Dutch Boy 150 UPDATE - A Debut Race Winner in Season Opener!
Dutch Boy 150 UPDATE - A Debut Race Winner in Season Opener!
By | Brandon White | www.arcaracing.com | March 22, 2025
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Another new driver in the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing produced a familiar, winning result in Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series East season opener at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.
The ARCA Menards Series heads to Flat Rock on May 17th with the running of the Dutch Boy 150. You can get your tickets now by clicking the link below.
ARCA Menards Series East Dutch Boy 150, Street Stock, Factory Stock 500 Series
May 17, 2025 - 07:00 PM EDT
Max Reaves enjoyed a near-flawless outing in his debut weekend with Gibbs’ esteemed ARCA Menards Series program. After posting the quickest times in both practice and qualifying, Reaves set a commanding pace for most of the Pensacola 150 to deliver Gibbs his fourth victory at Five Flags in the past five years.
Despite his dominance, a win was far from assured for Reaves. Facing challenges from drivers like Kole Raz and Connor Mosack while simultaneously dealing with copious lapped cars, Reaves stayed vigilant all evening and was ecstatic to see his composure pay off with a trip to Victory Lane.
“I’m speechless right now,” Reaves said. “I felt like Superman when I passed and passed lapped cars. It was awesome, and the car was awesome.”
Reaves knew the expectations placed upon him when he climbed into the No. 18 for the first time Saturday afternoon. The past four East Series seasons concluded with the No. 18 being atop the driver’s standings, the titles split between William Sawalich and Sammy Smith.
With Reaves only running a part-time schedule in 2025, an East Series driver’s championship is likely not among his attainable goals. What is feasible for Reaves is helping Gibbs earn another East Series owner’s championship by absorbing information and gaining valuable experience with every passing event.
The opening laps of the Pensacola 150 saw Reaves display the same efficiency in the No. 18 as the drivers before him. Even with Mosack being a constant presence in his rearview mirror, Reaves never wavered and put together consistent lap times in front of the field.
That cohesion was nearly undone for Reaves on a botched restart shortly before the halfway point, which allowed Raz to assume control of the race.
Not wanting to let a great day go to waste, Reaves settled in behind Raz and patiently waited for an opening to re-take the lead. Reaves gradually inched closer to Raz’s back bumper before making the race-winning pass with 27 laps remaining.
Raz could only watch as Reaves got smaller in front of his windshield until the checkered flag waved. Although he was disappointed with second, Raz said the performance he and AM Racing cultivated at Five Flags on Saturday is indicative of the chemistry they already possess after four races together.
“ went away from us a little bit,” Raz said. “I just struggled with lapped traffic running the top like he could. That thing was hooked up anywhere it went, so hats off to them.
“We’ve got something to build off for the rest of the year. Whether it’s national, East or West, we’ll be ready for some more.”
Raz expressed optimism about earning a victory with AM Racing at some point in the 2025 season, but he knows the No. 18 Gibbs Toyota will be a prevalent obstacle no matter who is driving the car.
Reaves may be the youngest member of the contingent driving for Gibbs, but a rigid support system that includes guidance from 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte has provided him all the insight needed to be successful. He properly utilized all those resources to give the team its second win in three ARCA Menards Series platform starts this year.
There is still a lot for Reaves to ascertain over his nine remaining starts across the ARCA Menards Series platform, yet the speed he displayed at Five Flags has him confident he can maintain the gold standard for success at Gibbs.
“You just drive your heart out,” Reaves said. “I learned a lot from Bobby , but my little brother and I play iRacing, so I’d say I learned a lot from that. Driving is just me; that’s all I do.”
Following Reaves and Raz in the third position was Tyler Reif. Mosack rebounded from a spin at the halfway point of the Pensacola 150 to come home in fourth, with Isaac Kitzmiller completing the top five.
Carson Brown, Timmy Hill, London McKenzie, Hunter Wright and Zachary Tinkle were the rest of the top-10 finishers.
The next race up for the ARCA Menards Series East will be at the historic Rockingham Speedway on April 19, which marks the first race for the platform at the facility since 2010.
FloRacing has live coverage of the on-track action starting at 1 p.m. ET.
---
About the Dutch Boy 150
For the third year in a row, Flat Rock Speedway is set to host the ARCA Menards East Series and the Dutch Boy 150 at the Motor City Speedway in the first night race of the 2025 season!
NASCAR rising stars Connor Zilisch and William Sawalich have taken checkered flags in this event since the series return in 2022.
See the likes of Timmy, Joe Gibbs Racing's Max Reaves, and the stars of the ARCA Menards Series East tour take on the famed ¼ mile as Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota vie for bragging rights in the Motor City’s Speedway. The DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks and a 100-lap Churchill Transport ARCA Factory Stock 500 Series event will take the helm on this evening of racing.
Tickets for this night of racing are available now! Click the link below to learn more.
ARCA Menards Series East Dutch Boy 150, Street Stock, Factory Stock 500 Series
May 17, 2025 - 07:00 PM EDT