ARCA: Kevin Campbell completes his own dirt double as Max Reaves’ bid at the front ends early
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Kevin Campbell finished last for the 4th time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Sunday’s Audubon Park 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds when his No. 81 1st Phorm Chevrolet fell out with mechanical issues after 7 of 100 laps.
The finish came in Campbell’s 9th career start and 12th career attempt in the series.
Heading into DuQuoin, Campbell was on a stretch of three consecutive races where he was able to take the green flag at the start in a season that had previously been plagued with “DNS” rulings. After being the first behind the wall at Springfield, he also anchored those who completed at least one lap in the following race at Madison. However, because Brad Smith took the green and pulled off on the opening lap, he was credited with an official start and therefore the last-place finish.
On Sunday, Campbell ran more laps than he had in any of his three previous starts this season. After 7 laps, however, a vibration forced him behind the wall, giving him an ARCA season sweep of last-place finishes on the dirt tracks.
Among those joining Campbell behind the wall were Smith and Dale Shearer, who pulled off track with overheating issues after completing 12 and 18 laps, respectively. Rounding out the Bottom Five were Michael Maples and Tim Monroe. Monroe and Jason Kitzmiller spun in Turn 4, and ARCA officials delayed the display of the caution flag, which caused Maples to T-bone Monroe’s car and put an early end to both their races.
Max Reaves one of several frontrunners to find trouble at DuQuoin
After his controversial win at Springfield, Max Reaves entered DuQuoin attempting to do what no driver had done since Parker Kligerman in 2009: sweeping both dirt races in the same ARCA season. Reaves was running second to eventual winner Carson Brown when he and John Kennedy made contact, forcing his No. 18 Toyota hard into the outside wall. Reaves ultimately finished 17th.
Former Venturini Motorsports teammates Isabella Robusto and Taylor Reimer, now driving for Nitro Motorsports and Pinnacle Racing Group respectively, also encountered trouble early in the evening. While the pair finished second and third at Springfield two years ago, a blown radiator hose for Robusto and overheating issues for Reimer (perhaps due to excess sprayed dirt from driving through the field from her last-place starting spot) forced both drivers into the pits and out of contention. Robusto finished 12 laps down in 14th, while Reimer was able to regain both of the two laps she lost in the pits, recovering to score a solid sixth-place finish.
Following Brown home in second was series points leader Jake Bollman, while dirt track veteran Kelly Kovski emerged from an intense last-lap battle to place third in what will likely be his final ARCA dirt race. Gavan Boschele and Thomas Annunziata rounded out the Top Five.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
24) #81-Kevin Campbell / 7 laps / mechanical/vibration
23) #48-Brad Smith / 12 laps / mechanical/overheating
22) #98-Dale Shearer / 18 laps / mechanical/overheating
21) #99-Michael Maples / 32 laps / accident
20) #10-Tim Monroe / 33 laps / mechanical/accident
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 17 of 20)
1st) Brad Smith Motorsports (3)
2nd) Maples Motorsports, Fast Track Racing, KC Motorsports (2)
3rd) Ryan Huff Motorsports, Rise Racing with Earnhardt-Shearer Racing, Costner Motorsports, White Motorsports, MBM Motorsports, Clubb Racing Inc., City Garage Motorsports, CCM Racing (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 17 of 20)
1st) Chevrolet (8)
2nd) Ford (7)
2nd) 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 17 of 20)
