Brent Crews Scores Impressive Second ARCA Menards Win of Season at Lucas Oil IRP

The track at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park witnessed another dose of Brent Crews’ magic during the LiUNA! 150. This wasn’t just a career-defining night for the 17-year-old racing phenom from Davidson, NC; it was a “get out of my way, I’m racing to greatness” kind of moment. Seriously, if someone slapped “Main Character in Racing” as his title, it might feel like an understatement.

After a rain-soaked Friday erased any hopes for a regular qualifying session, owner points set the grid. Brent? Comfortably starting on the front row beside Brendan “Butterbean” Queen, who was not about to hand over his top spot without a fight. By “fight,” we mean Queen led an impressive 91 laps in his BRC Chevrolet, putting on a clinic of consistency but, ultimately, not enough to keep Crews in his rearview mirror.

Crews Takes No Prisoners… After Half a Race of Patience

Alright, early on, Brent Crews wasn’t exactly running away with it. Queen turned that No. 28 machine into a wall of resistance, leading lap after lap while Crews did his best shadow impression just behind him. A Lap 22 restart showed us a different side of Brent “Twist-and-Stick” Crews when he got a little wild trying to pass Queen. If you thought mildly bumping your opponent while nearly spinning would break this kid’s focus, you’d be wrong.

It was in the second half of this 150-lap showdown that Crews and his Joe Gibbs Racing dream team brought the heat. Credit to Matt Ross, the crew chief, for working some mid-race magic during the scheduled competition break. The adjustments flipped the switch on Crews’ No. 18 JBL Toyota, allowing him to pounce on Queen with 58 laps remaining. It wasn’t your ordinary pass either; this was the type of move that said, “I’m not here to play; I’m here to win.” Brent Crews took the low line, stuck it through Turns 1 and 2, and made Indy his personal victory lab.

Late Restarts? No Sweat for Crews

If you were hoping for some nail-biting drama during those final restarts, I hate to disappoint. Brent Crews clobbered them. Multiple caution periods—including a wreck-heavy mid-race crash involving Austin Vaughn and Takuma Koga and a blown tire from the perpetually unlucky Michael Maples might have thrown other young talents off their game. But Crews? He treated every restart like a Monday jog. When the green flag waved with 18 laps to go, Crews rocketed away from the field and proceeded to expand his gap like someone clicked “boost mode” on his car.

The poor competitors chasing him probably needed binoculars to see his taillights. Lawless Alan, the runner-up, finished three seconds adrift, which in racing is finishing in a different zip code. Meanwhile, Queen salvaged his night with a third-place finish after fighting back from a late-race slide. Not what he wanted, but hey, sometimes even Butterbean needs a little more butter to stay smooth.

Brent Crews Isn’t Just Racing: He’s Climbing the Ladder

One more win makes four ARCA Menards Series victories under his belt. Oh, and this happens to be Joe Gibbs Racing’s third ARCA win this season. Toyota must be throwing confetti in the air because their driver lineup has been nothing short of electric. Despite his age, Brent Crews races with a maturity that makes you wonder if he’s secretly a grizzled 30-year-old in disguise.

“You know, I had to work really hard tonight,” Crews mentioned during his FS1 interview post-victory. Hard, sure. Dominant? Absolutely. He expressed gratitude for his crew making those race-defining adjustments mid-run, crediting them for part of that lights-out performance during the second half. By the way, he also hinted that this win might give him “a lot more energy” heading into the evening’s Truck Series race. Imagine conquering ARCA at 17 and treating it as your warm-up act.

Final Thoughts

With his second ARCA Menards Series victory of the season, one thing’s clear about Brent Crews. To call him “good” would be like calling LeBron James “kinda tall.” His ability to adapt, strategize, and, more importantly, strike when it counts underlines exactly why Crews is shaping up to be a talent we’ll be talking about for years to come. But the season isn’t over, and the ARCA standings are heating up. Queen still commands the points lead by 26 markers, but with performances like this, you wouldn’t bet the house on anything.

Next week, the Atlas 150 at Iowa Speedway will test the mettle of this fleet. Will Crews add another trophy to his cabinet? Probably. Would it surprise anyone? Not. For now, though, Brent gets to enjoy his Lucas Oil triumph, knowing he didn’t just win a race; he sent a message. Catch you on the track, Crews. Keep proving racing isn’t a sprint; it’s about making every move count like a chess master with a horsepower addiction.