Holmes takes ARCA championship advantage entering two-race weekend

Bret Holmes and his own operation are going up against the biggest team in ARCA Racing history — and winning after 15 races.

With just five races left — including two this weekend — the ARCA Menards Series championship battle has heated up between Holmes and Venturini Motorsports’ Michael Self. The underdog family-run team has the advantage entering a dual race weekend.

Leaving the league’s third trip at Toledo Speedway, Holmes took over the championship lead by just two points over Self.

The series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday (Sept. 17) and Winchester Speedway (Sept. 19) this weekend, before races at Memphis International Raceway (Sept. 26), the dirt track at the Illinois State Fairgrounds (Oct. 4) before finally wrapping up the 20-race season at Kansas Speedway (Oct. 16).

Thursday’s race at Bristol also is a combination race with the ARCA East Series.

Holmes won at Kansas in July, his first ever career win ARCA competition after 69 starts. Meanwhile, Self has nine career wins, including two this year — both coming at Daytona International Speedway on the 2.5-mile superspeedway and the 3.6-mile road course.

Saturday, the league heads to Winchester, Indiana for another race on a half-mile circuit. The series hasn’t raced at the track since the 2017 season. That race is Holmes’ only start to date there, finishing in 8th. Meanwhile, Self has never raced there in ARCA competition.

The Bush’s Beans 200 from Bristol is set to start on Thursday at 9:30pm EST airing on FS1. Saturay’s Toyota 200 from Winchester rolls off at 3pm EST on NBC Sports TrackPass.

ARCA Menards Series standings after Race 15 of 20:
1: Bret Homes [748]
2: Michael Self [-2]
3: Hailie Deegan [-49]
4: Drew Dollar [-62]
5: Thad Moffitt [-249]