Phoenix, AZ – Heavy rain showers blanketed Phoenix throughout the day, forcing the cancellation of practice and qualifying rounds for the ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix Raceway. With no qualifying laps run, the starting lineup was set based on practice speeds, putting Brent Crews (Car 18) of Joe Gibbs Racing in the pole position after posting the fastest time.
This marks the second time this season that rain has disrupted the schedule, with similar conditions impacting the season opener in Daytona.
The race itself turned into an endurance test, extending well beyond its scheduled distance due to multiple late-race cautions. Originally slated for 150 laps, the event stretched into 163 laps after going into double overtime.
ARCA’s unique overtime rules require a green-white-checkered restart, with the race continuing until a winner crosses the finish line under green flag conditions.
Queen’s Near Miss and Crews’ Victory
Brenden “Butterbean” Queen (Car 28) of Pinnacle Racing Group delivered a commanding performance, leading the majority of laps and positioning himself for what seemed to be a second consecutive ARCA victory. However, as the checkered flag neared, Crews made a decisive move, going door-to-door with Queen before making slight contact in Turn 4, edging ahead to claim the victory.
It was a reminder of how unpredictable racing can be—leading the most laps doesn’t guarantee the win until the final flag waves.
The battle wasn’t just between Crews and Queen. William Sawalich (Car 50) of High Point Racing also challenged for the top spot in the final laps, engaging in an intense back-and-forth with Crews before ultimately finishing behind him.
Queen remained optimistic despite the heartbreak, saying in his post-race interview, “It was a solid effort from the whole team today. We were in contention, and that’s what we need to keep doing—staying consistent and learning from every race. We’ll come back stronger next time.”
“I just kept my focus and waited for the right opportunity,” said Crews in his post-race interview. “It feels incredible to get this win here at Phoenix, especially with the level of competition we had today. William Sawalich raced me clean, and I had to dig deep to make that last move stick. This win is a big one for me and my team.”
Looking Ahead
With two races now in the books, Queen sits atop the championship standings with 80 points, while Crews moves into second with 75. However, their rivalry will take a brief pause—Crews, only 16 years old, is ineligible to compete at the next race in Talladega due to age restrictions.
The ARCA Menards Series returns to action on April 26, 2025, for the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Fans will be eager to see if Queen can extend his points lead or if another driver will rise to challenge him on the legendary superspeedway.
