ARCA: Nate Moeller’s late entry leads to an early exit at Michigan
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
PHOTO: Nathan Moeller/Facebook
Nate Moeller finished last for the 4th time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Friday’s Henry Ford Health 200 at Michigan International Speedway when his No. 06 Peterson Motorsports Ford fell out with mechanical issues after completing 5 of 200 laps.
The finish came in Moeller’s 12th career ARCA start.
Moeller’s role as a start-and-park driver for the Peterson team allowed him to win the LASTCAR Drivers’ Championship in ARCA East in 2023. While he is currently in a tie for the lead in the East standings once again in 2024, his ARCA national starts have seen him increase his average lap total from the two previous seasons. After last-place runs at Salem in 2022, Toledo in 2022, and again at Salem in 2023, Moeller had successfully avoided last-place in the national ARCA tour heading into Friday’s race at Michigan.
Moeller’s best result this season is a 14th-place run at Berlin, where he finished the race under power and completed 180 of 200 laps. Friday’s race, however, marked Moeller’s earliest exit of the season thus far. It took a late development for Moeller to run Michigan in the first place - his Facebook post indicated that the original plan was for Con Nicolopoulos to drive the No. 06, but as Nicolopoulos was unable to make it to the track in time, Moeller stepped in to take his place. After completing just five laps, Moeller was called to the garage by ARCA officials, reportedly for failing to maintain minimum speed. While Racing-Reference lists Moeller’s DNF as a standard “mechanical” issue, The Third Turn indicates “too slow” as his “reason out.”
With a quick turnaround window to Sunday’s race at Springfield, a total of 24 cars appeared on the entry list for the first of two ARCA races in three days. At session’s end, 22 were recorded as running at least one lap in practice. Moeller anchored the time sheets with a lap of 1:02.010, likely just a shakedown run as it was his only lap time set during the session. Because of weather, qualifying was cancelled, forcing the starting lineup to be set by the speeds set in practice. Thus, Moeller started 22nd, followed by Toni Breidinger and Alex Clubb, both of whom were unable to participate in practice.
Moeller’s lap total was just beaten out by Casey Carden, who reported “something came apart” in the motor after six laps. Tim Richmond then pulled of the track after 30 laps - a team spokesperson told Frontstretch’s Mark Kristl that his car lost fuel pressure. LASTCAR ARCA Drivers’ Championship leader Brad Smith was next to pull behind the wall, parking after 44 laps due to overheating concerns (Smith’s team also cited the need to ensure the car could be used for the Springfield race on Sunday). Rounding out the Bottom Five was Michael Maples, whose 71 laps completed was enough to give him a 20th-place finish.
Up front, Connor Zilisch continued his dominance, winning his fourth ARCA national race in as many starts in 2024. Series points leader and polesitter Andres Perez extended his points lead with a runner-up finish, while Joe Gibbs Racing’s Tanner Gray placed third.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
24) #06-Nate Moeller / 5 laps / mechanical
23) #31-Casey Carden / 6 laps / mechanical
22) #27-Tim Richmond / 30 laps / mechanical
21) #48-Brad Smith / 44 laps / mechanical
20) #99-Michael Maples / 71 laps / mechanical
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 20)
1st) Fast Track Racing, Brad Smith Motorsports (3)
2nd) Clubb Racing Inc., Peterson Motorsports (2)
3rd) Kennealy Keller Motorsports, Rise Motorsports, Shearer Speed Racing (1)
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 20)
1st) Ford (7)
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 13 of 20)
