Mayer continues his dominance at Toledo Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA East Royal Truck & Trailer 200 on Saturday afternoon.
Before June, Sam Mayer had never turned a lap at Toledo Speedway.
Now he may be ready to call it his new home.
The 17-year-old from Franklin, Wisconsin, posted a near-perfect day Saturday en route to winning the Royal Truck & Trailer 200 at the half-mile track. It’s the third straight win at Toledo for Mayer.
The race is part of the ARCA Menards Series championship schedule as well as the ARCA Menards Series East.
Mayer, the defending East champion, extended his lead in that series with his third win in four races. The only time he didn’t win? The East race at Toledo on June 13. He won the General Tire Pole Award and finished second. He came back to Toledo and scored wins on the July 31/August 1 doubleheader weekend.
Then came Saturday.
Mayer was fastest in practice in his No. 21 Lynn Family Foundation Chevrolet, won his first General Tire Pole Award in the ARCA Menards Series, and then led 165 laps to win by 3.071 seconds over Chandler Smith.
The win is also the third win in four races for Mayer overall in ARCA. He won the ARCA Menards East race at Dover International Speedway on Aug. 21, and then the ARCA Menards Series/Sioux Chief Showdown race at Missouri’s Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Smith led 35 laps but was unable to chase down Mayer as the race went caution free for the final 45 laps after the second race break.
The Best of the Rest
Ty Gibbs, who won that June race at Toledo, finished third Saturday, followed by Bret Holmes and Taylor Gray.
Hailie Deegan, Michael Self, Parker Retzlaff, Mason Diaz and Nick Sanchez completed the top 10.
ARCA Menards Series Point Standings
By virtue of Holmes’ finish, he took over the ARCA Menards Series championship points lead for the first time in his career. He has a two-point advantage over Self with five races remaining on the schedule. Self had led the points since winning the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February.
ARCA Menards Series East Point Standings
Mayer increased his East points total to 21 over Gibbs with three races still to run.
Up Next
Both series have a quick turnaround, heading to Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, Sept. 17. The Bush’s Beans 200 counts toward the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, as well as serving as the penultimate race in the Sioux Chief Showdown. Mayer swept both East races at Bristol last season.