Four days after Chandler Smith won in a rain-shortened race in Toledo, it’s back to work for the ARCA Menards Series as they return to the Charlotte Motor Speedway this Thursday. Brandon Jones is the defending winner of this race. The race is the first mile and a half for the year. Here are some drivers to watch for Thursday’s race.
Michael Self (No 25 Sinclair Toyota/ Venturini Motorsports)- Self enters this week as the points leader of the ARCA Menards Series after a 4th place finish at Toledo on Sunday. Self has two wins on the season, but they have been at short tracks this year (Five Flags, Salem). Self finished 21st in this race last year.
Harrison Burton (No 20 Venturini Motorsports Toyota)- Harrison Burton is back in the ARCA Menards Series after winning the season-opening race at Daytona. This is his first time racing at his home track in the ARCA Menards Series. Burton finished 11th on Friday’s Gander Outdoor Truck Series Race at Charlotte.
Christian Eckes (No 15 Venturini Motorsports Toyota)- Christian is racing his first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Eckes is currently 4th in points after getting the 3rd place at Toledo last week. This will be Eckes’s first time racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Riley Herbst- (No 18 Monster Energy Toyota/Joe Gibbs Racing)- Riley Herbst has had many close finishes in the ARCA Menards Series. The past few years he finished second in this race, and there is nothing that Riley would want more than a win this season. Riley finished second in his last race at Talladega. The 18 team has finished 2nd place 4 times this season in the ARCA Menards Series this season.
Sheldon Creed (No 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet)- This is Sheldon Creed’s first ARCA Race this season since he won the championship last season. Creed is now competing for GMS Racing full time in the Gander Outdoor Truck Series. Look for him to be one of the favorites in Charlotte this weekend. Creed finished third in last year’s race.
Travis Braden (No 27 Martixcare RFMS Racing Ford)- Travis Braden is looking for a bounce-back weekend at Charlotte after he crashed at Toledo last week and finished 13th. Braden came in as the ARCA points leader before the Toledo race, and after the crash, he is now 25 points behind Michael Self heading into Charlotte this weekend. Don’t count Braden out of this championship fight.
Other Drivers to Watch
Bret Holmes, Joe Graf Jr, Tanner Gray, Thad Moffitt, Ty Majeski, Brandon McReynolds
The General Tire 150 will run at 9 PM on Thursday on FS1.