Tanner Reif celebrates after winning Saturday night’s ARCA Menards Series West race at Irwindale Speedway. Photo: Michael Owens/ARCA Racing
Tanner Reif made a statement Saturday night at California’s Irwindale Speedway.
The 16-year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada, earned his first ARCA Menards Series West General Tire Pole Award earlier in the day and backed it up with his first West Series victory in the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.
Reif dominated the evening at the half-mile oval, leading every lap from the pole aboard the No. 9 Ford fielded by Bob Bruncati’s Sunrise Ford Racing. He survived an overtime restart to get to the finish line first by 1.494 seconds ahead of runner-up Cole Moore.
“This has been the best day of my life,” said Reif, who climbed the frontstretch catch fence in celebration after his first West Series triumph. “I want to thank the team, my family and my sponsors.
“I think it’s the first of many. I think we’re here to stay. I really think so. The team did such a good job and I train every day and dedicate my life to this. I really put more work in then I think I ever have anything. I’m really proud of everyone that helped us get here.”
The victory was Bruncati’s first in West Series competition since 2020 and the 36th overall for the veteran team owner.
Moore moved into second during the overtime restart when Trevor Huddleston and Jake Drew made contact while battling for second. That opened the door for Moore to slip past to earn his career-best West Series finish.
“Honestly we were probably a fourth-place car tonight,” Moore said. “On the green, white, checkered, Trevor spun (his tires) in front of me, I stayed in it and got into him and the guys in second and third, I kind of pushed them out of the way. We made it happen on the green, white, checkered. Second is actually really good for what we had.”
Austin Herzog came home third for Bill McAnally Racing ahead of Drew in fourth and P.J. Pedroncelli in fifth.
Huddleston, Takuma Koga, Sebastian Arias, Todd Souza and Joey Iest rounded out the top 10.
The ARCA Menards Series West season continues Saturday, April 23 with the Kern County 150 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California.
ARCA Menards West Series
Irwindale Speedway – Irwindale, CA
NAPA Auto Parts 150 – March 26, 2022
1. Tanner Reif
2. Cole Moore
3. Austin Herzog
4. Jake Drew
5. Paul Pedroncelli, Jr.
6. Trevor Huddleston
7. Takuma Koga
8. Sebastian Arias
9. Todd Souza
10. Joey Iest
11. Nick Joanides
12. Bridget Burgess
13. Chris Lowden
14. Stafford Smith
15. Paul Pedroncelli
16. Sarah Burgess
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