Story By: CHARLES KRALL / ARCA – PENSACOLA, FL – Max Reaves (No. 18 Cook Out Toyota) earned his first career ARCA Menards Series East victory in his first career series start in Saturday’s Pensacola 150 at Five Flags Speedway. Reaves, who won the General Tire Pole Award earlier in the day, led 92 of the race’s 150 laps, including the final 27, on his way to victory.
Reaves became the youngest winner in ARCA Menards Series East history at 15 years, 2 months, and 16 days of age; he surpasses Cole Custer who previously held the record at 15 years, 6 months, and 10 days when he won at Iowa Speedway in August, 2013.
Reaves also became the 15th driver to win in his ARCA Menards Series East debut. The most recent driver to win in his series debut was William Sawalich, who also won at Five Flags Speedway driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, in March, 2023.
Kole Raz (No. 76 Cyclum Renewables Truck Stops Ford) finished second in his ARCA Menards Series East debut. Raz was able to take the lead on a lap-67 restart, which he held for the next 57 circuits. He ended the race 4.028 seconds behind Reaves at the checkered.
Tyler Reif (No. 23 Sigma Performance Services / Vegas Fastener Manufacturing Chevrolet) finished third in his third career East start. Reif, who drove the Central Coast Racing cars to the ARCA Menards Series West owner’s championship in 2024, also raced at Five Flags Speedway in 2023; he finished sixth.
Connor Mosack (No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet) recovered from a mid-race spin while racing for the lead to finish fourth. Mosack suffered a cut left rear tire after side-to-side contact with Reaves while battling for the lead on a restart at lap 62 and spun in turn one on lap 63. He fell a lap off the pace but received the free pass to restart at the tail of the lead lap at the race’s midway point.
Isaac Kitzmiller (No. 79 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet) made his ARCA Menards Series East debut on Saturday and ran among the top seven all evening before finishing fifth. Kitzmiller is the son of ARCA Menards Series regular Jason Kitzmiller and is a protégé of NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Ron Hornaday, Jr.
Carson Brown (No. 4 PayCafe Chevrolet) finished sixth in his East debut; he won the pole and led the first 75 laps in Sunday’s Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA STARS National Tour Sunshine State 200 before brake issues cut his day short.
Timmy Hill (No. 56 Hill Motorsports Toyota) finished seventh in his first ARCA Menards Series East appearance since he finished tenth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2010.
London McKenzie (No. 93 McKenzie Real Estate Ford) started eighth and finished eighth in his series debut.
Hunter Wright (No. 95 Sunset Park RV / Cedar City RV Toyota) finished ninth after fighting a loose condition in the final 50 laps. Wright’s MAN Motorsports teammate Jackson McLerran (No. 96 JSJ Construction Toyota) was forced to withdraw after engine problems in a private test session at Mobile International Speedway on Friday.
Zachary Tinkle (No. 11 Racing for Rescues Toyota) finished tenth in a backup car; Tinkle was involved in a crash in a private test at Tri-County Speedway on Thursday that left the primary car too damaged for immediate repair.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series East is the ARCA Rockingham 125 at Rockingham Speedway in Saturday, April 19.