Thomas Annunziata Goes Back-to-Back at Lime Rock with Dominant ARCA Victory: Can he achieve Back-to-Back-to-Back Victories at Lime Rock?
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 12
by Clark Thompson and Warren Rosenberg, MetroSports Magazine July 10, 2026
New Jersey's Thomas Annunziata continued to establish himself as one of ARCA's premier road course racers by capturing the ARCA Menards Series Lime Rock Park 100 on Friday, July 10, 2026. Driving the No. 70 JBL Audio Toyota for Nitro Motorsports, the Colts Neck native turned in a commanding performance, leading 59 of the 68 laps to earn his first ARCA victory of the 2026 season and the second of his career.
After starting on the outside of the front row, Annunziata quickly took control of the race and never looked back, crossing the finish line nearly 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Andrew Ranger. The victory marked his second consecutive ARCA triumph at the Connecticut road course, further cementing Lime Rock Park as one of his signature tracks.
The dominant win also provided a significant boost in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, keeping Annunziata firmly in the title hunt as the season heads into its second half. His combination of road racing experience and consistent speed has made him a driver to watch as the championship battle intensifies.
"This place has been really good to me," Annunziata said after the race. "I can't thank everyone at Nitro Motorsports enough for giving me such a great race car. We had speed all day, and once we got out front, I just focused on hitting my marks and not making any mistakes." The victory gave the Colts Neck, New Jersey native back-to-back ARCA wins at Lime Rock Park and added valuable momentum to his championship campaign.
Annunziata has raced in NASCAR, competing in both the Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. After winning Friday's ARCA Menards Series race, Annunziata carried that momentum into Saturday by qualifying an impressive fourth in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota, placing himself among the top road-course specialists in the field.
During the race, Annunziata consistently ran near the front and appeared to have a legitimate chance at a top-five finish. However, the race turned chaotic in the closing stages. While battling for position following a restart, he made contact with Landen Lewis, sending both trucks off course and damaging Annunziata's vehicle. Despite continuing, his truck later developed a mechanical issue and caught fire under caution. Annunziata was able to exit the truck under his own power and was transported to a local medical facility for evaluation as a precaution. NASCAR officials reported that he was alert and awake.
For a young driver making only his second NASCAR Truck Series start, the weekend reinforced that he has the pace to compete with established Truck Series contenders, even though bad luck prevented him from converting that speed into a strong finish.
Another Northeast driver drawing attention at Lime Rock was Ed Pompa of Ballston Spa, New York. Piloting the No. 10 Toyota for Fast Track Racing, Pompa returned to one of his favorite road-course venues. Unfortunately, mechanical issues prevented him from taking the green flag, resulting in a last-place finish despite showing determination throughout the weekend by participating in practice and qualifying. Pompa remains one of the region's most respected ARCA veterans and is expected to continue his part-time schedule later this season.
Comments