The ARCA Menards Series came to Kansas Speedway on Friday for the Reese’s 150, the second-to-last race of the 2025 season, where Brenden Queen and Lavar Scott were the main contenders for the championship, separated by just 56 points heading into the race. Queen’s win at Kansas brought him closer to clinching the 2025 ARCA title, highlighting his dominance in the season-long battle.
In Friday’s only practice session, Queen posted the fastest time at 31.810 seconds, averaging 169.758 mph. Other strong performers included Gio Ruggiero, Leland Honeyman, Taylor Jankowiak, and Thad Moffitt, who completed the top five in practice. Despite a lengthy caution caused by an oil line failure, Corey Day managed to secure the tenth fastest time.
Qualifying and Race Start Set the Stage
Queen showcased his speed by claiming the pole position with a lap time of 31.059 seconds (173.863 mph) during qualifying, televised live on FS1 and covered by MRN Radio. Ruggiero started second, followed by Honeyman, Corey Day, and Moffitt. However, Honeyman missed the mandatory driver’s meeting and was penalized to start at the back of the pack.
At the race’s green flag, Ruggiero overtook Queen early to take the lead, eager to claim his first career ARCA victory. The race pace was intense, with Ruggiero holding the lead until a caution emerged on lap 30 due to an incident involving Bobby Dale Earnhardt. During the caution, teams faced critical decisions on whether to pit for fresh tires or maintain track position.
Strategic Moves Influence Mid-Race Positioning
The pit stop sequence during the lap 30 caution allowed Queen to inherit the lead by the lap 38 restart, approaching a scheduled race break near lap 50. Queen maintained control in the subsequent laps, though racing remained competitive, with Corey Day briefly leading a lap. Nearing the segment’s end, Lavar Scott experienced trouble when he hit the outside wall and blew a right-front tire, prompting another caution that became the halfway race break.
After the break, Ruggiero resumed the lead with 47 laps remaining, but Queen quickly regained second place, trailing by just over two seconds. On lap 50, Corey Day caused the third caution for leaking fluid, forcing teams once again to choose between pitting or staying out. Ruggiero opted for scuffed tires, while Queen gambled on fresh tires to maintain an edge.
Overtime Drama Leads to Queen’s Eighth Victory
The race resumed with Queen overtaking Ruggiero to take command. He controlled the field until a caution for Andy Jankowiak set the stage for overtime, extending the race beyond its scheduled distance. The overtime restart included top contenders Queen, Ruggiero, Honeyman, Mitchell, and Taylor Reimer, who drove to her second career top-five finish.
Queen surged ahead on the green-white checkered restart, only for a spin by Thad Moffitt to trigger yet another overtime attempt. Demonstrating composure and speed, Queen pulled away again from the field and secured his eighth ARCA win of the season as the race concluded under green flag conditions.
Implications for the Championship and Next Steps
This victory means Brenden Queen only needs to participate in next week’s finale at Toledo Speedway and take the green flag to officially clinch the 2025 ARCA title. The Virginia native has consistently delivered impressive results, owning 16 top-five and top-10 finishes this season. Gio Ruggiero finished a strong second, followed by Honeyman, Wright, and Reimer, who continues to show her rising competitiveness.
The ARCA Menards Series now prepares to wrap up the season on October 4 at Toledo Speedway, with live coverage scheduled on FOX Sports 2 at 4:00 p.m. ET. As tensions rise in this final championship fight, it remains uncertain whether Queen will secure his first ARCA title or if Ruggiero can mount a last-minute challenge.
“Ruggiero, per MRN Radio, added scuff tires while Queen chose sticker tires for the restart.”?MRN Radio
“Queen quickly sailed away from the field on the green/white together, followed by a checkered one-lap overtime attempt.”?Race Report
