The ARCA Menards Series West race caps a year of milestones, challenges, and consistent growth on and off the track for one of motorsports’ most closely watched talents.
Dystany Spurlock will close out her groundbreaking 2026 stock car racing campaign Saturday, Oct. 17, when she heads to Phoenix Raceway for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100, the next-to-last race of the ARCA Menards Series West season.
Spurlock welcomes Charles Schwab Bank as the primary sponsor for the event, which is part of a packed NASCAR weekend at the raceway featuring all three national series over three days. The ARCA West race is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST / 11 p.m. ET Saturday, immediately following the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Timberland PRO 200.
Driving the No. 66 Toyota for MBM Motorsports and Garage 66 with support from Charles Schwab Bank, Spurlock looks to showcase the progress she’s made throughout her history-making transition from motorcycle drag racing to high-level stock car competition.
“I feel like we’ve come a long way from where we started this season,” she says. “I’ve learned so much this year, both on and off the track, and Phoenix will be an incredible opportunity to apply those lessons and carry some momentum into 2027.”
A Season of Growth Spurlock’s 2026 season has included a number of milestones, beginning with her becoming the first Black woman to compete on ARCA’s regional and national platforms.
Backed by longtime sponsor Foxxtecca, she finished seventh in her ARCA East series debut at Hickory Motor Speedway in March. Spurlock then made a splash on ARCA’s national stage with a top-10 result at Kansas Speedway, despite getting bumped in the closing laps. While the contact sent her car sideways, she quickly recovered, earning widespread praise for her control and composure and receiving the Reese’s Sweet Move of the Race.
Spurlock made history again when she became the first Black woman to qualify and race in a NASCAR national touring series event, competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series ECOSAVE 200 at Dover Motor Speedway in May. While her day at Dover ended earlier than expected, she gained valuable experience that she carried into her second Truck series start of the season, this time with Team Reaume at Richmond Raceway in August.
“I think one of the biggest takeaways from this season is that you have to be able to learn from every experience, whether it goes the way you want it to or not,” Spurlock says. “Each race has given me something I can take into the next one, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a driver
because of that.” While highs and lows are part of any rookie season, some of Spurlock’s most important lessons came when she faced the greatest adversity.
“Racing is all about confronting and overcoming challenges,” she says. “You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you respond. This season has taught me to take setbacks in stride, trust myself and my team, and keep pushing forward.”
All Eyes on Phoenix Spurlock now heads to Phoenix looking to cap an unforgettable year with another strong performance. The one-mile “D-oval” with its asymmetrical layout, signature dogleg and variable banking will challenge Spurlock and the MBM team to balance speed and handling over 100 demanding laps.
The track surface itself will also be a factor; it’s been known to evolve and open multiple grooves as the race develops and tire rubber accumulates.
Fortunately, Spurlock’s debut season has prepared her for that kind of challenge. From the 1⁄3-mile confines of Hickory to the tricky 2.5-mile tri-oval of Pocono Raceway and the technical road course at Watkins Glen, she’s logged laps and experience at a wide variety of circuits.
Her ability to process information and feedback quickly will be especially valuable at Phoenix, where changing track conditions can require drivers and teams to adapt throughout the race.
Spurlock will also have the support of Charles Schwab Bank, whose investing philosophy, “Ignore the Noise,” encourages investors to stay disciplined and focused on their long-term strategy. That philosophy aligns with Spurlock’s approach to racing and her ability to remain focused on her goals despite the distractions and challenges that come with competing at the highest levels.
In recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Spurlock’s car will feature a special wrap for the Phoenix race. The design will honor those affected by breast cancer while helping to highlight the importance of awareness and early detection.
The Phoenix race will also allow Spurlock to connect with fans and the wider racing community before putting a stamp on this chapter of her journey. That connection has been a pivotal part of her season and is chronicled in the Foxxtecca-produced docuseries Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR, which takes viewers behind the scenes of Spurlock’s groundbreaking 2026 campaign.
“Dystany’s journey is exactly why Foxxtecca exists,” says Chris Harris, co-founder of Foxxtecca. “We’re proud to support her as she continues to break down barriers and show what can happen when people have a chance to pursue something they believe in. We hope her story inspires others and helps create an easier path for those coming behind her.”
The Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 is scheduled for 8 p.m. PT Saturday, Oct. 17, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz. The race will stream live on FloRacing, with radio coverage provided by MRN/SiriusXM Radio.
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