Heim moves Gibbs aside, wins at Elko

The ARCA Menards Series makes a stop at the Elko Speedway in Minnesota for the third race of the Sioux Chief Showdown as the last two races were won by Ty Gibbs. Taylor Gray returns to ARCA action after having an off-the-track injury earlier this year. Corey Heim enters this race as the points leader with a three point lead over Ty Gibbs. The race will be 250 laps long.

Ty Gibbs started on the pole with Gracie Trotter starting next to him as they went racing at Elko. Gibbs, Trotter, Gray, and Heim were the early front runners as trouble took pace on Lap 4 with the #06 of Wayne Peterson as his car slows and he rolls off the track and onto pit road. Gibbs led early on and got out to a 1.5 second lead over Gracie Trotter by lap 23. The yellow flag came out during that time with the 11 of Bryce Haugeberg losing control and spinning. By lap 45, Ty Gibbs remained in a league of his own, as he cruised his way on. At the same time, Jesse Love and Thad Moffit were trading paint which would end up in both of them wrecking and causing a caution. On lap 56, Corey Heim battled Ty Gibbs side-by-side for the lead as the championship lead is on the line. Heim worked hard to pull ahead of Gibbs in his #20 Craftsman Toyota as this could be a battle that rivaled the SRX battle between Luke Fenhaus and Tony Stewart earlier in the evening at Slinger.

Heim slid up the track on lap 63 as he and Gibbs were beatin’ and bangin.’ This allowed Gracie Trotter and Taylor Gray to catch up to the two leaders. Meanwhile, Ty Gibbs was able to hang on to the lead. Around lap 80, Daniel Dye worked his way around Gracie Trotter for fourth place. On lap 90, Taylor Gray moved into second as he looks to chase down Gibbs in his #17 Ford for David Gilliland Racing. The yellow lag came out around lap 100 that was marked as a competition caution. The restart comes at around lap 106 as Ty Gibbs and Taylor Gray fight side-by-side for the lead. Corey Heim was able to jump into third and Jesse Love in fourth. Ty Gibbs managed to overcome to keep Gray behind him. On lap 125, Thad Moffitt and Gracie Trotter made contact and saved themselves from wrecking as there is a lot of paint being traded so far in this one.

On lap 164, Taylor Gray had a close call as he had contact with Jesse Love, trying to advance his position and he does, as well as the lapped car of Bryce Haugeberg. Another caution came out not too long after. Bryce Haugeberg went spinning for a second time in the next caution while Ty Gibbs continues to lead. Ty Gibbs and Jesse Love led the field to the next restart on lap 189. Gibbs got out in front with Love in second, then Gracie Trotter worked her way up to third. Then for the third time in this race, Haugeberg went spinning again. The race resumed on lap 198. Another caution comes out with under 10 laps to go after Ron Vandermeir Jr went spinning. On the restart, Ty Gibbs got shoved up the track by Corey Heim and Jesse Love. At the white flag, Corey Heim would hold off Jesse Love for the win at Elko. Venturini Motorsports would finish 1-2-3 with Heim, Love, and Trotter.

Menards 250 Final Top 10:

1. Corey Heim
2. Jesse Love
3. Gracie Trotter
4. Ty Gibbs
5. Taylor Gray
6. Nick Sanchez
7. Daniel Dye
8. Willie Mullins
9. Thad Moffitt
10. Adam Lemke