SALT LAKE CITY, UT, March 14, 2022 – Bridget Burgess and BMI Racing loaded up the HMH Construction Chevrolet SS for the first race of NASCAR’s ARCA Menards West Season which kicked off last Friday at Phoenix Raceway. Due to this race running in conjunction with the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Sioux Chief Showdown, a record 39 drivers had entered the race.
The day started with an hour of track time for Bridget and the 38 other drivers; this would serve as a combined session of practice and qualifying, with the field starting lineup set by session results. The first part of practice provided Bridget with the opportunity to get acclimated to the car and the track; then, the team prepped the car for a qualifying run.Bridget would start the race in 27th position.
The green flag dropped, and the 39-car field roared into action for the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway. Despite four cautions within the first 28 laps, Bridget did a good job finding her rhythm in the HMH Construction Chevrolet SS.
At lap 50, another competitor got into Bridget, causing her left rear tire to start going down and a pit stop under green to change the tire, ultimately putting Bridget down laps to the field.
Lap 75 marked the halfway point, and the team at BMI Racing went to work on the HMH Construction Chevrolet SS, changing four General Tire’s and adding Sunoco Fuel. Due to being laps down from the tire issue in the first half of the race, Bridget and the team used the opportunity to keep learning from the valuable seat time and finished the race in 23rd position.
In addition to the race on Friday, the ARCA Menards Series announced that Team Owner and Crew Chief Sarah Burgess was named the General Tire Spirit Award. The award was established to recognize someone within the ARCA racing community who has demonstrated true sportsmanship both on and off the track and perseverance when faced with significant challenges.
The ARCA Menards Series West season resumes Saturday, March 26, with the running of the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame at California’s Irwindale Speedway. Racing is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. PT / 10:05 p.m. ET.
Bridget is powered by these great companies:
HMH Construction, GEARWRENCH, Rugged Radios, Cometic Gasket, Circle Track Warehouse, Ferrea Racing Components, FK Rod Ends, Fragola Performance Systems, GC Cooling Fan, Hawk Performance, Impact Race Products, K&N Filters, Kellerstrass, Konig, Lucas Oil, Miller Electric, ProAm, PSC Motorsports, Rare Parts, Streamline Custom Designs, Sunoco Race Fuel, Tilton, XS Power
Facebook page: BridgetBurgess8 | Instagram: BridgetBurgess8 | Twitter: 8BridgetBurgess
Media Contact: Sarah Burgess | sarah@bmiracing.net
Images: Diego Alvarado