ARCA / ARCA EAST: Vibration ends Michael Clayton’s season debut early at IRP
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Michael Clayton finished last for the 1st time in his ARCA Menards Series career in last Friday’s LiUNA! 150 at Indianapolis Raceway Park when his No. 5 Orlando Health Ford fell out with a vibration issue after 28 of 150 laps.
The finish came in Clayton’s third career ARCA national start and his debut in the ARCA Menards Series East.
Clayton is one of the co-owners of City Garage Motorsports, which debuted in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024. Ironically, the team’s first race was also at IRP, where Becca Monopoli drove the No. 85 Ford to a 27th-place finish after sustaining crash damage in the final third of the race. Both driver and team rebounded in their second start, just missing out on a top-ten with an 11th-place finish at that year’s season finale at Toledo Speedway.
In 2025, Clayton got behind the wheel of an ARCA car himself for the first time, finishing 22nd and 23rd in back-to-back races at Berlin and Elko in what were likely both planned “start-and-park” appearances to support Monopoli’s No. 85 entry. He then attempted last season’s ARCA/ARCA East combination race at IRP, but failed to qualify as 35 teams attempted to make the 34-car field.
This season, it appeared Clayton would face the same risk in ARCA’s return to IRP, as 36 cars appeared on the initial entry list. However, three teams eventually withdrew their entries: the No. 83 for Clubb Racing, Inc., as well as the Nos. 81 and 99 for Kevin Campbell and Michael Maples, respectively. This left just 33 cars to make a qualifying attempt, allowing all entries to start the race.
Following Clayton up the running order was Tristan McKee, who sustained crash damage in an on-track disagreement with Max Reaves. (While Racing-Reference lists McKee’s reason out as a standard “mechanical” DNF, The Third Turn lists McKee as “parked.”) Bryce Applegate and Isabella Robusto were both involved in a different crash, leaving them 31st and 30th, respectively. Rounding out the Bottom Five was Michael Maples, who moved over to his team’s No. 91 in place of Ryan Vargas once the No. 99 had been withdrawn.
Up front, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Kaden Honeycutt scored his second ARCA win of the season in Bruce Cook’s No. 17 Toyota. Thomas Annunziata followed in second, while polesitter Carson Brown placed third after leading the first 77 laps.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
33) #5-Michael Clayton / 28 laps / vibration/mechanical
32) #77-Tristan McKee / 74 laps / parked/mechanical
31) #3-Bryce Applegate / 79 laps / crash
30) #55-Isabella Robusto / 79 laps / crash
29) #91-Michael Maples / 88 laps / electrical/mechanical
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 20)
1st) Maples Motorsports, Fast Track Racing, Brad Smith Motorsports(2)
2nd) Ryan Huff Motorsports, Rise Racing with Earnhardt-Shearer Racing, Costner Motorsports, White Motorsports, MBM Motorsports, Clubb Racing Inc., City Garage Motorsports (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 20)
1st) Ford (6)
2nd) Chevrolet (5)
3rd) Toyota (2)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE throughout the 2026 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.
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 20)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 5 of 8)
1st) Tim Monroe Racing, Fast Track Racing, Wayne Peterson Racing, Maples Motorsports, City Garage Motorsports (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 5 of 8)
1st) Ford (3)
2nd) Toyota, Chevrolet (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 5 of 8)
