by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Smith on track at the Las Vegas Bullring in October (PHOTO: TaurusEmerald, Wikimedia Commons)
David Smith finished last for the 5th time in his ARCA Menards Series West career in Saturday’s NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway when his No. 05 Shockwave Marine Suspension Seating Toyota finished under power in 25th place, competing 40 of 42 laps.
The finish came in Smith’s 52nd career ARCA West start.
In our last ARCA West piece covering Phoenix, in which Ray Bolinger equalled Josiah Reaume with his second last-place finish of the season, we analyzed where the 2026 LASTCAR ARCA Menards Series West Drivers’ Championship picture stood heading into the final race of the year at Kern. Reaume ultimately found a ride for the finale, not in the Strike Mamba Racing No. 72 he had previously driven this season, but instead in the No. 08, a second entry for Kart Idaho Racing. Ironically, this made Reaume teammates with Bolinger, who remained in the team’s No. 38, with both entries listing John Wood as their car owner on the entry list. Since both Reaume and Bolinger had two last-place finishes and fewer Bottom Five finishes than David Smith, a last-place finish by any of these three drivers would have been enough to clinch the LASTCAR title.
The race featured zero DNFs and only two cautions: a spin by Eric Johnson Jr., and another spin by Sam Corry shortly after the restart. During the second caution, rain moved through the area, forcing a weather delay and the eventual premature end of the race. While 42 laps completed was well short of the halfway point of the 150 scheduled, ARCA issued the following statement on their website:
“Per ARCA Rulebook 9-13-2.C, the ARCA Menards Series may deem a race official prior to the halfway point if all reasonable attempts to conclude the advertised distance have been exhausted and restarting the race is impractical. The decision to was made in conjunction with Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway officials and broadcast partners.”
The decision marked the second time in the last two seasons that such a scenario has unfolded, as ARCA called a West Series race at Colorado after 60 of 150 laps. Just as Mariah Boudrieau finished last two laps down that day, Smith also finished two laps off of the leaders on Saturday night, anchoring a much stronger 25-car field than the 12 in last year’s Colorado race. The result gave Smith his second last-place finish of the season and, with eight Bottom Five finishes to Bolinger’s five, the tiebreaker for the LASTCAR title.
For Smith, the title is certainly not indicative of the effort and passion shared by him and his team. As we noted on this site after his first last-place result in the series, his resiliency in the face of adversity is unrivaled in the ARCA garage. The 76-year-old Smith, who competed in every race for the fourth consecutive season and is on an active streak of 25 races with a DNF, ends the 2026 season 10th in the Drivers’ Championship standings. He has never finished outside of the Top Ten when running the full schedule.
Among those who immediately preceded Smith in the final results were the two other LASTCAR championship contenders, as Bolinger, Donald Witkowski, and Reaume all finished two laps behind the leaders. Rounding out the Bottom Five was Joey Iest, whose 41 total laps left him as the final car one lap down.
At the front of the field, Mia Lovell and Hailie Deegan locked out the front row in qualifying before Deegan took the lead on the opening lap of the race. Lovell had an opportunity to get the top spot back from Deegan on the restart, but Deegan held strong and remained the leader until the race was called for weather. The win was Deegan’s second of the season, fifth of her career, and the first time two female drivers have finished 1-2 in a West Series event. Trevor Huddleston, meanwhile, completed his title defense with a fifth-place result and locked up his second straight series championship by taking the green flag.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
25) #05-David Smith / 40 laps / running
24) #38-Ray Bolinger / 40 laps / running
23) #77-Donald Witkowski / 40 laps / running
22) #08-Josiah Reaume / 40 laps / running
21) #88-Joey Iest / 41 laps / running
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 13)
1st) Strike Mamba Racing (3)
2nd) Kart Idaho Racing, Shockwave Motorsports (2)
3rd) Rise Racing with Earnhardt-Shearer Racing, Central Coast Racing, Performance P-1 Motorsports, Nascimento Motorsports, Jan’s Towing Racing, Rise Racing (1)
2026 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 13 of 13)
1st) Toyota (7)
2nd) Chevrolet (5)
2nd) Ford (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 13 of 13)
