Corey Heim Hangs On In A Wacky Race To Win The ARCA Race At Pocono

The ARCA Menards Series made its next stop up in the Pocono’s for the General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200. Ty Gibbs entered the race just one point from the points lead, which going in is held by Corey Heim. Gibbs earned a point from winning the pole for Pocono, tying the championship battle. Gibbs also comes into the race as the winner of this race from a season ago and has won five of the seven races going in. Corey Heim has won the other two events. A couple of Xfinity/Truck drivers are also in the mix for this race including names like Chandler Smith, who will run in the Camping World Truck race and Jade Buford, who will run in the Xfinity race. The CEO of Pocono Raceway, Nick Igdalsky, also entered the race in the #12 sponsored by the Pocono Regional Police Foundation, all for a good cause. It will be his first start in six years. The race featured a 200 mile race for 80 Laps.

At the drop of the green flag, Ty Gibbs lead the field of 23 from the pole position with Chandler Smith starting next to him. From the get go, Ty Gibbs took off in his #18 Pristine Auctions Toyota with Corey Heim settling into 2^nd and Chandler Smith in 3^rd. As Gibbs broke away, the front runners went three wide before splitting up and going single file to try and catch Ty Gibbs. On Lap 8, the first caution comes out involving Nick Igdalsky went for a spin and ends up with a flat right front tire. His #12 machine would continue on. The race resumes on lap 11 and Chandler Smith made an aggressive move heading into turn one to take the lead from Ty Gibbs in his #25 Safelite Toyota for Venturini Motorsports. Smith got up to Gibbs’ bumper right at the restart to get momentum to take the lead. Kris Wright went down pit road on lap 15, who had been battling mechanical issues with his car, he wasn’t able to run a qualifying lap earlier in the day. A lap later, Sam Mayer’s #23 Chevrolet suddenly had issues as he began losing positions with sparks flying out of his car. Mayer had ran over a piece of debris on the track that ripped the aero panel underneath. #69 Toyota to pit road and would be done for the day. This would put Nick Igdalsky as the lucky dog. Sam Mayer’s car breaks down under caution, ending his day as he was getting ready to run his Xfinity Series debut for Jr Motorsports.

Smith and Gibbs lead the field to the restart on lap 25 with Smith getting a massive restart over Ty Gibbs. Corey Heim picked up from what he’s seen in the previous restart and would end up taking 2^nd away from Gibbs. A lap later another caution would come up as the #57 of Bryan Dauzat got loose in the PJ1 and went spinning. Nick Igdalsky also got a piece of the wreck trying to escape it, ending his day, a tough break for the track CEO. 20-year old Ryan Huff also barely escaped the wreck in his #36 Ford. The caution would end up becoming the Lap 30 competition caution and the running order will be what it was before pit stops. Andy Jankowiak was held a lap because they couldn’t change tires and do fuel simultaneously during the pit stops. The race resumed on lap 34 with Jack Wood leading the field and Chandler Smith in 2^nd. Smith went up in the traction compound to take the lead as Ty Gibbs made it three wide for 2^nd, Gibbs grabbed the position. Lap 37, Thad Moffitt made contact with Jack Wood as he tried to get around him for 6^th position and got loose in the corner. Moffitt was able to save it and keep going. A three-man battle for the lead at the halfway point as Ty Gibbs got around Chandler Smith for the lead and Corey Heim went to 2^nd. Smith would quickly recover and get back to 2^nd. Smith lost momentum from lapping the #06 of Don Thompson, causing him to lose the lead. Gibbs kept on cruising until the 4^th caution of the race on lap 54 when Don Thompson’s #06 stalled on the access road.  Lead lap cars went in to pit right before the scheduled competition caution on lap 60. Ty Gibbs and Jason Kitzmiller led the field back to the green flag on lap 59. Kitzmiller had an advantage at first but Ty Gibbs came roaring back to take the lead. Then Jack Wood and Jason Kitzmiller end up in a wreck as this would bring out caution number five. This would also be the competition caution as just mentioned.

The restart comes with 18 to go it as it got chaotic, nearly causing a crash. Gibbs threw the block, going all the way down on the inside where Gibbs and Smith made contact. Ty Gibbs ended up with a tire rub as Corey Heim took the lead. Shockingly there was no accident from that restart. Chandler Smith ended up pitting too with a tire adjustment on what was though the right front, taking him out of contention. Gibbs’ tire rub had cleared off and he kept going. In the final 10 laps, Gibbs tried to reel in Heim, but Heim was putting down great lap after great lap, giving him the gains he needed to seal the deal on a win. In the end, Corey Heim cruised away with the win at Pocono, giving him his 3^rd win of the 2021 ARCA Menards Series Season. Ty Gibbs finished 2^nd, Drew Dollar 3^rd, Nick Sanchez 4^th and Thad Moffitt in 5^th. Corey Heim holds on to the points lead with a three point lead over Ty Gibbs. Thad Moffitt is 3^rd in points, 53 points back from the lead.