Four-Time CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series Race Winner Thomas Annunziata Claims ARCA Title

In a battle that went all the way to the final event of a 20-race season, four-time CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series race-winner Thomas Annunziata claimed the 2026 ARCA Menards Series championship on Friday at Kansas Speedway.

Annunziata finished fifth in Friday night's Menards 150, giving him enough points to surpass Nitro Motorsports teammate Jake Bollman for the title. Bollman, another former CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series competitor, finished 21st, 42 laps down, after being involved in a major incident just before the halfway mark of the race.

Despite that incident, Bollman and his team repaired the car enough to get back on track and salvage as many points as possible, putting pressure on Annunziata to finish inside the top five. The two drivers finished tied in the championship standings, with Annunziata claiming the title on a tiebreaker by virtue of his win at Lime Rock Park.

“It was crazy. I came into here without any preconceived notions. I knew it was going to be hard,” Annunziata said. “Jake Bollman did a good job, too. He had a great year, just unfortunate he had bad luck there, but we had horrible luck in the beginning, as well.

“We led the championship for one race. That’s really cool.”

For many drivers in the ARCA Menards Series, they spend their developmental years competing on ovals, racing on various short tracks across the United States in Late Models, Modifieds or INEX Legends Cars. Annunziata, however, entered the season with a road racing background.

Annunziata has 36 career starts with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, the majority of which coming in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. He has four TA2 wins, and finished third in the TA2 Driver's Championship in 2024.

"I didn't think it was going to happen. I missed all the years of Late Models and Legends Cars, years of learning ovals. I had to do it the hard way, and I knew it was going to be hard, especially against my teammates, they're very talented.

"I sucked at the beginning of the year. I had Derrike Cope and Shannon [Rursch] by my side, and they helped me a bunch trying to get better at oval racing. It helped, and we started collecting poles, wins, the only full-time driver to do that, leading the most laps. I feel like we deserved it, but I'm gutted for my teammate as well."

Bollman needed an 11th-place finish or better to clinch the ARCA Menards Series championship on Friday, regardless of how Annunziata fared. The teammates tangled on two separate occasions but stayed on track, with Bollman running eighth when he was collected by Will Kimmel spinning ahead of him, then tagged by Austin Vaughn.

"I wasn't trying to worry about the points tonight, but I think that almost kicked us a little bit, right?," said Bollman. "We should have been more patient, but I watned to really get that last win. I don't feel like I put myself in any bad situation, except for that lapped car deal."

Carson Brown, who won the 2025 CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series event at VIRginia International Raceway and currently leads the ASA STARS National Tour championship standings, won the Menards 150 with a last-lap pass of Gio Ruggiero.

It was Brown's fourth ARCA win of the season, coming in his first start on a 1.5-mile speedway with the series. The win helps set the tone for the New London, North Carolina native's jump to the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series with Richard Childress Racing in 2027.

“Very bittersweet to end it on a really high note with Pinnacle Racing Group,” said Brown, who was recently named the driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Richard Childress Racing next season. “Really pumped to get this Whelen Chevrolet in Victory Lane for the first time, and hopefully more to come.”

-Photo credit: Ted Malinowski/ARCA Racing