Benjamin Wins the Battle; Haley Wins the War

Justin Haley earned his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship with
a top-five run Friday at Dover International Speedway.
(Sean Gardner/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Justin Haley began his racing career at the age of nine in Quarter Midgets at Kokomo Quarter Midget Club during the summer of 2008. Now at the tender age of seventeen, Haley crossed the finish line in fourth in his No. 5 Off Axis Chevrolet in last evening’s ‘Dover 125’ at the Dover International Speedway. The finish was plenty good enough for him to capture the 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship.

“It’s been a long way coming,” Haley said. “I’m very fortunate and blessed. Now all the stress and all that is lifted.” Haley accomplished his first championship as the only series driver to have finished in the top-ten in all fourteen races this year.

Kyle Benjamin dominated the Dover 125 Friday en route to his third
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win of the season.
(Sarah Crabhill/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Race winner Kyle Benjamin did everything he could in his No. 40 Ranier Racing with MDM Chevrolet. The nineteen-year-old NASCAR Next  alum from Easley, South Carolina, led the most laps (eighty-four) and won for the third time this season. A late caution pushed the race to 126 laps, but Benjamin was able to pull away from the field on the green-white-checkered finish to secure the victory. Kyle finished as runner-up in the championship points.

“It’s really cool to get the win here,” Benjamin said. “This is one of the places you want to get the win. We got Bristol last year, which is (similar) to this track, so it’s really cool to also get Dover. This has been a really good season.”

Twenty-One-Year-Old female racer, Dominique Van Wieringen rounded out the podium in third with her third straight top-five finish.

Click Here for Complete Race Results

Haley, Benjamin and other top performers from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will be honored on Saturday, Dec. 10 in Charlotte for the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards celebration. The event will be held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame at the Charlotte Convention Center for the seventh consecutive year.

The race will be shown at 12:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 6 on NBCSN. 

       

Speechless doesn't describe the emotions I'm feeling right now, to be a NASCAR Champion is something special. Thanks to everyone, we did it🏆

— Justin Haley (@Justin_Haley_) September 30, 2016

RACE STATISTICS

Fastest Qualifier: Cancelled Due to Weather,

Time of Race: 1 hrs., 20 mins, 36 secs Average Speed: 93.797 mph Margin of Victory: Under Caution

Caution Flags: Laps 33-38 (Debris on the Backstretch - FP #14); 53-56 (#2 Turn 2 - FP #43); 62-64 (#55 Frontstretch + Break- FP#4); 87-89 (#7 Backstretch - FP #4); 103-107 (#2 Turn 2 - FP #21); 120-123 (#08 Turn 4 - No FP); 126 (#4 & #39 - Frontstretch). 7 for 26 laps.

Lap Leaders: Justin Haley 1-42, Kyle Benjamin 43-126.

Total Laps Led: Kyle Benjamin 84, Justin Haley 42. 1 changes involving 2 drivers.

Top 10 Driver Points:

1. Justin Haley 580
2. Kyle Benjamin 558
3. Tyler Dippel * 475
4. Hunter Baize * 463
5. Noah Gragson 454
6. Collin Cabre 447
7. Harrison Burton * 444
8. Spencer Davis * 440
9. Dominique Van Wieringen * 429
10. Ruben Garcia Jr. * 425

* designates rookie status

 

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