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Photo: Stephen Furst/Myracenews
By Michael Jaworecki Myracenews
September 19th, 2024
A large field of ARCA Menards series teams took the green today at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Bush’s Beans 200. Unfortunately, with a large field on a small track the lapping and cautions started early and continued often.
Conor Zilisch #28 and William Sawalich #18 would be the class of the field early trading the lead and taking off from the rest of the field.
Unfortunatly when Logan Misuraca crashed Conor Zilisch had nowhere to go and had a heavy hit into the back of Logan sending him pit side and out of the event. The crash ended his championship hopes.
Once the green came out Landen Lewis #97 would jump to the lead for the first time but that did not last long as Amber Balcaen crashed bringing out another caution.
The word of the day would be caution as number six would fly on lap 92 the of Michael Maples would spin and hit the safer barrier.
Post halfway break with many of the slower cars out of the race the leaders hoped not to worry about picking their way through lapped traffic.
William Sawalisch went back to the front shortly after the break. Although cations did continue for debris and crashes. At lap 135 we were up to 9 cautions with more to come.
The second half of the race the battle for the lead would be between Williams Sawalisch and Landen Lewis. Caution after caution gave them plenty of time to practice restarts.
Several cautions in the second half of the race really pared down the field and of course a green, white checker in overtime would decide the race. In the end William Sawalisch out gunned Landen Lewis to take the Bush’s Beans 200 and the 2024 ARCA Menards East championship.
Notes:
5 drivers did double duty today in ARCA and Craftsman Trucks William Sawalisch, Connor Zilisch. Lawless Alan, Dean Thompson and Corey Day.
Rookie Corey Day an 18-year-old who spends most of his time in a 410 Sprint Car and the High Limit series, had a solid day. Cory was in the top 10 for most of the race a far cry from his first ARCA Menards race at Salem Speedway where he crashed out of the event.
Marco Andretti looked to have had a flat which sent him into the Safer Barrier and out of the race.
Andy Jankowiak avoided all of the many crashes through the race, breaking into the top 10 with about 35 to go where he would finish.
Tyler Reif at only 17 years old from Las Vegas had a solid day with a solid 6th place finish
After being spun and crashing Greg Van Alst expressed his displeasure with Christian Rose.
Only 19 cars finished the race with 10 of those on the lead lap.
