChevrolet30Throttle26
191943Jalen MackTamayo Cosentino RacingChevrolet00Fuel Pump25
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1Jesse Love340
2Frankie Muniz296 (-44)
3Andrés Pérez de Lara288 (-52)
14Tony Cosentino276 (-64)
15Christian Rose273 (-67)
6Toni Breidinger264 (-76)
17Jon Garrett238 (-102)
18Jack Wood214 (-126)
19A. J. Moyer213 (-127)
110Brad Smith202 (-138)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Entry list: Menards 250 at Elko Speedway. June 21, 2023. June 21, 2023. ARCA.
  2. Web site: Starting lineup: Menards 250 at Elko Speedway. June 24, 2023. June 24, 2023. ARCA.
  3. Web site: Race results: Menards 250 at Elko Speedway. June 24, 2023. June 25, 2023. ARCA.
  4. Web site: Calloni . Josh . June 24, 2023 . Jesse Love Wins at Elko Speedway for Fourth ARCA Win of 2023 . June 25, 2023 . Frontstretch.
  5. Web site: Wingard . Luke . June 24, 2023 . William Sawalich Scores Eventful Runner-Up Finish as Venturini Motorsports Rivalry Intensifies . June 25, 2023 . Frontstretch.
  6. Web site: Christie . Toby . June 24, 2023 . Video: Jesse Love Sideswipes William Sawalich; Sean Hingorani Then Turns Sawalich . June 25, 2023 . TobyChristie.com.
  7. Web site: May 31, 2023 . Schedule of events: Menards 250 at Elko Speedway . June 21, 2023 . ARCA . en-US.
  8. Web site: June 24, 2023 . Practice results: Menards 250 at Elko Speedway . June 24, 2023 . ARCA.
  9. Web site: Wingard . Luke . June 24, 2023 . William Sawalich On Pole For ARCA Menards 250 at Elko . June 24, 2023 . Frontstretch.
  10. Web site: 2023 Menards 250 - The Third Turn . June 25, 2023 . The Third Turn.