Noah Gragson entered into ARCA finale at Kansas Speedway

Noah Gragson, a member of the NASCAR Next program and driver in both K&N Pro Series, will start in the final ARCA Racing Series event of the year at Kansas Speedway.

Gragson has joined Venturini Motorsports to drive the No.15 SpeedVegas – Alert ID Toyota Camry in the Kansas 150 on Friday. It will be his third career ARCA start. Earlier this year he started sixth and finished 30th at Pocono Raceway.

The announcement by Venturini Motorsports comes less than a week after Gragson was announced by Kyle Busch Motorsports as the driver who will succeed William Byron in its No. 9 entry in the Camping World Truck Series next year.

“The last couple weeks have truly been amazing,” Gragson said in a press release. “Running with Venturini Motorsports at Kansas is an exciting opportunity and just another step towards my integration into the Toyota family. The Venturini Motorsports group has a strong reputation in the series and a proven track record. I’m looking forward to working with Billy (Venturini) and the guys on the team

Gragson, a native of Las Vegas, has six wins between the K&N East and West Series, including two each this year.

Nicole Behar, Ty Majeski earn top-five finishes in ARCA debuts

It was a big weekend two drivers who are former and current members of the NASCAR Next program.

Nicole Behar, a member of the 2015-16 class, and Ty Majeski, a member of the 2016 -17 class, made their debuts in the ARCA Racing Series on Sunday in the Montgomery Ward Father’s Day 200 at Madison International Speedway.

Behar made her one-off start with Venturini Motorsports, which had three of the last four races at the Wisconsin track.

A native of Washington, Behar started third and that’s where she found herself at the end of the 200-lap event. The result was a historic one, as it tied Behar for the best ARCA short track finish for a female driver, matching the result of Patty Simko-Schacht at Toledo Speedway in 1987.

The 18-year-old also had the best result of Venturini Motorsports’ three teams.

“My spotter (Frankie Kimmel) was great today,” Behar said in a team release. “He kept me calm and gave me great information all day long. Reminding me every single lap of the importance of my entry, he really helped me settle in and gain when I needed to gain. I tried to do the best I could to save the car and save my tires today. I was just trying to get as much as I could today. I tried to do the best I could on a tough track with just one racing line today.”

Behar also holds a tie for the best finish by a female driver in the K&N Pro Series West, where she competed last year.

Majeski, a Roush Fenway Racing development driver competing for the Roulo Brothers, came home fourth after qualifying seventh. The Wisconsin-native had been fastest in both of Saturday’s practice sessions and had a caution with 21 laps left derail a charge to the front.

“We had a good solid run. We kept the fenders on for the most part all day,” Majeski told Speed51.com. “The biggest thing I learned today was how to race a big, heavy car. Manage brakes, which is something we don’t have to do a lot on the Late Model, and we had to do that today. I felt like I did a pretty good job at that. I had every bit of race car I needed for the end.”

Roulo Brothers Racing has not yet announced when Majeski will be back in the No. 17 car.

NASCAR Next alumni Nicole Behar making ARCA debut

Nicole Behar, who was a member of the 2015-16 NASCAR Next class, will make her ARCA Series debut this weekend at Madison International Speedway.

The 18-year-old driver from Spokane, Washington, will make the start in the Montgomery Ward Fathers Day 200 for  Venturini Motorsports.

Behar is making her ARCA debut after one full season in the K&N Pro Series West, where she drove for a family owned team. Behar is tied for the best result ever by a female driver after finishing second at Irwindale Event Center.

She’s made one start this season in the CARS Super Late Model Tour while also competing in the NorthWest Super Late Model Series.

“ARCA is the next logical step for sure,” Behar said in a press release. “Venturini Motorsports is a great team that has the knowledge and experience to help me get where I want to be. Hopefully, we can come out this weekend with a good finish. It’s only one race so far.”

Madison might be the best place for Behar to debut with Venturini Motorsports. The team has won three of the first four races at the half-mile track, winning with Alex Bowman,Justin Boston and Kyle Benjamin.

“It’d be great to win, but if we could come out with a top-10 that’d be great,” Behar said. “Everyone wants to win but we all know it’s not that simple.”

This weekend will also be the first time Behar will experience live pit stops in a race.

“I’m hoping to get some pit stop practice in before the race,” Behar said. “My dad’s dragging our K&N car in a Toterhome to Madison so I can hopefully practice with a heavy stock car on that track.”

MORE: Nicole Behar’s NASCAR Next Q&A