ARCA: Brian Clubb goes three-in-a-row as LASTCAR title leaders save their equipment
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
PHOTO: Zachary Tinkle, via Timecard100/X/Twitter
Brian Clubb finished last for the 3rd time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Sunday’s Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds when his No. 86 Race Parts Liquidators Ford pulled behind the wall after completing 3 of 102 laps.
The finish came in Clubb’s 4th career ARCA Menards Series start.
For the second time in three races, ARCA’s drivers and teams competed on dirt. While the surface change always presents a unique set of challenges for the entire field, for the two frontrunners for the LASTCAR ARCA Menards Series Drivers’ Championship, the hurdles proved too challenging to overcome.
Clubb Racing Inc. planned to take Alex Clubb’s No. 03 out for just a couple of laps in practice and save their second entry, the No. 86 driven by Brian Clubb, for qualifying. Those plans were compromised in qualifying when Alex’s car dug into the Turn 1 rut, requiring major repairs to the No. 03. Alex was ultimately unable to set a qualifying time, leaving him 23rd on the starting grid. Meanwhile, Brian anchored those who did set a qualifying time, logging a lap of 50.012 seconds. In the race, Brian pulled behind the wall after running three laps, a clear start-and-park to, as the team noted on Facebook, “save on body damage.” Alex’s car would again suffer damage during the race, completing only 77 laps after a broken exhaust on Lap 35 forced the team to spend time repairing the car in the pits.
The second dirt track event of the season was just as much of a survival test for the Clubbs as it was for Brad Smith, who is now tied with Brian Clubb for most last-place finishes in 2024 with three each. Smith’s PR team explained on X/Twitter that while ARCA’s points bonuses for full-time competitors virtually required them to make the trip to Springfield and DuQuoin, running a full dirt race on a tight budget without a backup car simply was not possible. Smith ultimately ran just four laps before pulling in, enough to avoid last place and finish 22nd.
Following Clubb and Smith up the order was 33-year-old series debutant Daylan Hairston, a crew member for Fast Track Racing whose night ended after five laps due to overheating issues. Nate Moeller rounded out the Top 20 with 10 laps completed, while Dale Quarterley rounded out the Bottom Five as his return to the ARCA track ended after 25 laps due to crash damage.
While Clubb picked up the LASTCAR Dirt Double, Brent Crews ensured William Sawalich could not do the same at the front of the field. After taking the lead from the polesitter Sawalich on the opening lap, Crews led all 102 circuits, while Sawalich and Andres Perez rounded out the top three.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
23) #86-Brian Clubb / 3 laps / mechanical
22) #48-Brad Smith / 4 laps / mechanical
21) #10-Daylan Hairston / 5 laps / mechanical
20) #0-Nate Moeller / 10 laps / mechanical
19) #4-Dale Quarterley / 25 laps / crash
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 16 of 20)
1st) Clubb Racing Inc. (5)
2nd) Fast Track Racing, Brad Smith Motorsports (3)
3rd) Peterson Motorsports (2)
4th) Kennealy Keller Motorsports, Rise Motorsports, Shearer Speed Racing (1)
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 16 of 20)
1st) Ford (10)
2nd) Chevrolet, Toyota (3)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE throughout the 2024 ARCA season to view the full drivers’ standings for both the ARCA Menards Series and its East and West divisions. You can also find the manufacturers’ and owners’ standings for all three series HERE.
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 16 of 20)
