Howard Leads BMR With Runner-Up Finish at Sonoma
Three BMR Chevrolets Finish in Top-Six of General Tire 200
SONOMA, Calif. (June 11, 2022) – Colby Howard of Simpsonville, South Carolina, led the Bill McAnally Racing Chevrolets in the ARCA Menards Series West at Sonoma Raceway on Saturday afternoon, earning a second-place finish. He was one of three BMR drivers to finish in the top six in the General Tire 200.
His BMR teammate, Cole Moore in the No. 99 Adaptive One Chevrolet SS, was challenging for the race win in the final laps of the event when he got tagged and spun by another car – recovering to finish 12th.
Howard’s second-place mark – driving the No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet SS – is a career-best effort in five overall ARCA starts, coming in his first career ARCA West appearance.
Austin Herzog led the team in Friday’s combined practice/qualifying in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS from fifth on the grid. Jack Wood of Loomis, California – in the No. 21 Cooks Collision Chevrolet SS – and Moore started at the rear after engine changes.
Moore quickly advanced through the field, using a restart to pass Herzog for fifth before the second caution of the race fell on Lap 15. A caution on Lap 23 saw most of the field make their lone fuel stop of the race. Herzog also made an additional pit stop to check for possible suspension damage. Moore continued to lead the BMR quartet as the race approached the halfway point. Two cautions across laps 29 and 37 allowed the drivers to advance toward the front, with Moore running second, Howard third, Wood fourth, and Herzog seventh.
Moore challenged for the lead on several occasions, before slipping back to the third position. He and Howard were part of a three-wide skirmish in Turn 11, which brought out the caution on lap 51. Howard emerged for the incident in second while Moore was tagged and spun – rejoining the field from the tail end of the lead lap cars.
Officials ended the race early under that caution, due to time constraints – with Howard in second, Wood in fourth and Herzog in sixth – giving him his fourth top-ten finish of his rookie season. Moore crossed the line in 12th.
A great group of guests from NAPA Sacramento were in attendance and were treated to garage tours and viewed the race from VIP suites. BMR worked with Gates Hydraulics, BBB Industries, and NGK on sales events with NAPA AUTO PARTS store and shop owners leading up to the event.
Colby Howard Quote:
“We had a really fast Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet SS. I am disappointed we did not get to finish the race. We saved our tires at the end of the race and were ready to make a move to win.”
Austin Herzog Quote:
“We had a really good day. We qualified fifth yesterday so I knew we would have a stout car for today. Weather a little bit better today so we were better in the long runs. So proud of these BMR guys. It was a really good (day) for the points.”
ARCA Menards Series West Event:
Race: General Tire 200 (Race 5 of 11) June 11, 2022
Location: Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. (1.99-mile road course)
Television: USA Network on June 16, 12 p.m. PT
BMR Drivers:
Austin Herzog
No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS
Age: 19
Hometown: Clovis, Calif.
Practice/Qualified: 5th
Finished: 6th (Running, completed 56 of 56 laps)
Career stats:
6 starts, 1 top 5, 5 top 10s
Jack Wood
No. 21 Cooks Collision Chevrolet SS
Age: 19
Hometown: Loomis, Calif.
Practice/Qualified: 7th
Finished: 4th (Running, completed 56 of 56 laps)
Career series stats: 10 starts, 2 top 5, 7 top 10
Colby Howard
No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet SS
Age: 20
Hometown: Simpsonville, S.C.
Practice/Qualified: 11th
Finished: 2nd (Running, completed 56 of 56 laps)
Career series stats: 1 start, 1 top 5, 1 top 10
Cole Moore
No. 99 Adaptive One Chevrolet SS
Age: 25
Hometown: Granite Bay, Calif.
Practice/Qualified: 16th
Finished: 12th (Running, completed 56 of 56 laps)
Career series stats: 22 starts, 6 top 5, 12 top 10
Race winner: Jake Drew
Next Race:
ARCA Menards Series West
NAPA AUTO PARTS 150, July 2, 2022, Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif. (half-mile oval)