In his debut appearance in the ARCA Menards Series national circuit, 17-year-old Carson Brown captured his maiden victory at Phoenix Raceway on Thursday night with an intense two-lap overtime finish. Starting from the pole position, Brown dominated the event, leading almost the entire race, including a tense late restart that decided the outcome in his favor over 2024 Watkins Glen winner Tristan McKee.
The race served as the second event of the 2026 ARCA Menards Series and was held on a rare Thursday night, featuring 40 cars. Importantly, it was also a combination event with the ARCA West Series, meaning that drivers earned points toward both championships. Brown, an RCR development driver, qualified fastest with a lap time of 27.67 seconds at an average speed of 130.105 mph. McKee started second on the outside front row, setting the stage for a competitive duel.
Race Developments and Multiple Cautions Mark a Chaotic Night
The race unfolded with immediate challenges, as a first-lap crash in Turn 2 involving Bobby Hillis Jr. collected several competitors, including Bobby Dale Earnhardt, Nate Moeller, and Brad Smith, leading to an early yellow flag. Throughout the night, the race was punctuated by nine cautions, totaling 53 laps under yellow conditions, with incident-packed moments disrupting the usual flow.
Early cautions included spins and collisions such as Dustin Hillenburg’s Turn 2 spin at Lap 13 and a tangled incident at Lap 22 that involved Eric Johnson Jr. and Isabella Robusto making contact after Johnson Jr. lost control. Additionally, a battery failure sidelined Jade Avedisian at Lap 27, further contributing to the race’s stop-start nature.
Despite frequent cautions, a green flag stretch of 43 laps allowed Brown to build a strong lead heading into the halfway competition break at Lap 76. By then, the top ten featured McKee, Jake Bollman, Isaac Kitzmiller, Andy Jankowiak, Thomas Annunziata, Mason Massey, Max Reaves, Mia Lovell, and Taylor Mayhew following Brown at the front.
Late-Race Incidents Set Stage for Dramatic Overtime Battle
The restart after the halfway break saw more turmoil. With 35 laps remaining, a major crash unfolded on the backstretch as Mayhew and Lovell made contact, causing Lovell to spin directly in front of the pack. The incident collected numerous drivers including Julian Dacosta, Robusto, Taylor Reimer, Avedisian, and Robbie Kennealy, shaking up the field significantly.
Additional yellow flags followed in quick succession, including a wreck in Turn 2 involving Gavin Ray after Mayhew’s car slid into him. Brown maintained control during these interruptions, creating distance from competitors while the race skirmished with frequent cautions.
As the race approached its final laps, Brown appeared poised for a clean finish leading comfortably. However, a late caution came out moments before the leaders took the white flag due to another spin by Dustin Hillenburg, pushing the race into an overtime scenario with a two-lap shootout to determine the winner.
Final Restart Duel Sees Brown Successfully Hold Off McKee
The overtime restart intensified the competition as Tristan McKee made a strong effort to overtake Brown. Despite his attempts to maneuver around the young pole sitter, McKee was unable to find a clear path, ultimately settling for second place as Brown crossed the line first. The final official count recorded two lead changes and two different leaders over the course of the event.
Carson Brown expressed gratitude to his team and sponsors after the race, acknowledging the pressure during the overtime finish:
“All the guys back at PRG (Pinnacle Racing Group), big thank you to them,”
Brown said in an interview with FS1.
“Distributing Wire Cable, just everyone who makes this happen. Andy’s Frozen Custard. Just couldn’t do it without all of them. Man, that green-white-checkered made it a little hairy there. Made a little contact off (Turn) 2, but just glad I can kind of persevere there and make it to the finish line.”
Top Ten Finishers and Upcoming Events
The Top 10 at the checkered flag were Carson Brown, Tristan McKee, Thomas Annunziata, Trevor Huddleston, Mason Massey, Jake Bollman, Isaac Kitzmiller, Taylor Mayhew, Max Reaves, and Robbie Kennealy. Mason Massey, last week’s ARCA West Series winner, had started 14th but couldn’t maintain a top spot.
Looking ahead, the ARCA Menards Series will return to action on Saturday, April 18, at Kansas Speedway. This next national event will be broadcast live on FS1 and covered by MRN Radio, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET.
