Future NASCAR storylines advance at Rockingham

The ARCA/Trucks/O’Reilly weekend at Rockingham on the Cup Series’ off week was an interesting opportunity this year. NASCAR had a few new marketing strategies to try out, as did its competitors. It was a big Garrett “Cleetus McFarland” Mitchell weekend, and he finished fourth in the ARCA race, which is the best NASCAR-sanctioned finish of his career, if that counts. Then he had his O’Reilly Series debut and finished 32nd, six laps down. Oh well. I’m sure the TV numbers were shockingly good for a non-Cup weekend.

The actual winner of the ARCA race was actual race car driver Tristan McKee, who totally ran the table. Corey Heim showed up to win his 25th Truck Series race and bring his two-week haul up to $150,000, which is probably going into the Cup ride piggy bank, since it seems no one will give him a seat on actual merit, of which he has more than 75% of the Cup field.

Corey Day has stopped destroying race cars for the moment and bagged his first O’Reilly Series pole position, and the race was won by William Sawalich, his first at that level. Rajah Caruth finished fourth, his best at the O’Reilly level, which was awesome, and Sheldon Creed finished sixth, continuing his hot streak. Other than Cleetus, NASCAR’s aspirants had a pretty good weekend.