2023 Pensacola 200

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2023 Pensacola 200
Race details [1] [2] [3] [4]
Race 1 of 8 of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East
DateMarch 25, 2023
Official name 4th Annual Pensacola 200
Location Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida
Course Permanent racing facility
0.5 mi (0.80 km)
Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (161 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 100 mi (161 km)
Average speed 82.286 mph (132.426 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
 Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 17.220
Most laps led
Driver William Sawalich Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps 200
Winner
No. 18 William Sawalich Joe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
Network FloRacing
Announcers Charles Krall
Radio in the United States
Radio ARCA Racing Network

The 2023 Pensacola 200 was the first stock car race of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East season, and the 4th running of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, a 0.5 mile (0.80 km) permanent asphalt oval shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In his first career start, William Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would go on to obliterate the competition, winning the pole and leading every lap of the race to earn his first career ARCA Menards Series East win. [5] To fill out the podium, Luke Fenhaus, driving for Pinnacle Racing Group, and Jake Finch, driving for Venturini Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Contents

Report

Background

Five Flags Speedway, the circuit where the race will be held. Five Flags Speedway.jpg
Five Flags Speedway, the circuit where the race will be held.

Five Flags Speedway is a half-mile (0.8 km) paved oval racetrack in Pensacola, Florida. It opened in 1953 and is located on Pine Forest Road. [6] It is christened after the nickname of Pensacola—"City of Five Flags." [7]

It runs several local classes during the regular racing season (March – October). These classes include Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Pro Trucks, Outlaw Stocks, Sportsman, and Pure Stocks. The races are usual held on Friday nights bi-weekly. The track has also hosted many regional touring series. [8] [9]

In 2019, the ARCA Menards Series returned to the track, but for one year only. After the merge between ARCA and NASCAR after the 2019 season, the former NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, (now called ARCA Menards Series East) began racing at Five Flags in 2020.

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Saturday, March 25, at 2:30 PM EST, and would last for 1 hour. [10] William Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 17.665, and a speed of 101.896 mph (163.986 km/h). [11]

Pos. [12] #DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
118 William Sawalich (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 17.665101.896
220 Jake Finch Venturini Motorsports Toyota 17.715101.609
328 Luke Fenhaus (R) Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet 17.830100.953
Full practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Saturday, March 25, at 4:30 PM EST. [10] The qualifying system used is a single-car, two-lap based system. All drivers will be on track by themselves and will have two laps to post a qualifying time. The driver who sets the fastest time in qualifying will win the pole. [13]

William Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 17.220, and a speed of 104.530 mph (168.225 km/h). [14]

Qualifying results

Pos. [15] #DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
118 William Sawalich (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 17.220104.530
220 Jake Finch Venturini Motorsports Toyota 17.484102.951
328 Luke Fenhaus (R) Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet 17.536102.646
441 Tyler Reif (R) Lowden Jackson Motorsports Ford 17.666101.891
56 Lavar Scott (R) Rev Racing Chevrolet 17.861100.778
615 Sean Hingorani (R) Venturini Motorsports Toyota 17.952100.267
795 Tanner Arms MAN Motorsports Toyota 17.957100.239
846 R. J. Smotherman Lowden Jackson Motorsports Ford 18.24998.636
911 Zachary Tinkle Fast Track Racing Toyota 18.29698.382
1012 Tim Monroe Fast Track Racing Toyota 18.87395.374
1110 Ed Pompa Fast Track Racing Ford 19.62391.729
1201 Dallas Frueh Fast Track Racing Ford 19.68591.440
1331 Rita Goulet (R) Rise Motorsports Chevrolet 20.83286.406
1406 Nate Moeller Wayne Peterson Racing Toyota 21.46383.865
1598 Dale Shearer Shearer Speed Racing Toyota ––
Official qualifying results

Race results

Fin [16] St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts
1118William Sawalich (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota200200Running49
2328Luke Fenhaus (R)Pinnacle Racing GroupChevrolet2000Running42
3220Jake FinchVenturini MotorsportsToyota2000Running41
4615Sean Hingorani (R)Venturini MotorsportsToyota2000Running40
556Lavar Scott (R)Rev RacingChevrolet1990Running39
6441Tyler Reif (R)Lowden Jackson MotorsportsFord1980Running38
7911Zachary TinkleFast Track RacingToyota1940Running37
8795Tanner ArmsMAN MotorsportsToyota1930Running36
9846R. J. SmothermanLowden Jackson MotorsportsFord1930Running35
101110Ed PompaFast Track RacingFord1870Running34
111012Tim MonroeFast Track RacingToyota370Overheating33
121201Dallas FruehFast Track RacingFord220Overheating32
131406Nate MoellerWayne Peterson RacingToyota30Brakes31
141598Dale ShearerShearer Speed RacingToyota00Oil Pressure30
151331Rita Goulet (R)Rise MotorsportsChevrolet00Suspension29
Official race results

Standings after the race

References

  1. ↑ "Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. January 6, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Entry list: Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. March 21, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Qualifying results: Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. March 25, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Race results: Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. March 25, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  5. ↑ Christie, Toby (March 25, 2023). "William Sawalich Leads Wire-to-Wire to Score Win in ARCA East Debut at Five Flags". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Track History". Archived from the original on January 29, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Five Flags of Derby". Archived from the original on December 1, 2010.
  8. ↑ "NASCAR results at Five Flags Speedway". Racing Reference. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Schedule". Archived from the original on March 17, 2010.
  10. 1 2 "Schedule of events: Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. February 27, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Practice results: Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. March 25, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  12. ↑ "2023 Pensacola 200 Practice Results". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  13. ↑ Fenwick, Adam (March 20, 2023). "PIT BOX: ARCA Menards Series East season roars to life Saturday at Five Flags Speedway". ARCA. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  14. ↑ Calloni, Josh (March 25, 2023). "William Sawalich Earns Pole for ARCA East Season Opener at Five Flags". Frontstretch.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  15. ↑ "2023 Pensacola 200 Qualifying Results". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  16. ↑ "2023 Pensacola 200 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
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2023 General Tire 125
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