Nitro Motorsports delivered an impressive performance in Thursday’s ARCA Menards Series racing event at Phoenix International Raceway, with five team drivers qualifying inside the top-15. Thomas Annunziata led the effort by securing a podium finish, positioning the team well in the ongoing 2026 championship battle.
Thomas Annunziata Battles Early Difficulties to Reach Podium
Annunziata drove the #70 JBL Toyota Camry to a resilient third-place finish after overcoming early handling issues. Despite these setbacks, he navigated his way through the field and challenged the leaders in the final stages of the race, marking a notable achievement for Nitro Motorsports.
Our JBL Toyota Camry was super-fast at the beginning,
explained Annunziata.
We definitely struggled with handling early on, and I was just trying to hang on there. The guys on my team put everything together and got the car where it needed to be, and it showed. We passed a lot of cars and got back up to third and gave them a run for their money up front. As a team, we’re continuing to close the gap to the guys ahead of us. We’re close, and it was a good championship points day, so I’m happy.
?Thomas Annunziata, Driver
Jake Bollman Overcomes Race Incidents to Secure Solid Finish
Jake Bollman delivered another strong result, finishing sixth in the #20 Toyota Camry despite sustaining damage from on-track contact. His persistence helped the team maintain momentum in the points standings amidst a challenging race.
Overall, we ran up front for a long time,
Bollman said.
We raced pretty hard with the lead cars and felt like we had something for them after the halfway break. Unfortunately, we got caught in a couple of messes that ripped the right side of the back bumper off and hurt our speed for the rest of the race. The car was tight after that, but we kept fighting. Finishing sixth is still a solid points day. Stuff happens in an instant in racing, so we’ll take it and move forward. Huge thanks to everyone at Nitro Motorsports — the crew chief, car chief, and everyone back at the shop who worked hard to get these cars ready with the busy schedule we’ve had.
?Jake Bollman, Driver
Qualifying Pace Highlights Team’s Potential Despite Mixed Race Outcomes
While Annunziata and Bollman secured top-six finishes, other Nitro Motorsports drivers showed strong speed in qualifying but faced challenges during the race. Jade Avedisian, who qualified inside the top ten, finished 28th. Isabella Robusto ended up 21st, with Mia Lovell and Julian DaCosta finishing 30th and 31st respectively.
The depth shown in qualifying, with Annunziata, Bollman, Avedisian, Robusto, and Lovell all inside the top-15, demonstrates the capability and speed of Nitro’s Toyota Camry lineup.
Maintaining Momentum as Nitro Motorsports Looks Ahead to Upcoming Events
The combination of a podium finish and multiple strong qualifying efforts reinforces Nitro Motorsports’ growing strength in ARCA Menards Series racing. As the team prepares for the next competition round, they appear well-positioned to continue challenging their rivals and secure further success.
