DOVER, Del. — There was no slowing Ty Gibbs this time.
A year after watching a sure win get away at Dover International Speedway following late-race contact with the wall, the 18-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, put together a perfect day Friday in the ARCA Menards East Series’ race at the “Monster Mile.”
Gibbs was fastest in practice, won the General Tire Pole Award, and led very lap en route to the win in the General Tire 125.
It is the second straight ARCA race that Gibbs has led every lap. He won pitched a shut out in the ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas Speedway on May 1. It’s also Gibbs’ 13th win across the three ARCA platforms.
The only real threat to Gibbs’ dominance at Dover came with 17 laps to go following the race’s final restart when Josh Berry gave Gibbs’ an extended battle for the lead. The two made contact in turn 1, pushing Gibbs up the track, but he was able to maintain the top spot down the backstretch and pull away for the win.
Gibbs’ No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota crossed the finish line .88 seconds ahead of Berry.
Berry finished second, with former NASCAR Cup Series driver David Gilliland third, ARCA East championship points leader Sammy fourth and Max Gutierrez fifth.
Daniel Dye, Connor Mosack, Joey Iest, Jade Buford and Ed Pompa rounded out the top 10.
Smith extended his championship lead after the fourth of eight races as misfortune fell challengers Mason Diaz (11th), Parker Retzlaff (12th) and Rajah Caruth (14th).
Smith, who earned a pair of free passes to get back on the lead lap, now leads Diaz by 22 points and Gutierrez by 23.
The ARCA Menards Series East will next race on Saturday, June 12, in the North Carolina 200 at Southern National Motorsports Park.
ARCA Menards East Series
Dover International Speedway – Dover, DE
General Tire 125 – May 14, 2021
1. Ty Gibbs
2. Josh Berry
3. David Gilliland
4. Sammy Smith
5. Max Gutierrez
6. Daniel Dye
7. Connor Mosack
8. Joey Iest
9. Jade Buford
10. Ed Pompa
11. Mason Diaz
12. Parker Retzlaff
13. Kyle Sieg
14. Rajah Caruth
15. Dick Doheny
16. Drew Dollar
17. Justin S. Carroll
18. Jesse Love
