LAS VEGAS — It took two overtime attempts to get there, but Taylor Mayhew (No. 17 MMI Services Toyota) pulled off an improbable victory in the ARCA Menards Series West Kyle Busch Classic 151 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Mayhew started at the tail of the field (23rd) after a clutch issue after practice necessitated an engine change that preventing him from making a qualifying attempt. He worked his way through the field and lined up third for the second, one-lap overtime attempt. He nudged his way past Robbie Kennealy (No. 1 Jan’s Towing / Jan’s Racing Ford) to win by inches at the stripe.
Mayhew’s victory came in his fourth series start. He led only the final lap, which is the first, and so far only, lap he’s led in his ARCA Menards Series West career.
Mayhew’s victory marks the fourth consecutive ARCA Menards Series West race decided by a last-lap pass.
Kennealy held on for second in a three-wide finish, just behind Mayhew and just ahead of his Jan’s Racing teammate Cole Denton (No. 71 Jan’s Towing / Jan’s Racing Ford). Kennealy was racing in memory of his father Gary, who passed away two years ago this week. Denton finished third, rebounding from a 21st-place result at Madera Speedway last week. It was Kennealy’s seventh top-five finish of the season and his tenth top-ten in eleven starts.
Vito Cancilla (No. 20 Home Smiles / Impact Transportation Chevrolet) finished fourth in his ARCA Menards West debut, a day after he turned 15 and became eligible to compete within the ARCA Menards Series platform. Cancilla’s great-grandfather Cos Cancilla was the championship winning car owner in the Pacific Coast Late Model division, the series that is now known as the ARCA Menards Series West.
ARCA Menards West championship points leader Trevor Huddleston (No. 50 High Point Racing / Racecar Factory Ford) led coming to the white flag, but instead of seeing the signal he was about to begin his final lap the caution was displayed for an incident in turn two involving Madera winner Hailie Deegan (No. 16 Monster Chevrolet). Huddleston led when the white flag was displayed the first time, but he was taken three wide into turn three coming to the checkered with Kennealy on the bottom and Mason Massey (No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet) in the middle. Contact was made between Massey and Kennealy, which sent Massey up the track and into Huddleston, with both drivers spinning to bring out the caution. Huddleston recovered to finish fifth, with Massey one spot back in sixth.
Tyler Tomassi (No. 72 Mad Rbt Energy Patch / Third Gen Racecars / Phils Toyota) scored a career-best seventh-place finish. It was Tomassi’s third top-ten finish of the season and first since he finished ninth at Tri-City Raceway in June.
Eric Johnson, Jr. (No. 5 Pacific Office Automation / Sherwin-Williams Toyota) rebounded from involvement in the Huddleston / Massey spin to finish eighth, his sixth top-ten finish of the season.
Eric Rhead (No. 66 Champ Transport / Turnkey Leasing Ford) had a stellar run, avoiding at least two incidents, including a narrow miss when Gavin Ray (No. 7 Southwest Specialty Contractors Toyota) and Andrew Champman (No. 55 High Point Racing / Racecar Factory Ford) came together on turn four on lap 120. Rhead finished ninth, Chapman was tenth, and Ray came home eleventh. It was Rhead’s third top-ten finish in four starts in 2026.
Helio Meza (No. 28 Allesandros / Heraldo Media Chevrolet) earned the Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole Award in his ARCA Menards Series West debut, but made an unscheduled pit stop for a flat left rear tire early in the race that left him at one point as many as ten laps behind the leader. Meza recovered three of those lost laps and finished 18th.
There were 6 caution flags for a total of 52 laps. The race was extended by 16 laps by two overtime attempts.
Mayhew’s margin of victory was 0.045 seconds. His winning average speed was 56.788 miles per hour.
Huddleston led 153 laps, Kennealy led nine, Meza led four, and Mayhew led only the final lap. There were six lead changes among four drivers.
