Brenden Queen secured his fifth victory of the 2025 ARCA Menards Series season in a compelling race at Iowa Speedway, marking his first triumph on a short track this year. Queen overtook Brent Crews during a mid-race restart and maintained the lead through intense late-race battles to claim the top spot.
Throughout the race’s final laps, Queen and Crews engaged in close competition, including contact while negotiating lapped traffic with eight laps remaining. Despite the aggressive encounter, Queen held on to win the 150-lap event in front of the packed stands.
Late-Race Contact Fails to Shake Queen’s Grip on the Lead
During the final stages, Crews closed in on Queen after the two made contact in turn 1 while trying to lap Quinn Davis. The collision caused both drivers to spin sideways but neither lost significant momentum. Queen retained the lead and powered on to the victory.
I’m just gonna keep letting him run into me and not win,
Queen said during a FOX Sports interview.
He got me last week, and he might’ve been a little better, just refuse to lose there.
—Brenden Queen, ARCA Driver
Crews finished a strong second, the only other driver to lead laps during the race.
We had a really good race car all day,
Crews told FOX Sports.
Just kind of missed it there at the end, got inside of Brenden there, got a little loose, and felt like that was really my last chance at it.
—Brent Crews, ARCA Driver
Strong Performances by Venturini Motorsports Drivers and Others in the Top Ten
Behind the lead pair, Venturini Motorsports teammates Lawless Alan and Isabella Robusto finished third and fourth respectively, continuing their consistent runs this season. Lavar Scott overcame an early spin to place fifth, rounding out the top five competitors.
The remainder of the top ten featured Isaac Kitzmiller in sixth, Sam Corry seventh, Eloy Sebastian eighth, Mason Mitchell ninth, and Jason Kitzmiller in tenth. Sam Corry was the only driver besides the front-runners to finish on the lead lap when the checkered flag dropped.
Early Race Dynamics: Queen Sets the Pace, Crews Challenges
The race began with Queen quickly jumping into the lead but encountering a slight loose condition in the new pavement as he entered turn 1. Brent Crews stayed close by but could not maintain a side-by-side position initially.
As the pair approached lapped traffic, Crews drew nearer and by lap 15 had reached Queen’s rear bumper. Crews then utilized lapped traffic, including Jason Kitzmiller, to execute a strategic pass by lap 20, briefly taking the lead before a caution arose due to a spin by Kadence Davenport in turn 4.
Cautions and Restarts Shape Key Moments of the Race
Several cautions punctuated the event, each influencing the rhythm and positioning of the leaders. On the second restart after Davenport’s spin, Crews again led briefly before another caution slowed the race due to Kris Wright’s crash against the front straight wall after contact with Sam Corry. Wright’s damage ended his day early, while Corry continued.
The third restart mirrored the second with Crews maintaining the lead over Queen, followed by a sustained green-flag run of about 15 laps before a scheduled race break at lap 50 triggered the next caution.
Strategic Lane Choices Influence Restarts and Lead Changes
After the break, Queen experimented with the outside lane on a restart for the first time during the race, managing to hold his advantage over Crews. This choice proved pivotal as the outside lane demonstrated strength and helped Queen keep the lead entering turn 1.
Though further cautions occurred due to multiple spins by Davenport, Queen consistently resumed the lead on restarts, with Venturini Motorsports’ Robusto advancing to third place on one such restart by passing teammate Alan.
Mid-Race Contact and Sprints Add Excitement Behind Queen
Late in the mid-race segment, Robusto and Alan made contact entering turn 3, which caused both to slide up the track and allowed Scott to capitalize momentarily. However, Scott and Robusto soon clashed on the front straightaway, engaging in hard racing but both finishing without major damage.
The caution that followed Davenport’s third spin allowed for a brief five-lap sprint before the second race break at lap 100. Queen held firm at the front through this sprint as competition intensified behind him.
Final Stages Spotlight Queen and Crews’ Endurance and Skill
Once the final race break concluded, Queen again pulled off a strong restart to keep the lead. He and Crews quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field by three seconds within ten laps.
However, another caution due to Mason Mitchell spinning after contact with Corry compressed the field. On the ensuing restart, Queen and Crews ran wide in turn 1, briefly allowing Alan to contend for the lead in a three-wide battle. Queen reclaimed the lead using the top lane, maintaining his edge over Crews by a similar margin.
Closing Battle Amid Lapped Traffic Tests Leaders’ Composure
In the waning laps, Crews reduced the gap to roughly half a second with ten laps remaining. When Queen attempted to lap Quinn Davis, he became momentarily unsettled in the lane change, and Crews surged to his rear. This close racing caused contact that sent both sideways momentarily, yet both drivers persevered with Queen still in front.
The remaining laps saw Queen fend off challenges and navigate traffic to claim a hard-fought win at Iowa Speedway, underscoring his resilience and determination.
Upcoming ARCA Events and Season Outlook
Looking ahead, the ARCA Menards Series moves to Watkins Glen International for its next race scheduled on Friday, August 8, at 2 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, the ARCA East division will hold its last race of the year at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 11, a combined event with the national division that promises to add more excitement to the series.