Up-and-Coming Driver Q&A: ARCA SanchezChampMoves to Trucks

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

Nick Sanchez, the 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion, has graduated to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series where the 21-year-old racer from Miami is driving the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet for Rev Racing, NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity team.

The team has an alliance with Kyle Busch Motorsports, and Sanchez is working with veteran crew chief Danny Stockman, which will accelerate his learning process.

In addition to his ARCA success a year ago, Sanchez made eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, running for B.J. McLeod Motorsports and Big Machine Racing. With four top-15 finishes in those eight races, including a top-10 result at Martinsville, Sanchez showed car owners he deserved an opportunity.

However, Sanchez elected to move up with his championship-winning ARCA team. It shows a sense of loyalty, as well as a determination to win with the organization that gave him his big break.Here’s how Sanchez responded to our questions:

AFTER DOING SO WELL IN THE ARCA MENARDS SERIES, WHAT HAS YOUR JOURNEY BEEN LIKE?

It’s definitely been sped up. The journey from ARCA to Xfinity last year with Big Machine wasn’t a wakeup call, but I was constantly learning. It was such a big learning curve, even with the same car. That was the greatest period of growth in my career thus far. It really prepared me for this and it enhanced the experience I’ll have this year.

THROUGH THE ALLIANCE WITH KBM YOU’LL HAVE ACCESS TO KYLE BUSCH. ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO PICKING HIS BRAIN?

Of course. Even though I drive for Rev Racing, it’s viewed in their eyes as a KBM truck. I can use Kyle Busch’s brain to help me drive faster. To have him to lean on, you don’t need to go anywhere else for information or for questions. The drivers who have come out of the KBM stable, you look at where they are now and they’re competing against him on Sundays. Whatever he preaches to them works, and I want to get all of the knowledge that I can get out of him. I want to learn and grow as a driver.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS YEAR?

To me, it’s very simple. It doesn’t matter what type of track, I want to be in contention to win practice, qualifying and the race. I don’t want to start a weekend off on a bad foot. I want to be competing against myself up front. I have the best opportunity in front of me to focus on my craft and get better as a driver. I don’t have to worry about anything else or any other driver.

I just need to focus on myself. I’m going to race myself out there. I know it’s possible, and I need to just execute it. With that being said, at the end of the year, that will hopefully lead me to a championship. The end goal is a championship this year. Every single race I’m in, I want to win.

WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE BIGGEST THREAT IN TERMS OF YOUR COMPETITION?

There has been so much change in the Truck Series. A lot of the top teams changed manufacturers, so that plays into my favor. It’s a tough question. In the past, KBM trucks competed against KBM trucks. The No. 38 team is pretty quick.

It’s kind of an unknown. I haven’t really raced against anyone in the series before, but I think I have a good baseline in the Xfinity Series with the toughest competition that I’ve felt. I don’t want to say I’m not worried about it, but I’m not worried about it. The biggest competition will be myself. I can’t beat myself up or make stupid decisions. That’s what I’m trying to preach to myself.