Once Ty Gibbs got out front, it was game over.
The 17-year-old North Carolina driver dominated the General Tire 200 at Pocono Raceway Friday en route to his third career ARCA Menards Series win.
To get the victory, Gibbs out-ran runner up Chandler Smith and third-place Sam Mayer, who were celebrating their 18th and 17th birthdays, respectively, on race day.
Two weeks after he held off Mayer at Ohio’s Toledo Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series East, Gibbs was even better in his No. 18 Toyota. His margin of victory on the 2.5-mile tri-oval was 2.314 seconds. It was Gibbs’ sixth win in the ARCA Menards, East and West series in just 21 starts.
Gibbs is also the 28th consecutive different ARCA Menards winner at Pocono, a streak that dates back to 2006 and includes current NASCAR Cup Series drivers Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Joey Logano, Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott and Cole Custer.
Talking Rock, Georgia’s Chandler Smith, who was fastest in practice earlier in the day, passed Mayer late to take the second spot but could not run down Gibbs.
Bret Holmes finished fourth and championship points leader Michael Self was fifth.
Hailie Deegan, Derek Griffith, Drew Dollar, Ryan Huff and Scott Melton rounded out the top 10.
Self was able to improve his points lead to 15 on Dollar and 16 on Deegan after four races. Holmes, who picked up his second straight top five in ARCA Menards Series is 24 back of Self.
The ARCA Menards Series will be back on track for the Calypso Lemonade 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis on Friday, July 3.
ARCA Menards Series
Pocono Raceway – Long Pond, PA
General Tire 200 – June 26, 2020
1. Ty Gibbs
2. Chandler Smith
3. Sam Mayer
4. Bret Holmes
5. Michael Self
6. Drew Dollar
7. Hailie Deegan
8. Derek Griffith
9. Ryan Huff
10. Scott Melton
11. Ed Pompa
12. Sean Corr
13. Brad Smith
14. Jason Kitzmiller
15. Tanner Gray
16. Clay Greenfield
17. Russ Lane
18. Don Thompson
19. Tommy Vigh, Jr.
20. Thad Moffitt
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/6/915377/ty-gibbs-drives-away-to-arca-series-victory-at-pocono