Post-Race Report from Venturini Motorsports
Race 1 Race 2
ARCA Menards Series / East Series ARCA Menards Series
Bush’s Bean 200 Toyota 200 by Crosley Brands
Bristol Motor Speedway Winchester Speedway
September 17, 2020 September 19, 2020
Race Highlights:
· In a year of firsts, two more were added this past weekend. Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway for the first time since 1969, with a one-day turnaround to head to Winchester Speedway, the first time back since 2017.
· Bristol’s Thursday night race was run as a combination race between the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East.
· Venturini Motorsports (VMS) fielded four Toyota Camry’s for both events: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith, No. 25 Michael Self and No. 25E Mason Diaz.
· Rain plagued the track for most of the day Thursday, cancelling all scheduled-on track activity, but lifted in-time for the late night 200-lap spectacle.
· With the field set on combined Series points, Smith rolled off third, followed by Self in seventh, Dollar 10th and Diaz in 15th.
· Dollar made quick work on the start, picking off several cars on his way into the top-five, reaching as high as third. Self and Smith settled in for the long haul as Diaz immediately cracked the top-10.
· Just before the break on lap-71, Smith suffered a suspension issue, sending him hard into the outside wall, prematurely ending his day. Dollar would suffer a similar fate, losing an engine on lap-156, ending his night.
· Diaz and Self continued to work their way through the tight field, with Self leading nine laps and earning a bonus point. Checkered flag waving Diaz came home fourth, Self fifth, Dollar 18th and Smith 23rd.
· Heading into Saturday’s race at Winchester, officials gave the teams a 30-minute practice session as well as General Tire Pole Qualifying. With the stating field set, Self rolled off second, Love third and Dollar sixth.
· All three VMS Toyota Camry’s found themselves in the top-five for most of the race, with Self continually knocking on the leader’s door.
· Fast paced and running most of the race under green, the checkered flag soon fell. Self would come home second, Love fourth and Dollar sixth.
· On deck next for VMS is the ARCA Menards Series race at Memphis International Raceway, on Saturday, September 26th. The team will field Toyota entries for: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith and No. 25 Michael Self
Drew Dollar No. 15 Sunbelt Rentals Toyota Camry
“I was pretty happy with our Sunbelt Rentals Toyota Camry at Bristol (Motor Speedway), we had a lot of speed and spent some time racing up-front. Unfortunately our day was cut short when we lost a motor. Winchester Speedway was really a cool track, a fast track and totally new to me. Felt like a long 200-lap race and we came up just short of a top-five finish. Already looking forward to Memphis (International Raceway) this weekend.”
Bristol: Start – 10 Finish – 18
Winchester: Start – 6 Finish – 6 Points – 4th
