From Adam Fenwick / arcaracing.com
Tanner Reif made a statement Saturday night at 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 and P.J. Pedroncelli.
Huddleston, Takuma Koga, Sebastian Arias, Todd Souza and Joey Iest completed the top-10.
The NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame will be broadcast on Friday, April 1, 1 p.m. ET on USA.
The ARCA Menards Series West season continues Saturday, April 23 with the Kern County 150 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California. The event will be streamed live by FloRacing.
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Photo: Michael Owens/ARCA Racing
NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame Results:
Tanner Reif
Cole Moore
Austin Herzog
Jake Drew
Paul Pedroncelli Jr
Trevor Huddleston
Takuma Koga
Sebastian Arias
Todd Souza
Joey Iest
Nick Joanides
Bridget Burgess
Chris Lowden
Stafford Smith
Paul Pedroncelli
For all the ARCA Menards Series news and results:
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