ARCA / ARCA EAST: Engine issues spoil Becca Monopoli’s race on a history-tying evening
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Monopoli’s car sits in the garage area after an early engine failure. (PHOTO: @WilliamSoquet)
Becca Monopoli finished last for the 1st time in her ARCA Menards Series career in last Friday’s LiUNA! 150 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park when her No. 85 Orlando Health Ford fell out with engine issues after 5 of 150 laps.
The finish came in Monopoli’s seventh career national ARCA start and fourth career ARCA Menards Series East start.
A 2021 member of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, Monopoli first appeared on the ARCA scene at the series’ Daytona preseason test in 2024. She attempted to make her series debut at the “World Center of Racing” later that February, but her Mixon Racing entry ultimately failed to qualify due to a large entry list. The resulting DNQ postponed her debut until IRP, when she found a ride with City Garage Motorsports. While an accident left Monopoli with a disappointing 27th-place finish in her debut, she rebounded at the 2024 season finale at Toledo to finish 11th.
This season, Monopoli has continued to make sporadic starts in ARCA, including a career-best eighth-place run in the East Series race at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Her return to the site of her series debut, however, ended just five laps into the race when an engine failure forced her behind the wall, giving her the first last-place finish of her ARCA career.
A total of 35 cars appeared on the entry list. Due to ARCA’s rules allowing 26 to lock into the field on points with another eight spots open for provisionals (four from ARCA, four from ARCA East), only 34 spots were available for the race. The lone DNQ was Michael Clayton, who became the first DNQ for an ARCA race at IRP since 2012, when Scott Null, Tim Walter, Cody Lane, and Clay Rogers failed to make the field of 35. Additionally, more series history was made as six of the 34 starters were women: Monopoli, Kadence Davenport, Quinn Davis, Regina Sirvent, Lanie Buice, and Isabella Robusto tied the ARCA record for most female drivers in a single ARCA-sanctioned race (2010 Daytona, 2022 Milwaukee).
Following Monopoli up the running order was Doug Miller, listed with “too slow” as his reason out after 10 laps on The Third Turn. Matt Kemp, who was only confirmed as the driver of the No. 01 the day before the race, pulled his Fast Track Racing Toyota behind the wall after 20 laps, securing a 32nd-place finish. Rounding out the Bottom Five were Takuma Koga and Austin Vaughn, who both suffered terminal crash damage after 49 laps.
Up front, it was a familiar sight in Victory Lane as Brent Crews drove Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota to the win. Venturini Motorsports’ Lawless Alan finished second in his No. 20 Toyota, while Pinnacle Racing Group’s Brenden Queen placed third with the most laps led, maintaining his championship lead over Alan as the two drivers both scored 43 points.
In the ARCA East championship battle, Isaac Kitzmiller’s seventh-place finish allowed him to extend his lead by an additional seven points over Tyler Reif, who had to settle for 14th.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
34) #85-Becca Monopoli / 5 laps / engine
33) #86-Doug Miller / 10 laps / too slow
32) #01-Matt Kemp / 20 laps / mechanical
31) #12-Takuma Koga / 49 laps / accident
30) #34-Austin Vaughn / 49 laps / accident
AUTHOR’S NOTE: While the collaborative effort from Jeff Smith’s Berlin last-place finish used Fast Track Racing owner points, it was primarily a Brad Smith Motorsports entry. For the sake of consistency with ARCA’s standings, Fast Track has been credited with the last-place finish in our standings below.
2025 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 20)
1st) Fast Track Racing (4)
2nd) Brad Smith Motorsports (2)
3rd) CCM Racing, Wayne Peterson Racing, Kimmel Racing, Clubb Racing Inc., City Garage Motorsports (1)
2025 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 20)
1st) Ford (7)
2nd) Toyota (4)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE throughout the 2025 ARCA season to view the full drivers’ standings for both the ARCA Menards Series and its East and West divisions. You can also find the manufacturers’ and owners’ standings for all three series HERE.
2025 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 20)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: While the collaborative efforts from Rita Goulet and Jeff Smith’s Nashville and Flat Rock last-place finishes used Fast Track Racing owner points, both were primarily Wayne Peterson Racing and Brad Smith Motorsports entries, respectively. For the sake of consistency with ARCA’s standings, Fast Track has been credited with the last-place finishes in our standings below.
2025 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 6 of 8)
1st) Fast Track Racing (3)
2nd) Venturini Motorsports, Brad Smith Motorsports, City Garage Motorsports (1)
2025 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 6 of 8)
1st) Ford (3)
2nd) Toyota (2)
3rd) Chevrolet (1)
2025 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 6 of 8)
