The Mexican pilot Max Gutierrez, champion of the NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series last year, he took advantage of a move over two competitors in Turn 4 on the final lap to win Monday night at the ARCA East season opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
Gutierrez was running third at the start of the final lap and moved inside as Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray fought side by side. The Mexican attacked from the inside and took the victory by 0.046 seconds.
The last lap was the only one Gutiérrez led all night, although he had run in the top-10 the entire race.
“I just can’t believe it,” said a stunned Gutierrez after getting out of his No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford. “I am very happy and very proud of the team. This is a great, great start to the championship.”
Gutiérrez, 18, has won seven races in the Challenge series in the past two seasons, including the season title in 2020.
“I am so proud of Max and his determination, not to mention the hard work of everyone on this Rette Jones Racing team. I knew we had a chance if we programmed it right and Max did his job when it mattered most and we are winners again,” said the co-owner of the Mark Rette team.
“I can’t wait for Five Flags later this month.”
Smith had been leading the race until it was stopped by rain with five laps to go. During the break, Smith received a penalty for pitting out of sequence during the mid-race break and restarted in fourth place.
Another accident after the restart put Gray in the lead heading into the last overtime.
“You know none of that should have happened,” Smith said. “We were penalized eight laps later for something we did right and everyone else did wrong. You really can’t control that.”
The series moves to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, for the second date to be played on February 27.
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