- The NAPA Auto Parts BlueDEF 150 is the sixth of 12 races for the ARCA Menards Series West in 2023, and the second of the season at Irwindale Speedway. The first, in April, was won by Bounty Rookie Challenge contender Sean Hingorani.
- The NAPA Auto Parts BlueDEF 150 is set for 150 laps straight through, with no scheduled cautions and no breaks. Teams will not be required to make a pit stop, and the only tire changes permitted will be for emergency tire changes only.
- There have been 33 previous ARCA Menards Series West races at Irwindale Speedway dating back to the track’s inaugural season in 1999.
- Steve Portenga earned his first career West win in the inaugural race at Irwindale Speedway in June, 1999, his first of two victories at the half-mile banked oval. Other winners include Austin Cameron (5), Bobby Dotter (2), Joe Bean, Brendan Gaughan (3), Scott Lynch, Andrew Myers, Brian Ickler, Jason Bowles (3), Auggie Vidovich, Greg Pursley, Patrick Staropoli, Chris Eggelston, Todd Gilliland (3), Trevor Huddleston, Jesse Love (3), Tanner Reif, Jake Drew, and Sean Hingorani.
- Other first-time winners at Irwindale Speedway include Auggie Vidovich, Patrick Staropoli, Trevor Huddleston, Tanner Reif, and Sean Hingorani.
- Portenga set the track qualifying record at the inaugural race in June, 1999 with a lap of 17.871 seconds/100.722 miles per hour.
- Brendan Gaughan holds the Irwindale Speedway race record at 88.045 miles per hour in a 250-lap race inJuly, 2001.
- Landen Lewis, who won at Portland International Raceway, enters Irwindale with a 12-point lead in the West series championship standings over two-time winner Sean Hingorani in second. Bradley Erickson is third, surpassing Phoenix winner Tyler Reif in the last round at Sonoma Raceway. Trevor Huddleston rounds out the top five, 38 points out of the lead.
- Lewis leads the West series with a 5.20 average finish, which includes a 19th-place finish at Sonoma. His other finishes are a trio of runner-up finishes at Phoenix, Irwindale, and Kern County, and a win at Portland. Bradley Erickson has the second-best average finish at 5.80.
- Two drivers are entered and attempting to make their ARCA Menards Series West debut, Madera, California native Robbie Kennealy and Chino Hills native Jalen Mack.
- Ten drivers have led at least one lap in West competition so far in 2023, with Landen Lewis leading the most so far with 162 laps at the front of the field. Sean Hingorani has led the second-highest total so far with 100 laps led.
- Should the race need to be extended into overtime, there will be unlimited attempts at a two-lap “green-white-checkered” finish. Should the caution flag be displayed after the white flag is displayed, there will be unlimited attempts at a one-lap “green and white together” finish.
-ARCA-
