ARCA WEST: Austin Varco’s late call-up cut short by mechanical trouble
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Austin Varco finished last for the first time in his ARCA Menards Series West career in Saturday’s Oil Workers 150 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway when his No. 51 Soulkal / Tewdilly Chevrolet fell out with transmission issues after 26 of 167 laps.
The finish came in Varco’s second career ARCA West start.
Varco originally began karting at the age of four, then branched out into other sports during his teenage years. After enrolling at USC for college, Varco returned to racing, obtaining an SCCA scholarship and competing in Spec Miatas, where he won multiple races and the series’ rookie of the year title in 2022.
That same year, Varco founded a nonprofit organization called Race4Autism, which the California driver describes as “a program that I created to bring the racetrack to sensory sensitive people, whether it’s autism or something else.” Varco, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder shortly after restarting his racing career, has made it his primary goal to be the first openly-diagnosed autistic driver to win a NASCAR-sanctioned event.
Varco took his first step towards achieving that goal in last summer’s ARCA West race at Portland, where he finished 13th in Strike Mamba Racing’s No. 72 car. On Saturday, Varco received a late call-up to return to SMR for his second career start and first on an oval. After qualifying 19th on old tires, Varco made it as high as 14th by Lap 25 before mechanical issues forced him behind the wall. Still, Varco remained grateful for the opportunity and hopes to return to the series soon, writing on Facebook that he believes his car could have competed for a Top Five finish had the team been running fresh tires and avoided their mechanical troubles.
In total, 22 cars appeared on the entry list. Sibling drivers Jayda and Jalen Mack were originally entered in SMR’s No. 51 and 72 entries, respectively, with Jayda attempting to make her ARCA West debut and Jalen attempting his first start since Roseville in 2023. However, it was reported on Friday that both drivers would step aside, with Varco getting, in his words, “the last-minute call” to take over the No. 51 and Cody Dennison stepping into the No. 72.
Other notables on the entry list included a couple returns to the series. Two-time West Series champion Sean Hingorani, who took the 2025 season off but returned to the track with Todd Souza’s No. 13 Central Coast Racing team. Three-time West Series winner Hailie Deegan also made her highly anticipated return to stock car racing, driving Bill McAnally’s flagship No. 16 Chevrolet after spending 2025 in INDY NXT competition.
Following Varco up the running order were Toby Blanton and Robbie Kennealy, who pulled behind the wall with steering and transmission issues after 71 and 74 laps, respectively. Julian DaCosta’s accident on Lap 149 forced the race into overtime, leaving the Nitro Motorsports driver with a 19th-place finish. Rounding out the Bottom Five was West Series veteran David Smith, who completed 159 laps in his No. 05 Shockwave Toyota.
Up front, Hingorani led the majority of the race, passing polesitter Jade Avedisian on the start and holding the lead until Lap 137. NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series veteran Mason Massey then took the lead and never looked back to claim victory in his ARCA debut for Bill McAnally Racing. Eric Nascimento and Taylor Mayhew rounded out the top three finishers, while defending ARCA West champion Trevor Huddleston placed fourth and Hingorani faded to fifth.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
22) #51-Austin Varco / 26 laps / transmission
21) #00-Toby Blanton / 71 laps / steering
20) #1-Robbie Kennealy / 74 laps / transmission
19) #25-Julian DaCosta / 148 laps / crash
18) #05-David Smith / 159 laps / running
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 1 of 13)
1st) Strike Mamba Racing (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 1 of 13)
1st) Chevrolet (1)
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 WEST DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 1 of 13)
