by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Last week’s LASTCAR ARCA article was delayed due to an apparent discrepancy between how Rob Pellosie and Chris Golden’s “reason out” were ruled and how Tony Huffman’s was ruled at Kern earlier this season. In waiting to gather as much photo and video evidence from the track as possible, I have decided to rule Pellosie as the official last-place finisher. Stay tuned for an op-ed later this week explaining the decision in greater detail.

Rob Pellosie finished last for the 1st time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Friday’s Zinsser Smartcoat 150 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course when his No. 31 Tooth Acres Dentistry Chevrolet fell out with mechanical issues on the pace laps.

The finish came in Pellosie’s ARCA debut.

A graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, Dr. Robert Pellosie, DMD, MS, is the latest to get behind the wheel of Rise Motorsports’ No. 31 car this season. Pellosie is the owner of Tooth Acres Dentistry in Mount Dora, Florida, where he is referred to as someone who “has a passion for motorsports and aviation.” An introduction video from the Rise Motorsports Facebook page revealed Pellosie also has a private pilot license and flew with his former flight instructor from Florida to Mid-Ohio for the ARCA race.

Unfortunately, Pellosie’s race ended before it could begin. While Racing-Reference lists the No. 31 as out of the race with a mechanical issue on the opening lap, Pellosie’s car did not appear to be in frame as the field took the green flag. However, a photo posted later in the week from Clubb Racing Inc. on X indicates that the team was able to make it out for the opening pace lap, which may indicate why the team was credited with an official “reason out” rather than a “did not start.” Curiously, this would contradict the ruling handed to Tony Huffman at Kern earlier this season, as Huffman irrefutably participated in the pace laps before presumably pulling straight into the pits as the field took the green flag. Huffman, however, was credited with a “did not start,” so it remains unclear what caused the discrepancy between the two rulings.

In total, 26 cars appeared on the entry list. Of the 26, 19 set at least one competitive lap time in qualifying, with Michael Maples and Mike Basham recording speeds roughly 15 and 20 seconds slower than Cody Dennison’s 1:37.323 respectively. Pellosie was one of five drivers unable to record a qualifying time, leaving him with a 24th-place starting spot on the grid.

Joining Pellosie as a first-lap retirement was Chris Golden, marking the second race in a row that Clubb Racing Inc.’s No. 86 has finished second-to-last. Only 24 of the 26 cars were in frame coming to take the green, as Golden’s car came to a stop in Turn 10 on the final pace lap due to a mechanical issue of his own, also forcing the first caution of the race to be displayed. Smith was the next to pull behind the wall, joining Pellosie and Golden after only one lap completed due to a broken power steering pump line. Dale Quarterley’s race ended on Lap 7 in particularly heartbreaking fashion, as the 63-year-old veteran was running third and holding pace with the leaders before losing power. Rounding out the Bottom Five was Andrew Patterson, who made it 10 laps farther than Quarterley before mechanical problems of his own ended his day and left him with a 22nd-place finish. Looking further up the running order, Nate Moeller and Mike Basham dropped out after 20 and 25 laps respectively with “mechanical” as the status listed as well, meaning all seven DNFs from the race were due to the same “reason out.”

THE BOTTOM FIVE

26) #31-Rob Pellosie / 0 laps / mechanical

25) #86-Chris Golden / 0 laps / mechanical

24) #48-Brad Smith / 1 lap / mechanical

23) #4-Dale Quarterley / 6 laps / mechanical

22) #17-Andrew Patterson / 16 laps / mechanical

2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 8 of 20)

1st) Fast Track Racing (3)

2nd) Kennealy Keller Motorsports, Peterson Motorsports, Clubb Racing Inc., Brad Smith Motorsports, Rise Motorsports (1)

2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 8 of 20)

1st) Ford, Chevrolet (3) 

2nd) Toyota (2)

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 8 of 20)