Just days after his 15th birthday, Tristan McKee stunned the field by winning his first-ever ARCA Menards Series race at Watkins Glen on Friday afternoon.
The rookie’s opportunity came after Brent Crews, who had led every lap until the closing stages, suffered an electrical failure following a late caution.
Driving for Spire Motorsports, McKee fended off Tyler Reif and Kris Wright, even bouncing off the wall during the final restart, to secure the victory.
15-YEAR-OLD TRISTAN MCKEE WINS IN HIS ARCA DEBUT AT WATKINS GLEN! 😳 pic.twitter.com/bkIgvrJSRj
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) August 8, 2025
NASCAR age rules mean McKee won’t be eligible for a full-time schedule until 2029, though a part-time Xfinity Series debut could come in 2028.
Only Todd Gilliland has claimed an ARCA win at a younger age.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.