2023 NAPA Auto Parts BlueDEF 150 (Kern County)

The 2023 NAPA Auto Parts BlueDEF 150 was the 3rd stock car race of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West season, and the 9th running of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California, a 0.50 mile (0.80 km) permanent asphalt tri-oval shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 150 laps to complete. Sean Hingorani, driving for Venturini Motorsports, would overcome from a late-race penalty, and took the lead from the dominating Landen Lewis, leading the final 39 laps to earn his second career ARCA Menards Series West win, and his second consecutive win.^[5] Pole-sitter Landen Lewis dominated nearly the entire race, leading a race-high 111 laps before being passed by Hingorani and finishing 2nd. To fill out the podium, Trevor Huddleston, driving for High Point Racing, would finish in 3rd, respectively.

2023 NAPA Auto Parts BlueDEF 150

Race details[1][2][3][4]
Race 3 of 12 of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West
Date	April 22, 2023
Official name	9th Annual NAPA Auto Parts BlueDEF 150
Location	Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	0.50 miles (0.80 km)
Distance	150 laps, 75 mi (120 km)
Scheduled distance	150 laps, 75 mi (120 km)
Average speed	74.958 mph (120.633 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Landen Lewis	McGowan Motorsports
Time	18.622
Most laps led
Driver	Landen Lewis	McGowan Motorsports
Laps	111
Winner
No. 15	Sean Hingorani	Venturini Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	FloRacing
Announcers	Charles Krall
Radio in the United States
Radio	ARCA Racing Network

Report

Background

Kern County Raceway Park, the circuit where the race was held.

Kern County Raceway Park is a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) oval speedway located on CA 43 (Enos Lane) just off Interstate 5 in Bakersfield, Kern County, California, United States. Opened in 2013, it was built as a replacement for Mesa Marin Raceway.

Kern County Raceway Park hosts events with NASCAR's Whelen All-American Series along with an ARCA Menards Series West race since 2013.^[6]

The track has banks of 8° in the straightaways, with 14° paved corners. The track has 15,000 seats for fans, and room to expand to 17,000 seats for various events. It also contains 21 suites in the grandstand along with 18 concession stands.^[7]

Entry list

• (R) denotes rookie driver.

#	Driver	Team	Make	Sponsor
04	Ethan Nascimento (R)	Nascimento Motorsports	Toyota	RAILBAR Protein Bar
4	Eric Nascimento	Nascimento Motorsports	Chevrolet	Fidelity Capital / RJs Paintshop
05	David Smith (R)	Shockwave Motorsports	Toyota	Shockwave Marine Suspension Seating
7	Takuma Koga	Jerry Pitts Racing	Toyota	Yamada
13	Todd Souza	Central Coast Racing	Ford	Central Coast Cabinets
15	Sean Hingorani (R)	Venturini Motorsports	Toyota	Mobil 1
16	Tanner Reif	Bill McAnally Racing	Chevrolet	NAPA Auto Care
17	Landen Lewis	McGowan Motorsports	Chevrolet	American Resurfacing Inc. / MMI
27	Bobby Hillis Jr.	Fierce Creature Racing	Chevrolet	Camping World / First Impression Press
41	Tyler Reif (R)	Lowden Jackson Motorsports	Ford	Power Gen Components / Stoney's
46	R. J. Smotherman (R)	Lowden Jackson Motorsports	Ford	Country AF Radio / Stoney's
50	Trevor Huddleston	High Point Racing	Ford	High Point Racing / Racecar Factory
55	Jake Bollman	High Point Racing	Ford	High Point Racing / Racecar Factory
70	Kyle Keller	Jerry Pitts Racing	Toyota	EverReady Health / Star Nursery
77	Nick Joanides	Performance P–1 Motorsports	Ford	Jan's Towing / King Taco
88	Bradley Erickson (R)	Naake-Klauer Motorsports	Ford	L&S Framing
Official entry list

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Saturday, April 22, at 3:00 PM PST, and would last for 1 hour.^[8] Landen Lewis, driving for McGowan Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 19.046, and a speed of 94.508 mph (152.096 km/h).^[9]

