BY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mason Mingus for months had planned to race Saturday night at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. It wasn’t until about a week ago that the 26-year-old Nashville native stumbled upon plans to run not one, but both races at his home track Saturday night.
And he’ll make his first start in the ARCA Menards Series East on the General Tire Pole.
Mingus, who finished second in the 2013 ARCA Menards Series championship standings, will start the Crosley Record Pressing 200 presented by T-Mobile from the pole after posting a lap time of 19.504 seconds (110.008 mph) in Saturday evening’s single-car qualifying session.
RELATED: Complete Nashville Qualifying Results
Saturday night’s race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway marks Mingus’ first start on the ARCA Menards platform since 2017; it’s his first in the East Series.
Mingus was a late entry for the Nashville race, as a chance to race for veteran car owner Jeff McClure and Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing team presented itself in the weeks leading up to the event. He is entered in the No. 11 Stretchlab Ford.
A regular competitor in the Pro Late Model Division at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and the winner of the 2019 All American 400 at the track, Mingus will compete in the Jegs/CRA All Stars Tour race scheduled ahead of Saturday night’s East Series race.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in an ARCA car, and I’ve only run it once here,” said Mingus, referring to his fifth-place finish in the 2017 Music City 200 for the ARCA Menards Series. “So, pretty happy with it.”
Another East Series rookie, Daniel Dye, qualified third with a lap time of 19.568 seconds / 109.648 mph, just ahead of Parker Retzlaff (19.603 seconds, 109.453 mph) in fourth and Joey Iest (19.606 seconds, 109.436 mph) in fifth.
Mason Diaz, Rajah Caruth, Conner Jones, Carson Kvapil and Max Gutiérrez rounded out the top 10 in qualifying.
The Crosley Record Pressing 200 presented by T-Mobile at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, the third race of the 2021 ARCA Menards Series East season, is scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET.
The race will be shown live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.
A replay of Saturday night’s race at Nashville will air on NBCSN on Thursday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Crosley Record Pressing 200 presented by T-Mobile Qualifying Results / Starting Lineup
Pos. | Car No. | Driver | Sponsor, OEM | Best Time | Best Speed | In Lap | Laps | Diff. |
1 | 11 | Mason Mingus | Stretchlab Ford | 19.504 | 110.008 | 2 | 2 | – |
2 | 18 | Sammy Smith * | EngineIce Toyota | 19.51 | 109.974 | 2 | 2 | 0.006 |
3 | 43 | Daniel Dye * | Race to Stop Suicide/Solar-Fit/Jeep Beach Chevrolet | 19.568 | 109.648 | 2 | 2 | 0.064 |
4 | 42 | Parker Retzlaff | Ponsse Toyota | 19.603 | 109.453 | 2 | 2 | 0.099 |
5 | 54 | Joey Iest * | ASN/Basila Ranch Ford | 19.606 | 109.436 | 2 | 2 | 0.102 |
6 | 74 | Mason Diaz | Solid Rock Carriers Toyota | 19.708 | 108.869 | 2 | 2 | 0.204 |
7 | 6 | Rajah Caruth * | UTI/NTI/Max Siegel Inc Chevrolet | 19.741 | 108.688 | 2 | 2 | 0.237 |
8 | 21 | Conner Jones * | Jones Utilities Chevrolet | 19.772 | 108.517 | 2 | 2 | 0.268 |
9 | 41 | Carson Kvapil * | ChevyParts.com/LKN Mechanical Chevrolet | 20.088 | 106.81 | 2 | 2 | 0.584 |
10 | 30 | Max Gutierrez * | ToughBuilt Ford | 20.094 | 106.778 | 2 | 2 | 0.59 |
11 | 12 | Stephanie Moyer * | Fast Track Racing Toyota | 21.281 | 100.822 | 2 | 2 | 1.777 |
12 | 10 | Dick Doheny | Fast Track Racing Toyota | 21.326 | 100.61 | 2 | 2 | 1.822 |
13 | 11 | Wayne Peterson | GreatRailing.com Chevrolet | – | – | 0 | – | – |