It’s rare when a 1-2 finish can produce celebrations from two different drivers.
Ty Gibbs collected his sixth ARCA Menards Series win of the season in the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 at Memphis International Raceway on Saturday, but it was runner-up Sam Mayer who was also in a joyous mood as he wrapped up the Sioux Chief Showdown championship.
Gibbs’ No. 18 Toyota finished .662 seconds ahead of Mayer.
Mayer, though, finished five points ahead of Gibbs in the Sioux Chief Showdown — a 10-race series designed to bring the best of the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and West together.
Mayer, who became the youngest national or touring series champion in NASCAR history with his East title last year, added an ARCA trophy to his collection. He can make it two in October, as he holds a 26-point lead over Gibbs in the ARCA Menards Series East standings with one race remaining.
Gibbs holds the edge, 6-5, in wins in the ARCA Menards Series. For the second straight week, he was fastest in practice, won the General Tire Pole Award and then won the race. Gibbs has three wins, a second, a third and a fourth in his last six series’ starts.
The three races he didn’t win? Mayer did.
Bret Holmes finished third in a race he led a race-high 135 laps. However, he lost the lead to Gibbs on the restart following the lap 150 break, and eventually second place to Mayer.
Holmes, however, does leave Memphis with the ARCA Menards Series championship points lead by two over Michael Self with two races remaining. Holmes’ bonus points for leading the most laps combined with his finish and Self’s sixth-place pushed him back in front.
Thad Moffitt and Jasper, Georgia’s Chandler Smith finished fourth and fifth, right in front of Self, in a three-way battle on the final lap.
Hailie Deegan, Drew Dollar, Taylor Gray and Kris Wright completed the top 10.
The ARCA Menards Series heads to the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday, October 4.
ARCA Menards Series
Memphis International Raceway – Memphis, TN
Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 – September 26, 2020
1. Ty Gibbs
2. Sam Mayer
3. Bret Holmes
4. Thad Moffitt
5. Chandler Smith
6. Michael Self
7. Hailie Deegan
8. Drew Dollar
9. Taylor Gray
10. Kris Wright
11. Gus Dean
12. Mike Basham
13. Tim Richmond
14. Eric Caudell
15. Brad Smith
16. D.L. Wilson
17. Wayne Peterson
18. Richard Garvie
