by Reid Scearce
Thomas Annunziata captures the ARCA Menards Series championship after a tense finish at Kansas Speedway on Friday night in the Menards 150.
Thomas Annunziata entered the Kansas Speedway finale as the underdog in the ARCA Menards Series championship battle, trailing his Nitro Motorsports teammate Jake Bollman by 16 points. Bollman had led the championship standings for much of the season and needed only a tenth-place or higher finish to win the title.
Annunziata Captures ARCA Championship
After losing several positions in the race due to an incident with Annunziata and a later crash that left his car severely damaged, Bollman was set to finish in 21st place. Annunziata was then left needing a fifth-place finish to tie Bollman in points and win the championship on a tiebreaker, putting Annunziata in a position where a single spot late in the race could decide the championship.
During Friday’s post-race media availability at Kansas, Reid Scearce with Fan4Racing asked Annunziata how nervous he was during the closing laps as he battled Andy Jankowiak for fifth, which ultimately secured him the championship.
Annunziata said his team told him he needed one more position, but the pressure was building as the laps wound down.
“Yeah, they said we need one more,” Annunziata stated. “Before, with eight to go, they said I needed like three or four more, which was, I mean, dude, my right foot was shaking the whole time.”
Describing how he timed a restart perfectly, Annunziata worked his way through traffic before catching Andy Jankowiak.
“I knew what I needed to do and I had to time that restart, and I did it perfectly where I didn’t jump it this time or do anything stupid,” Annunziata said.
After gaining another position, Annunziata said he knew his car had improved after the team made adjustments during the race.
He eventually made the move on Jankowiak for fifth, giving him the position he needed to win the championship.
“I had a huge run on Andy going down the backstretch, and I was worried he was going to take the top away from me, and he didn’t. So I just sent it around the top and just got barely enough of a run,” Annunziata said. “I almost knocked the wall down on the exit just trying to get him…I was able to get him, and then I just, again, like foot-shaking the last five laps just hoping it stays green and ripping the wall, and it worked.”
The fifth-place finish ultimately gave Annunziata the position he needed to secure the championship after a tense battle through the closing laps at Kansas.
