ARCA: Tim Monroe out early in Toledo finale, but clinches LASTCAR championship
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| Monroe's Ford at Phoenix earlier this year. PHOTO: Christian, @TheLowkeyGenius |
by William Soquet
LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Tim Monroe finished last for the 7th time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Saturday’s Shore Lunch 200 at Toledo Speedway when his #10 FastTrackRacing.com Ford fell out with mechanical issues after completing 5 of the race’s 200 laps.
The finish came in Monroe’s 35th start and was his first since Kansas, three races ago.
Monroe has quietly put together his most complete ARCA Menards Series season to date. The Illinoisan hasn’t missed a race since the series’ 13th round at Watkins Glen and has run 16 of 20 total races. Despite only running two more races than in 2022, he has also more than doubled his laps run count, highlighted by late-season full-race efforts at Milwaukee and DuQuoin. Additionally, by season’s end, Monroe worked his way into the Top 10 in the series’ point standings.
The final ARCA race of the season did bring a couple large surprises to the entry list. While Dylan “Mamba” Smith already secured a ride for the ARCA West race at Phoenix in November with Young’s Motorsports, a late-breaking deal occurred which saw Smith take over the wheel of the #15 car for Venturini Motorsports. He took the place of Toni Breidinger, who made a three-race comeback in the latter part of the season but was not entered in the season finale. Toledo also saw a pre-pandemic ARCA stalwart return. The now 74-year-old Darrell Basham drove Fast Track’s #11 car, his first series start since October 5, 2019. Mason Ludwig was the only other series debut in the race. The 21-year-old late model racer from Michigan was introduced to team owner Jeff Spraker by his boss, and the chance meeting sparked an opportunity to get behind the wheel of the #63 car that is rarely seen outside of superspeedways.
All 18 cars participated in the combined practice/qualifying session. Nate Moeller, driving the #06 for Wayne Peterson Racing, put down a fast lap of 20.168. Basham, Brad Smith and Rita Goulet were the only cars ahead in the 19-second time bracket, and pole winner Jesse Love even got down below 16 seconds.
Before the start of the race, Goulet’s car did not join the pace laps with the rest of the field and then was visibly smoking out of the exhaust pipes when it finally did. However, the issues were mostly resolved by the green flag. Monroe qualified 14th and held the spot for the first couple laps before dropping back to 16th. Goulet was the first car to be lapped on Lap 5, quickly followed by Moeller. Monroe pulled in on the following circuit, just as he was getting lapped by Love.
Mike Basham, driving the #69 Kimmel Racing car, was the next one to retire, citing handling problems after 11 laps. Brad Smith, needing a last-place finish to claim the LASTCAR championship, was 16th, bowing out with brake issues after 45 laps. The first non-mechanical retirement was Jon Garrett. Finishing out a full season running with Veer Motorsports in partnership with Fast Track Racing, Garrett was running 10th with 58 laps to go. Frankie Muniz was lapping Garrett when Smith and Andy Jankowiak got together in Turn 1, with Smith stopping in the upper lane of the track. Garrett rear-ended Smith, ending the race for the #66. Goulet rounded out the Bottom Five, soldiering around for most of the race before retiring near the end of the race, eventually falling 47 laps down.
Coming into the race, Brad Smith needed a last-place finish as a driver and Brad Smith Motorsports needed a last-place finish as a team to claim LASTCAR championships. However, Monroe and Fast Track finished last, handing them the driver and team titles. Monroe also claimed a title for Ford, as the blue oval gained a 9-8 advantage over Chevrolet at season’s end.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
18) #10-Tim Monroe / 5 laps / mechanical
17) #69-Mike Basham / 11 laps / handling
16) #48-Brad Smith / 45 laps / brakes
15) #66-Jon Garrett / 141 laps / crash
14) #31-Rita Goulet / 153 laps / mechanical
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE to view the full standings for both the main ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East and West divisions. You can also find the full manufacturers’ and owners’ standings HERE.
2023 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
1st) Ford (9)
2nd) Chevrolet (8)
3rd) Toyota (3)
2023 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
1st) Fast Track Racing (6)
2nd) Brad Smith Motorsports (4)
3rd) Clubb Racing, Kimmel Racing (2)
4th) Coughlin Brothers Racing, KLAS Motorsports, Our Motorsports, Spraker Racing Enterprises, Tamayo-Cosentino Racing, Wayne Peterson Racing (1)
2023 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
Tim Monroe finished last for the 7th time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Saturday’s Shore Lunch 200 at Toledo Speedway when his #10 FastTrackRacing.com Ford fell out with mechanical issues after completing 5 of the race’s 200 laps.
