Gutierrez Searching For 2nd ARCA Menards East Win of 2021

The path to success in stock car racing is a variable, winding road. Most would not think about Mexico City to be the beginning point of that pathway, yet Max Gutierrez is working to verify that it can be.

Gutierrez, a talented 18-year-old vehicle driver for Rette Jones Competing, made his debut in the ARCA Menards Collection platform last season, ending up 14th at Bristol and afterwards 12th at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola. Absolutely nothing excessively impressive, but he was performing at the finish of both races and also gained useful experience and knowledge to build on for 2021.

He placed that experience to excellent usage in the ARCA Menards Collection East period opener at New Smyrna Speedway. Gutierrez stayed in opinion throughout the 175-lap event, and also when a pair of late-race restarts messed up the area, discovered himself in third setting headed into turn three on the final lap. Leader Taylor Gray really felt the bumper from second-place Sammy Smith right into the final corners, and both drifted up the racetrack leaving the bottom groove wide open. Gutierrez jumped on the chance and slipped underneath, and also with all three cars touching at the start-finish line Gutierrez blinked throughout initial to claim the win by less than a foot.

” Both autos were battling for first as well as they opened the door,” Gutierrez said. “In Mexico it occurs a lot, the two autos battling for the win crash. When I saw them battling I claimed ‘many thanks for unlocking’ and also I turned under them and also won the race. Going into turn three I was believing it was mosting likely to be a good day, we would certainly end up 3rd and have a lot of great experience. But by the time we reached transform four I was believing we are mosting likely to win.”.

While the win can be found in shocking fashion on that night, that Gutierrez ended up in triumph lane should not be a surprise in all. His background is full of success, varying from 6 Super Kart champions to seven triumphes in the NASCAR Mexico Obstacle Collection, finishing with a collection champion in 2020. His goals for this period remain unmodified, despite having every one of that previous success as well as an ARCA Menards Series East win already in his pocket.

” I want to keep finding out as high as I can,” he stated. “It would not be possible without every one of individuals behind me that make it feasible. There are a lot of people that have actually aided on this project as well as we are always just eagerly anticipating the next race. The cars I raced in Mexico were extremely different so we are constantly going to be learning. We want to concentrate on the following race, maintain understanding, and also gain experience on all of these brand-new tracks.”.

If Gutierrez has the ability to recapture the magic from New Smyrna and also score his 2nd victory of the period in Saturday’s Crosley Record Pressing Songs City 200, he would be the initial chauffeur of Mexican descent to win at Nashville since Rogelio Lopez pulled it off in 2008.