Thomas Annunziata is the 2026 ARCA Menards Series champion after surviving a chaotic season finale Friday night at Kansas Speedway. The Nitro Motorsports driver overcame a 16 point deficit to teammate Jake Bollman entering the Menards 150, securing the championship with a fifth-place finish.
Annunziata’s title-clinching night came with plenty of drama, as the two championship contenders found themselves involved in multiple incidents. While Carson Brown captured the race victory, Annunziata did enough to take home the biggest prize of the season.
Championship Battle Takes a Dramatic Turn
Bollman entered the season finale in control of the championship standings, holding a 16-point advantage over Annunziata. A finish of 10th or better would have guaranteed Bollman the title, regardless of where his teammate finished.
However, the championship battle quickly took a turn.
On lap 16, Bollman made contact with Annunziata, sending both drivers spinning. Both were able to continue, but the tension between the teammates continued when they made contact again shortly after a restart.
Bollman’s night went from bad to worse later in the race. When Will Kimmel spun in front of him, Bollman had nowhere to go and was collected in the incident. The damage left him unable to contend for the championship, and he ultimately finished 21st, 42 laps down.
Annunziata Gets the Job Done
While the chaos unfolded around him, Annunziata kept his No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota in contention and brought it home in fifth place.
That finish was enough to erase Bollman’s points advantage and secure the 2026 ARCA Menards Series championship. Annunziata’s victory at Lime Rock Park earlier in the season also gave him the tiebreaker, though the final results at Kansas made that unnecessary.
The championship caps a consistent season for Annunziata, who entered the finale with one win, 10 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s. His Lime Rock victory in July was his second consecutive win at the road course.
A Memorable End to the Season
Although Annunziata did not win Friday night’s race, he leaves Kansas as the 2026 ARCA Menards Series champion. Brown took the checkered flag after a last-lap battle with Giovanni Ruggiero, while Annunziata’s fifth-place result proved enough to claim the title.
For Nitro Motorsports, the championship concludes a season-long fight between two of its own drivers. Bollman had led the standings for much of the year, but Annunziata delivered when the championship was on the line.
After entering Kansas needing to overcome a 16-point gap, Annunziata leaves with the championship trophy and a defining moment in his racing career.
Thomas Annunziata is the 2026 ARCA Menards Series champion.