By NOAH REED
Racing Correspondent
Manteca’s Ethan Nascimento used a last lap pass to storm past 2025 ARCA Menards Series, West champion Trevor Huddleston to take Saturday’s NAPA Auto Parts 150 at All American Speedway on Sept. 5. Nascimento prevailed in Roseville by just .038 seconds as part of Championship Night at the speedway along with Hall of Fame Night.
“We usually don’t get the call to race a lot. It was a super fun race. We started in the back after having clutch issues after qualifying. I knew we had a really fast piece. Sorry for what I did to Trevor but I knew he would have done the same to try to get a win,” Nascimento said. “I got him just enough sideways so I was door to door with him going into three and then we drag raced out of turn four.”
Mississippi teen Cole Denton led time trials to start on the pole for the 150-lap event. LaCenter, Washington’s Eric Johnson, Jr. used the outside to drive into the lead on the opening lap, however. Madera’s Joey Iest spun for a caution on lap 11. Gavin Ray spun in turn two with a flat left rear tire, with the ensuing melee causing race-ending damage for rookie Mia Lovell on lap 27.
Denton retook the lead while Johnson drifted backwards on the restart. The 2025 series champion Trevor Huddleston and Hailie Deegan raced side-by-side for several laps for second. Huddleston completed the pass on lap 42. Huddleston tracked down Denton and used the bumper to drive into the lead on lap 52.
Lapped traffic slowed Huddleston’s progress, allowing Denton to claw back to the lead on lap 82. Huddleston made a three-wide move in traffic to reclaim the position by lap 84. The 2026 All American Speedway Berco Redwood Late Model champion Kenna Mitchell and Pasadena’s Andrew Chapman collided in turn three for the next caution on lap 85.
Denton slipped backwards on the restart, falling back to fifth. Nascimento suddenly emerged in a strong position to challenge, moving up to second ahead of Deegan. A late race spin for Idaho’s Ian Wood set up a five-lap shootout between Huddleston and Nascimento.
Nascimento worked Huddleston up the hill in turns one and two but Huddleston used the high side to drive back to the point. Coming into turn one on the final lap, Nascimento nudged Huddleston again in turns one and two. They raced side-by-side to the checkered flag, with Nascimento winning the drag race to the line by a nose. Deegan finished third followed by 2025 race winner Robbie Kennealy.
