Race Recap: Tyler Tomassi Scores Career-Best ARCA Menards Series West Finish at Las Vegas
Tyler Tomassi stands beside the No. 72 Mad Rabbit Energy Patch Chevrolet before the Kyle Busch Classic 151 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
A Career-Best Result at Las Vegas
Tyler Tomassi recorded the best ARCA Menards Series West finish of his career on Friday, October 2, at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Driving the No. 72 Mad Rabbit Energy Patch Chevrolet for Strike Mamba Racing, Tomassi finished seventh in the Kyle Busch Classic 151. He completed all 167 laps in a race that required two overtime attempts and extended 16 laps beyond its scheduled distance.
The result marked Tomassi’s third top-10 finish of the 2026 ARCA West season. It also became his first top-10 since a ninth-place finish at Tri-City Raceway in June.
Strong Finish in the No. 72 Chevrolet
The Kyle Busch Classic 151 was scheduled for 151 laps, but late cautions changed the race’s final distance. Six cautions accounted for 52 laps, and the field completed 167 laps before the checkered flag.
Tomassi maintained his position through the late-race interruptions and remained in contention as the event moved into its overtime stages. The No. 72 Strike Mamba Racing Chevrolet completed every lap and crossed the finish line seventh.
The seventh-place result came after a demanding short-track race in which Tomassi kept the car clean and stayed on the lead lap throughout. For the Rhode Island driver, the finish represented another step in his continued progression through national touring competition.
Tomassi’s career has developed through Late Model and Pro Stock racing at New England short tracks before expanding into ARCA, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition, and other national divisions. His driver profile includes the stages that have shaped his current program.
Tyler Tomassi works the No. 72 Mad Rabbit Energy Patch Chevrolet through traffic at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
A Difficult Bullring Race
The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a compact short track that places a premium on traffic management, restart execution, and maintaining the car through extended green-flag runs.
The Kyle Busch Classic 151 also tested each team’s ability to respond to late cautions. The two overtime attempts extended the race beyond its scheduled distance and created additional opportunities for contact and position changes.
Tomassi completed the full distance in a race that demanded patience through traffic, restarts, and changing conditions late in the event. Finishing all 167 laps provided the No. 72 team with a complete result and a career milestone at one of the most competitive stages on the ARCA West schedule.
The official Las Vegas Motor Speedway event page provides additional information about the Kyle Busch Classic weekend. Post-race coverage also documented the overtime finish and the final running order.
The No. 72 running inside the top 15 as the laps wound down in the Kyle Busch Classic 151 at The Bullring.
Third Top-10 of the 2026 Season
The seventh-place result became Tomassi’s third top-10 finish in the 2026 ARCA Menards Series West season.
His earlier top-10 results established a foundation for the Las Vegas performance, while the seventh-place finish moved his career best forward. The result also followed a period of competition across multiple national racing programs, including Truck Series racing and other NASCAR-related starts.
For an emerging NASCAR truck driver, continued ARCA West competition provides another opportunity to build experience at different track types. The series includes short tracks, road courses, and larger facilities that require different approaches to setup, tire management, and race strategy.
The No. 72 Strike Mamba Racing Chevrolet delivered a complete run at Las Vegas and gave Tomassi a clear new benchmark for the remainder of the season.
Tyler Tomassi in P5 on the final restart and for the last one lap overtime dash to the finish line.
Next Stop: Phoenix Raceway
The next ARCA Menards Series West event is the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, October 17.
Phoenix will provide a different challenge from The Bullring. The larger facility places additional emphasis on long-run balance, changing track conditions, and traffic across multiple racing lanes.
Tomassi will carry the Las Vegas result into the next event as the team continues to develop its 2026 ARCA West program. The No. 72 Mad Rabbit Energy Patch Chevrolet will remain a central part of that effort for Strike Mamba Racing.
Fans can continue following Tyler Tomassi Racing through the team’s official website, gallery, and race updates. Businesses interested in supporting the program can review partnership opportunities, while media and sponsorship inquiries can be submitted through the contact page.
Race Result: 7th
Driver: Tyler Tomassi
Series: ARCA Menards Series West
Event: Kyle Busch Classic 151
Track: The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
Team: Strike Mamba Racing
Car: No. 72 Mad Rabbit Energy Patch Chevrolet
Distance Completed: 167 of 167 laps
Career Note: Best ARCA Menards Series West finish to date