Jesse Love was definitely the driver that everyone had to beat during Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series finale at Toledo Speedway. Love would lead a dominating 192 laps, looking like he was gonna be the driver to win.
Coming into the race, The ARCA championship would be determined by two drivers, Nick Sanchez and Daniel Dye, with both drivers only being separated by 2 points. After a streak of bad luck, Rajah Caruth, who was third in points, would be ineligible for the championship hunt, due to being several points behind Dye and Sanchez.
The first caution came on lap 38, after Amber Slagle spun in turn one. The second caution flew on lap 97, after a multiple car incident which involved Greg Van Alst, Jeffery MacZink, and Alex Clubb. Shortly after, MacZink would be involved in the third caution, after he spun in turn three, and slamming into the foam blocks on the outside of the racetrack.
Daniel Dye’s championship hopes would suddenly go downhill, after he suffered a broken ball joint on lap 134. Prior to that, he originally came down pit road earlier in the race, due to a right front shock that got broken. Just a lap later, Brandon Varney would get turned by Amber Balcaen, bringing out the fourth caution.
During the final five laps, Jesse Love, who was practically untouchable throughout the entire race, would have a hard fought battle for the lead with Grant Enfinger, who was making his ARCA return. Both drivers were side by side for nearly two laps. With two laps to go, Sammy Smith would run into the back Love, causing him and Enfinger to move up the racetrack. Smith was able to take the lead away and steal the win at Toledo. With that win, he would also claim the 2022 Owners’ championship for Kyle Busch Motorsports. At the end of the race, Love would exit his car and attempt to throw hands with Smith, but would be pulled away by his team owner, Billy Venturini.
After Daniel Dye’s troubles late in the race, Nick Sanchez would be declared as the 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion, beating Dye by only 14 points. Sanchez would become the first driver from NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program to win the championship since Kyle Larson in 2012. He was also the first driver of Hispanic ancestry to win the championship.
“Well, the first part was pretty hectic,” Sanchez stated during an interview. “We had to stay out and get a point, leading a lap, and then once the 43 had a problem, it all got a lot easier. We just rode to the end of the race, and didn’t wanna get caught up in a racing incident, but obviously my guys brought me a very fast car at the end with the way it came alive, and yeah, I’m just happy to get it.”
Despite finishing second in the standings, Daniel Dye would win the 2022 Rookie of the Year award.
Taylor Gray and Rajah Caruth would finish 4th and 5th in the race, finishing out the top five. The rest of the top ten included Sanchez, Landon Pembelton, Matthew Gould, Greg Van Alst, and Amber Balcaen.
2022 Shore Lunch 200 Race Results:
Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Pts |
1 | 5 | 18 | Sammy Smith | Kyle Busch Motorsports | Toyota | 200 | 3 | 47 |
2 | 1 | 20 | Jesse Love | Venturini Motorsports | Toyota | 200 | 192 | 45 |
3 | 3 | 44 | Grant Enfinger | GMS Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 1 | 42 |
4 | 4 | 17 | Taylor Gray | David Gilliland Racing | Ford | 200 | 0 | 40 |
5 | 10 | 6 | Rajah Caruth | Rev Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | 39 |
6 | 8 | 2 | Nick Sanchez | Rev Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 2 | 39 |
7 | 6 | 15 | Landon Pembelton | Venturini Motorsports | Toyota | 200 | 0 | 37 |
8 | 12 | 40 | Matthew Gould | Niece Motorsports | Chevrolet | 199 | 0 | 36 |
9 | 14 | 35 | Greg Van Alst | Greg Van Alst Motorsports | Ford | 199 | 0 | 35 |
10 | 7 | 30 | Amber Balcaen | Rette Jones Racing | Ford | 199 | 0 | 34 |
11 | 13 | 73 | Andy Jankowiak | Jankowiak Motorsports | Toyota | 199 | 0 | 33 |
12 | 11 | 11 | Brandon Varney | Fast Track Racing | Toyota | 199 | 0 | 32 |
13 | 15 | 42 | Amber Slagle | Cook Racing Technologies | Toyota | 198 | 0 | 31 |
14 | 9 | 25 | Toni Breidinger | Venturini Motorsports | Toyota | 195 | 0 | 30 |
15 | 20 | 48 | Brad Smith | Brad Smith Motorsports | Chevrolet | 187 | 0 | 29 |
16 | 19 | 06 | A.J. Moyer | Wayne Peterson Racing | Ford | 180 | 0 | 28 |
17 | 21 | 03 | Alex Clubb | Clubb Racing | Ford | 180 | 0 | 27 |
18 | 2 | 43 | Daniel Dye | GMS Racing | Chevrolet | 163 | 2 | 28 |
19 | 24 | 65 | Jeffery MacZink | MacZink Racing | Toyota | 94 | 0 | 25 |
20 | 16 | 10 | Tony Cosentino | Fast Track Racing | Toyota | 86 | 0 | 24 |
21 | 17 | 12 | Zachary Tinkle | Fast Track Racing | Ford | 6 | 0 | 23 |
22 | 18 | 01 | Tim Monroe | Fast Track Racing | Ford | 3 | 0 | 22 |
23 | 22 | 0 | Nate Moeller | Wayne Peterson Racing | Toyota | 2 | 0 | 21 |
24 | 23 | 55 | Morgen Baird | Venturini Motorsports | Toyota | 0 | 0 | 20 |