IRWINDALE, Calif. — It only took three starts with Venturini Motorsports for Sean Hingorani to break through in a big way.
The 16-year-old notched his first ARCA Menards Series West victory Saturday night at California’s Irwindale Speedway, fending off a charge from Landen Lewis late in the race.
The victory marked the first ARCA Menards Series West triumph for Venturini Motorsports.
Hingorani, who celebrated by climbing Irwindale’s frontstretch catch fence alongside his crew, expressed his gratitude to everyone at Venturini Motorsports for all their hard work to ensure he would be prepared to contend for wins right out of the gate.
“Our Toyota Camry was so fast (on Saturday),” Hingorani said. “We were fast all weekend, but my crew chief Kevin Reed, Jr. has been (to Irwindale) a couple times and finally got himself a win. It’s so awesome to win here.”
When Hingorani joined Venturini Motorsports for the 2023 season, he expected to be tested both physically and mentally across the United States.
Along with contesting a full ARCA Menards Series West schedule, Hingorani will also compete for the ARCA Menards Series East championship with Venturini Motorsports while also making a handful of appearances in the ARCA Menards Series.
Saturday’s race cemented Hingorani as an early favorite for the ARCA Menards Series West championship. After chasing down and passing polesitter Trevor Huddleston, Hingorani traded blows with Lewis on several occasions before finally pulling away from him during the final 20 laps.
With his win, Hingorani joins a long list of drivers who have won a race with Venturini Motorsports, which includes names such as Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman, Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, Chandler Smith, Todd Gilliland and Harrison Burton.
Hingorani finds himself in a great position to add another chapter to Venturini Motorsports’ legacy as an ARCA Menards Series West champion.
To accomplish that goal, Hingorani will have to battle Lewis, Huddleston and many others across the remaining 10 races. It’s a challenge the Newport Beach, California native has proved he is prepared for following his stellar outing Saturday.
Lewis managed to come home second, with Tyler Reif finishing third a few weeks after his season-opening victory at Phoenix Raceway. Rounding out the top-five finishers were Huddleston and Tanner Reif.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series West will take place at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California, on Saturday, April 22.
ARCA Menards Series East
Irvindale Speedway – Irwindale, CA
West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame 150 – April 1, 2023
1. Sean Hingoraini
2. Landen Lewis
3. Tyler Reif
4. Trevor Huddleston
5. Tanner Reif
6. Kyle Keller
7. Takuma Koga
8. Bradley Erickson
9. Bobby Hillis
10. David Smith
11. Todd Souza
12. Jake Bollman
13. Ethan Nascimento
14. Eric Nascimento
15. R.J. Smotherman
16. Nick Joanides