The finish came in Monroe’s 35th start and was his first since Kansas, three races ago.
Monroe has quietly put together his most complete ARCA Menards Series season to date. The Illinoisan hasn’t missed a race since the series’ 13th round at Watkins Glen and has run 16 of 20 total races. Despite only running two more races than in 2022, he has also more than doubled his laps run count, highlighted by late-season full-race efforts at Milwaukee and DuQuoin. Additionally, by season’s end, Monroe worked his way into the Top 10 in the series’ point standings.
The final ARCA race of the season did bring a couple large surprises to the entry list. While Dylan “Mamba” Smith already secured a ride for the ARCA West race at Phoenix in November with Young’s Motorsports, a late-breaking deal occurred which saw Smith take over the wheel of the #15 car for Venturini Motorsports. He took the place of Toni Breidinger, who made a three-race comeback in the latter part of the season but was not entered in the season finale. Toledo also saw a pre-pandemic ARCA stalwart return. The now 74-year-old Darrell Basham drove Fast Track’s #11 car, his first series start since October 5, 2019. Mason Ludwig was the only other series debut in the race. The 21-year-old late model racer from Michigan was introduced to team owner Jeff Spraker by his boss, and the chance meeting sparked an opportunity to get behind the wheel of the #63 car that is rarely seen outside of superspeedways.
All 18 cars participated in the combined practice/qualifying session. Nate Moeller, driving the #06 for Wayne Peterson Racing, put down a fast lap of 20.168. Basham, Brad Smith and Rita Goulet were the only cars ahead in the 19-second time bracket, and pole winner Jesse Love even got down below 16 seconds.
Before the start of the race, Goulet’s car did not join the pace laps with the rest of the field and then was visibly smoking out of the exhaust pipes when it finally did. However, the issues were mostly resolved by the green flag. Monroe qualified 14th and held the spot for the first couple laps before dropping back to 16th. Goulet was the first car to be lapped on Lap 5, quickly followed by Moeller. Monroe pulled in on the following circuit, just as he was getting lapped by Love.
Mike Basham, driving the #69 Kimmel Racing car, was the next one to retire, citing handling problems after 11 laps. Brad Smith, needing a last-place finish to claim the LASTCAR championship, was 16th, bowing out with brake issues after 45 laps. The first non-mechanical retirement was Jon Garrett. Finishing out a full season running with Veer Motorsports in partnership with Fast Track Racing, Garrett was running 10th with 58 laps to go. Frankie Muniz was lapping Garrett when Smith and Andy Jankowiak got together in Turn 1, with Smith stopping in the upper lane of the track. Garrett rear-ended Smith, ending the race for the #66. Goulet rounded out the Bottom Five, soldiering around for most of the race before retiring near the end of the race, eventually falling 47 laps down.
Coming into the race, Brad Smith needed a last-place finish as a driver and Brad Smith Motorsports needed a last-place finish as a team to claim LASTCAR championships. However, Monroe and Fast Track finished last, handing them the driver and team titles. Monroe also claimed a title for Ford, as the blue oval gained a 9-8 advantage over Chevrolet at season’s end.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
18) #10-Tim Monroe / 5 laps / mechanical
17) #69-Mike Basham / 11 laps / handling
16) #48-Brad Smith / 45 laps / brakes
15) #66-Jon Garrett / 141 laps / crash
14) #31-Rita Goulet / 153 laps / mechanical
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE to view the full standings for both the main ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East and West divisions. You can also find the full manufacturers’ and owners’ standings HERE.
2023 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
1st) Ford (9)
2nd) Chevrolet (8)
3rd) Toyota (3)
2023 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
1st) Fast Track Racing (6)
2nd) Brad Smith Motorsports (4)
3rd) Clubb Racing, Kimmel Racing (2)
4th) Coughlin Brothers Racing, KLAS Motorsports, Our Motorsports, Spraker Racing Enterprises, Tamayo-Cosentino Racing, Wayne Peterson Racing (1)
2023 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
