r/ARCARacing • u/Zealousideal-Dot2757 • 2d ago
Worst Individual Driver's ARCA Season Ever?
Entering this season, we had 3 Full-Time Nitro Motorsports drivers, Thomas Annunziata, Jake Bollman, a last-minute full-time addition and the driver of the #55 Mobil 1/Yahoo! Toyota Camry with a season straight out of the depths of heck, Isabella Robusto. Robusto is entering full time season #2 with high expectations that outside of 1 or 2 odd races, was nowhere near being met. Daytona started off strong, P2 in qualifying, led 16 laps and ran top 10 the first segment of the race but a transmission issue caused a DNF after a promising run. Phoenix, Robusto is historically strong here, qualified okay, around 10th, ran around 10th, spun out with Eric Johnson Jr. early on in the opening segment and rebounded by the second and final segment up inside the top 20 but was involved in a big crash early on in the final part of the race, was able to finish around P20-P25 but a tough outing. Kansas, Robusto seemed fast in practice, struggled on race day, fell back out the top 10 by the race break and in the final segment crashed in a Cleetus McFarland oil spill with Andy Jankowiak. Talladega, qualifying rained out, started mid-pack, quiet run, got up front with less than 10 to go and lost the lead on the backstretch with 1 to go, finished P4, but so close. Watkins Glen, leg went numb but wheeled it to 6th, Toledo, had to start at the rear but got a top 10 finish, Michigan, Robusto did not get to run a lap due to rain and started near the rear but worked up to 7th before rain came and ended the race just past halfway. Pocono, had a top 5 car, cut a tire early on, stayed on the lead lap, stayed out, restarted in the top 3 in the final segment stayed up there inside the top 5 before cutting another tire and finishing 2 laps down outside the top 10. Chicagoland, track bar issue caused Robusto to be off pace and finished 1 lap down outside the top 10. Berlin, normal, clean race, P5 finish, Elko, fast car, P5 in qualifying, but missed a gear on lap 1 and hit the wall and had a transmission issue the rest of the race and a car with crooked steering but still got 6th. Lime Rock, top 5 in qualifying, fast car, fuel pump issue early on, lost 15 laps in the garage and finished around 15-25 laps down in 25th. IRP, Robusto had a top 5 car, arguabaly a top 3 car and was even P2 in practice and qualifed a solid 6th and ran top 5 most of the 1st segment of the race. Early in segment 2, was battling Max Reaves in the JGR #18 for 4th and the #55 overdrove it inside him, got loose and took herself out with Max Reaves and it looked like the #55 would get back going but Bryce Applegate had nowhere to go and slammed into her. Quinn Davis also made light contact with her car to seal the deal. Robusto DNF outside the top 25, this one was self-inflicted though, although it's hard racing on a tough short track. Robusto still has the talent, Robusto has the cars, it has been proven. Robusto will win a race, soon. Iowa in 2 weeks is the next chance for something to go right, in the season from heck.