Pos.[10]	#	Driver	Team	Make	Time	Speed
1	17	Landen Lewis	McGowan Motorsports	Chevrolet	19.046	94.508
2	15	Sean Hingorani (R)	Venturini Motorsports	Toyota	19.094	94.270
3	50	Trevor Huddleston	High Point Racing	Ford	19.107	94.206
Full practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Saturday, April 22, at 4:40 PM PST.^[8] The qualifying system used is a multi-car, multi-lap based system. All drivers will be on track for a 20-minute timed session, and whoever sets the fastest time in the session will win the pole.^[11]

Landen Lewis, driving for McGowan Motorsports, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 18.622, and a speed of 96.660 mph (155.559 km/h).^[12]

Qualifying results

Pos.[13]	#	Driver	Team	Make	Time	Speed
1	17	Landen Lewis	McGowan Motorsports	Chevrolet	18.622	96.660
2	15	Sean Hingorani (R)	Venturini Motorsports	Toyota	18.711	96.200
3	16	Tanner Reif	Bill McAnally Racing	Chevrolet	18.778	95.857
4	13	Todd Souza	Central Coast Racing	Ford	18.793	95.780
5	50	Trevor Huddleston	High Point Racing	Ford	18.923	95.122
6	41	Tyler Reif (R)	Lowden Jackson Motorsports	Ford	18.923	95.122
7	4	Eric Nascimento	Nascimento Motorsports	Chevrolet	18.994	94.767
8	88	Bradley Erickson (R)	Naake-Klauer Motorsports	Ford	19.014	94.667
9	04	Ethan Nascimento (R)	Nascimento Motorsports	Toyota	19.017	94.652
10	46	R. J. Smotherman (R)	Lowden Jackson Motorsports	Ford	19.043	94.523
11	55	Jake Bollman	High Point Racing	Ford	19.068	94.399
12	7	Takuma Koga	Jerry Pitts Racing	Toyota	19.116	94.162
13	70	Kyle Keller	Jerry Pitts Racing	Toyota	19.258	93.468
14	05	David Smith (R)	Shockwave Motorsports	Toyota	19.411	92.731
15	77	Nick Joanides	Performance P–1 Motorsports	Ford	19.472	92.440
16	27	Bobby Hillis Jr.	Fierce Creature Racing	Chevrolet	20.305	88.648
Official qualifying results

Race results

Fin[14]	St	#	Driver	Team	Make	Laps	Led	Status	Pts
1	2	15	Sean Hingorani (R)	Venturini Motorsports	Toyota	150	39	Running	47
2	1	17	Landen Lewis	McGowan Motorsports	Chevrolet	150	111	Running	45
3	5	50	Trevor Huddleston	High Point Racing	Ford	150	0	Running	41
4	3	16	Tanner Reif	Bill McAnally Racing	Chevrolet	150	0	Running	40
5	8	88	Bradley Erickson (R)	Naake-Klauer Motorsports	Ford	150	0	Running	39
6	6	41	Tyler Reif (R)	Lowden Jackson Motorsports	Ford	150	0	Running	38
7	11	55	Jake Bollman	High Point Racing	Ford	150	0	Running	37
8	7	04	Ethan Nascimento (R)	Nascimento Motorsports	Toyota	150	0	Running	36
9	4	13	Todd Souza	Central Coast Racing	Ford	149	0	Running	35
10	15	77	Nick Joanides	Performance P–1 Motorsports	Ford	148	0	Running	34
11	12	7	Takuma Koga	Jerry Pitts Racing	Toyota	147	0	Running	33
12	16	27	Bobby Hillis Jr.	Fierce Creature Racing	Chevrolet	143	0	Running	32
13	14	05	David Smith (R)	Shockwave Motorsports	Toyota	133	0	Accident	31
14	13	70	Kyle Keller	Jerry Pitts Racing	Toyota	92	0	Engine	30
15	9	4	Eric Nascimento	Nascimento Motorsports	Chevrolet	72	0	Electrical	29
16	10	46	R. J. Smotherman (R)	Lowden Jackson Motorsports	Ford	8	0	Gear	28
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Landen Lewis 131 1 2 Tyler Reif 126 (-5) 3 3 Sean Hingorani 122 (–9) 1 4 Trevor Huddleston 118 (–13) 5 Bradley Erickson 115 (–16) 1 6 Tanner Reif 111 (–20) 3 7 Kyle Keller 107 (–24) 8 Todd Souza 101 (–30) 9 Takuma Koga 95 (–36) 10 David Smith 92 (–39) Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.