In just his second ARCA Menards Series start of the season with Venturini Motorsports, four-time NASCAR Euro Series champion Alon Day delivered another standout performance, capturing a hard-fought third-place finish in Friday’s action-packed ARCA Menards Series West General Tire 200 at Sonoma Raceway.
After qualifying on the front row alongside eventual race winner William Sawalich, Day spent the majority of the race running inside the top three and showcasing the skill that has made him one of Europe’s most decorated stock car drivers. His speed and racecraft were on full display during the final restart — a wild one-lap shootout that ultimately decided the outcome at the 1.99-mile California road course.
“The JSSI car was amazing today,” said Day. “I thought I had the speed to lead the race, but it was really tough surviving the restarts. I’m coming from Europe where there’s a little more give and take, and things here are much more aggressive. In hindsight, I should’ve stuck tighter with Christian [Eckes], but it is what it is.”
When the caution flew with just three laps remaining, Day found himself in prime position to challenge for the win. On the final restart, he made a bold move into Turn 1, moving Sawalich off track and diving into a heated battle with Christian Eckes for the lead. The three drivers exchanged positions and contact through the final corners, creating one of the most dramatic finishes in recent series memory.
Day made his move to the outside in Turn 11, but Sawalich seized the opening underneath both Day and Eckes to retake the lead and narrowly edge out Eckes by just .066 seconds at the stripe. Day crossed the line in third, securing his second consecutive podium with Venturini Motorsports — following a runner-up finish in ARCA’s premier series last month at Lime Rock Park.
“I’m extremely happy with our performance so far,” Day added. “Back-to-back podiums with this team in two very different types of road courses is a great result. I’m looking forward to our next race at Watkins Glen — hopefully we can finally break through and grab a win.”
With momentum building, Day and Venturini Motorsports now turn their attention to Watkins Glen International, where Day will once again look to make history on American soil.