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Mitchell Grabs First ARCA Win

Mason Mitchell visits victory lane for the first time in the ARCA Racing Series. [Russ Lake Photo]

“It was undescribable.”

Those words described the ARCA ACTIVARMR 150 race for winner Mason Mitchell, a 19-year-old driver who had finished second six times in his previous 13 ARCA runs.

Mitchell passed race leader Justin Boston on lap 95 Saturday at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway to grab his first-ever ARCA win.

“That’s usually the time when we lose the lead,” admitted the West Des Moines, Iowa driver who took over the series’ points lead from seventh- place finisher Grant Enfinger. “I have the points’ lead now-finally.”

Mitchell, who made his ARCA debut in 2013, took to the high groove in pursuit of Boston, hoping to find a spot that would suit the handling of his family-owned Thermal Technology Services Ford.

“I couldn’t make it work on the bottom, and that’s where Justin seemed to run best. I had to move up, move up, to find better grip,” explained the youngster who started ninth in the 26-car field.

Boston, who led for 22 laps in his ZLOOP Toyota, could only watch as Mitchell passed on the backstretch and pulled away to a 0.795- second win.

“Mason drove a perfect last ten laps,” noted Boston who began racing full-bodied stock cars in 2013. “Our car was tight at the end.”

Matt Tifft, in a Ken Schrader-owned Chevrolet finished third followed by Will Kimmel and Cody Coughlin.

Spencer Gallagher, whose Alamo Rent-A-Car Chevrolet started on the front row next to fast qualifier John Wes Townley, led 70 laps before losing the lead to Boston on lap 73. Gallagher, who dropped to sixth at the finish due to handling problems, and Will Kimmel, were the only other race leaders.

Townley, who also drove in the evening’s NASCAR Nationwide event, saw his race end on lap 24 when his Zaxby’s Toyota slammed hard into the turn 3 wall after experiencing tire problems.

Six caution flags, five in the first 50 laps, slowed Mitchell’s winning speed to 109.980 mph.

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