Bret Holmes beats the field at Kansas Speedway for his first career ARCA Series victory

Friday’s ARCA Menards Series Dawn 150 featured two planned competition stops, where race teams were given five minutes to make adjustments to their cars. For the first time, Auburn University senior Bret Holmes had all the answers.

Holmes built a massive 12-second lead on the field and cruised to his first career ARCA Series victory on Friday night at Kansas Speedway in his 69th career start.

Holmes has enjoyed a handful of top-10 finishes this season on a series that can be a starting point for young drivers on well-funded NASCAR teams.

Holmes’ family-run team has been waiting for this moment a long time, and the exhaustion and emotion was evident.

“Man, we’ve been working so hard for this. I’ve been working my whole life for this. My team did this for me. It’s been a long, tough road,” Holmes said. “It was well worth it. I’m just so happy. I’m at a loss for words.”

Ryan Repko finished second in his second-ever start on a 1.5-mile track. Pole-sitter Riley Herbst was third, and Corey Heim was fourth.

“(Holmes) has been running this series a long time, and it’s good to see him get a win,” Repko said.

Holmes will graduate from Auburn in December. He’ll try to pick up another win before then.

“It’s tough being the underdog, beating these big guys. I’m tired as (heck). I drove my (butt) off,” Holmes said.

Overland Park’s Russ Lane, 21, was involved in a scary incident early in the race. He lost control of his car on the back straightaway, and slammed hard into the inside wall. He completed 12 laps in his second career ARCA start.