ARCA: New combination for Nate Moeller, Clubb Racing in return to Chicagoland
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Moeller’s renumbered former Lira Motorsports car with fellow Clubb Racing Inc. driver Jeff Maconi on the name rail. (PHOTO: Jared Haas, X/Twitter)
Nate Moeller finished last for the 7th time in his ARCA Menards Series career in last Friday’s Ashley Furniture 150 at Chicagoland Speedway when his No. 83 Clubb Racing Inc. Ford fell out with mechanical issues after 1 of 100 laps.
The finish came in Moeller’s 30th career ARCA start.
Just one week after John Clagett became the first repeat last-place finisher of the 2026 ARCA season, Moeller picked up his own second last-place finish of the year. His first of the year came for Maples Motorsports at Kansas, where he had the unique role of both driver and crew chief in the same event, moving to the pit box for Brayton Laster’s No. 06 Wayne Peterson Motorsports entry once he completed his “start-and-park” run for Maples.
After Kansas, Moeller stepped into the Peterson team’s No. 06 himself for four races. While an early mechanical issue left him with a Bottom Five finish at Watkins Glen, he has finished under power in his last three starts, picking up a pair of 16th-place results and a 17th at Elko.
LEFT: When not racing this season, Moeller has remained active in the ARCA pits as a crew member, utilizing an old Holiday Inn crew suit from Richard Childress Racing’s 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Owners’ Championship-winning team. RIGHT: Moeller at Elko Speedway the week prior to Chicagoland; team owner Wayne Peterson borrows Moeller’s crew jacket. (PHOTOS: Nathan Moeller, Facebook)
On Friday, Moeller stepped into a new car, driving a third entry for Clubb Racing Inc. The team’s new No. 83 was confirmed by the team’s Facebook page as a planned start-and-park, and as a result, Moeller pulled his car behind the wall after just one lap.
A total of 27 cars appeared on the entry list for the first ARCA race at Chicagoland Speedway since 2019, when Stefan Parsons finished last for KBR Development when a brake issue forced him behind the wall after just five laps. Moeller did not turn a lap in practice, while inclement weather canceled qualifying, setting the lineup by the speeds from that session.
Joining Moeller behind the wall in apparent early “start-and-parks” of their own were Matt Kemp and Brad Smith. Smith’s team cited poor handling and the need to keep their equipment in one piece for the next race at Lime Rock as the reasons for their early exit. Last week’s Elko-winning entry of Joe Gibbs Racing also failed to finish the race under power as their No. 18 Toyota, now driven by NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series regular William Sawalich, suffered terminal damage after hitting the wall on an early restart. Rounding out the Bottom Five was Fast Track Racing’s Tim Monroe, who beat Sawalich to 23rd place by completing just one more lap than the JGR driver.
Up front, Pinnacle Racing Group scored a 1-2 finish with Connor Mosack taking the win and Lanie Buice finishing second, equaling the record for highest-finishing female driver in an ARCA national race. Landon S. Huffman, who had battled Max Reaves for the win in Pinnacle’s No. 28 at Elko the week prior, rounded out the top three in Codie Rohrbaugh’s No. 9 Chevrolet.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
27) #83-Nate Moeller / 1 lap / quit/mechanical
26) #19-Matt Kemp / 5 laps / quit/mechanical
25) #48-Brad Smith / 8 laps / handling
24) #18-William Sawalich / 25 laps / crash
23) #11-Tim Monroe / 26 laps / vibration
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 20)
1st) Maples Motorsports, Fast Track Racing (2)
2nd) Ryan Huff Motorsports, Rise Racing with Earnhardt-Shearer Racing, Costner Motorsports, Brad Smith Motorsports, White Motorsports, MBM Motorsports, Clubb Racing Inc. (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 20)
1st) Chevrolet (5)
2nd) Ford (4)
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 11 of 20)
