Lupton, Moore Lead BMR Charge At Sonoma
• Pair Score Top-Five Finishes In ARCA West Competition
SONOMA, Calif. (June 5, 2021) – Dylan Lupton and Cole Moore led the way for Bill McAnally Racing in ARCA Menards Series West competition at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday – scoring top-five finishes on the winding 2.52-mile road course in the General Tire 200.
Lupton – a 27-year-old former series regular from Wilton, California – charged to a second-place finish in BMR’s No. 4 Lupton Excavation Toyota Camry; while Moore – a 24-year-old series rookie from Granite Bay, California – took fourth in the No. 99 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota Camry.
Two other BMR entries, with Jesse Love and Eric Nascimento Jr., ran in the lead pack – but were sidelined with mechanical issues. Love, the defending series champion, finished 19th in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry and Nascimento, who was making his series debut, finished 14th in the No. 19 RJ Paint Shop Toyota Camry.
Lupton started sixth and quickly moved up. He battled in the top three through most of the race, before eventually finishing second behind NASCAR Cup Series regular Chase Briscoe. Moore ran a solid race, steadily moving up from his 10th starting spot to run in the top five through the second half of the event.
Love started eighth and was on the move up, before encountering rear gear trouble just past the midway point. Nascimento, who started seventh on the grid, quickly charged into the top five and ran a strong race, before getting punted off track by another car. He battled back and was up to seventh on Lap 43, when he pulled off track with mechanical trouble.
Lupton’s runner-up finish matches BMR’s previous best finish at Sonoma.
“Overall, it was a good day,” Lupton said. “We wanted one spot better. We were really solid. I can’t thank all the guys at BMR enough – for not only giving me a great car, but for giving me this opportunity to come out here.”
Love, Moore and team owner Bill McAnally participated in a VIP dinner, hosted by BBB Industries, for NAPA guests on Friday night at Sonoma. Guests from NAPA’s Sacramento Distribution Center and Riebes NAPA AUTO PARTS stores received VIP treatment at the race on Saturday.
With his fourth-place finish, Moore moved up to third in the championship standings – just three points out of first – and took the lead in the rookie standings. Love slipped to seventh in the standings, just 12 points back of the lead.
ARCA Menards Series West Event:
Race: General Tire 200 (Race 2 of 9) June 5, 2021
Location: Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. (2.52-mile road course)
Television: NBCSN on June 9, 1 p.m. PT
BMR Drivers:
Jesse Love
No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry
Age: 16
Hometown: Menlo Park, Calif.
Practice/Qualifying: 8th
Finished: 19th (Rear end, completed 29 of 51 laps)
2021 Series Stats:
Races: 2 starts, 1 top 10
Laps completed: 179/201
Series standings: 7th
Cole Moore
No. 99 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota Camry
Age: 24
Hometown: Granite Bay, Calif.
Practice/Qualifying:10th
Finished: 4th (Running, completed 51 of 51 laps)
2021 Series Stats:
Races: 2 starts, 1 top five
Laps completed: 199/201
Series standings: 3rd
Dylan Lupton
No. 4 Lupton Excavation Toyota Camry
Age: 27
Hometown: Wilton, Calif.
Practice/Qualifying: 6th
Finished: 2nd (Running, completed 51 of 51 laps)
Eric Nascimento Jr.
No. 19 RJ Paint Shop Toyota Camry
Age: 20
Hometown: Manteca, Calif.
Practice/Qualifying:7th
Finished: 14th (Mechanical, completed 42 of 51 laps)
Race winner: Chase Briscoe
Next Race:
ARCA Menards Series West
NAPA AUTO PARTS 150, July 3, 2021, Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif. (1/2-mile oval)