Moving up to a full-time ARCA Menards Series, driver Sean Hingorani continues to make an impression on his new team.
As the reigning ARCA Menards Series West champion, Hingorani was selected by his new team, Hattori Racing Enterprises, to help the garage transition from a full-time NASCAR Truck Series team into the ARCA series.
In his second race of the season in the No. 61 Toyota, Hingorani turned a hot qualifying lap at 131.382 mph, placing second for Friday night’s General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway.
William Sawalich (131.791 mph) qualified for the pole, while Gio Ruggiero (130.866) and Andres Perez (130.477) will begin in the second row.
Grand Enfinger (130.468) rounded out the top five of Friday’s qualifying session.
Guiding Hingorani through his rookie season is former driver Mark McFarland, who will serve as crew chief. McFarland led Ty Gibbs and Sammy Smith to ARCA titles during his time at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Hingorani visited Victory Lane four times last season. During the offseason, he thought he had a part-time Truck series deal finalized, but it fell apart late.
“I’ve got a good group of guys down at Hattori Racing Enterprises making this deal happen,” Hingorani told ARCARacing.com. “They’ve been putting in a lot of hard work in the shop starting from scratch while building this ARCA program for me.
“I can’t say enough about them.”
Already off to a fantastic start! ☑️@WilliamSawalich is your newest @GeneralTire Pole Award winner.
He will be competing for a victory this evening at @PhoenixRaceway alongside his other @ARCA_Racing Series peers.
Who will be watching the event on @FS1 at 8:00 PM ET? pic.twitter.com/lXWgF5H6eG
— Carlie Nichols (@carlienichols95) March 8, 2024
Cup Champ Ryan Blaney Recalls ARCA Roots
As an inspiring 17-year-old stock-car racer, Ryan Blaney and his father’s one-machine team packed up and made a “big trip” to Phoenix Raceway for his first ARCA West Series event.
Overcoming a rough start, Blaney’s “tiny team … hung in there all night,” he said via social media post. “We got better and better.”
So good, in fact, Blaney found his way to Victory Lane during the Nov. 11, 2011, event.
With the ARCA Menards Series scheduled to run at Phoenix on Friday, Blaney, the 2023 Cup Series titleholder, recalled his early days trying to break into NASCAR national series.
“I do remember the race,” said Blaney, who is slated to qualify Saturday for Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500. “We had one car in my dad’s shop. Taking all our stuff out to Phoenix was a big trip for us.
“I never would have thought 12 years later I’d be sitting in the same spot as a champion. You look back on those moments and appreciate them because they go by so quickly.
“I still have that trophy at my house.”
12 years before @Blaney won the @NASCAR Cup Series championship, he won in his ARCA Menards Series West debut at @phoenixraceway when he was just 17! pic.twitter.com/ox3deZK3jA
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) March 6, 2024
Qualifying Results For ARCA Menards Series’ General Tire 150
Here is a look at qualifying results for Friday night’s ARCA Menards Series’ General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway:
Starting Position, Driver, Car No., Sponsor/Manufacturer
- 1, William Sawalich, 18, Starkey/Sound Gear Toyota
- 2, Sean Hingorani, 61, Fidelity Capital Toyota
- 3, Gio Ruggiero, 20, JBL Toyota
- 4, Andres Perez, 2, Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet
- 5, Grant Enfinger, 23, GMS Fabrication/SPS/Allegiant Airlines Chevrolet
- 6, Isabella Robusto, 55, Mobil1 Toyota
- 7, Tyler Rief, 13, Central Coast Cabinets Toyota
- 8, Jack Wood, 16, NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet
- 9, Kris Wright, 15, FNB Corporation Toyota
- 10, Lavar Scott, 6, Max Siegal Inc Chevrolet
- 11, Toni Breidinger, 25, Raising Cane’s Toyota
- 12, Christian Rose, 32, West Virginia Department of Tourism Ford
- 13, Jake Bollman, 88, Pacific Coast Propane Ford
- 14, Andy Jankowiak, 73, Galactic Acres Toyota
- 15, Eric Johnson Jr., 19, Pacific Office Automation Chevrolet
- 16, Amber Balcaen, 22, ICON Direct Toyota
- 17, Marco Andretti, 17, Group 100/MMI Sunwest Coast Chevrolet
- 18, Greg Van Alst, 35, Prescott Tire Pros Ford
- 19, Connor Mosack, 28, Chevrolet Performance Toyota
- 20, Nick Joanides, 71, Jan’s Towing Ford
- 21, Trevor Huddleston, 50, High Point Racing/Racecar Factory Ford
- 22, Takuma Koga, 7, Yamada Toyota
- 23, Kyle Keller, 70, Setting the Stage/Battle Born/Argus Construction Ford
- 24, Todd Souza, 3, Central Coast Cabinets Toyota
- 25, John Borneman III, 41, Tilly’s/Stoney’s Ford
- 26, Tanner Reif, 42, Vegas Fastner MAFG/MMI Sunwest Coast Chevrolet
- 27, Issac Johnson, 34, IAC/Endress+Hauser Ford
- 28, Joe Farre, 24, SPS/Fisher Industries/American Eagle Ready Mix Chevrolet
- 29, Robbie Kennealy, 1, Setting The Stage/American Swin/Wiley X Ford
- 30, Caleb Costner, 93, Strapino Chevrolet
- 31, John Aramendia, 63, First Call Plumbing Heating & Air Chevrolet
- 32, Brad Perez, 11, Sebetka Bail Bonds Ford
- 33, Danica Dart, 07, Evers Farms/Pioneer Performance/Ebco Construction Chevrolet
- 34, Garrett, Zacharias, 31, Hottle Livestock/Master K’s BBQ Chevrolet
- 35, Cody Dennison, 06, Karrus Toyota
- 36, Cody Kiemele, 77, King Taco/Toyota of Redlands Burgesons Htg & Air Toyota
- 37, Alex Clubb, 03, Yabapai Bottle Gas/Race Parts Liquidators Ford
- 38, Brayton Laster, 10, CarAggio Motorsports Ford
- 39, Ryan Roulette, 12, VFW-Bellator Recruiting Academy Ford
- 40, Michael Maples, 99, Don Ray Petroleum LLC Chevrolet
- 41, Bobby Hillils, 27, Camping World/First Impression Press Chevrolet
Cars are on track for the first time this weekend during @ARCA_Racing practice!#GeneralTire150 pic.twitter.com/H4hf6OHGFh
— Phoenix Raceway (@phoenixraceway) March 8, 2024
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