Thorn Sets Pace Heading Into Second Half Of Season

Derek Thorn leads the championship standings by 12 points as the NASCAR
K&N Pro Series heads to Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. Getty Images for NASCAR

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West has passed the midway point of its season as it visits the Pacific Northwest this week for the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Toyota at Evergreen Speedway.

The event marks a traditional series stop at the historic track that is part of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Wash. The venue has a long heritage that includes the label, “The Super Speedway of the West.”

/files/napa_150_logo_monroe_0.jpgDerek Thorn leads the championship standings by 12 points as the series heads into the final seven events of the 15-race schedule. The Lakeport, Calif., driver registered eight consecutive top-five finishes – including three wins – through the first eight races. Thorn, who pilots the No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Ford for car owner Bob Bruncati, came away with a third-place finish last year in his first visit to Monroe.

Michael Self, also with three wins this year, trails Thorn in the standings – 346 to 334. The driver of the No. 21 RCR/Golden Gate Meat Co. Chevrolet from Park City, Utah, will be looking to add to his runner-up Monroe finish from a year ago.

Fifteen points back of the leader is Cameron Hayley, who opened the season by winning the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach non-points event at Daytona International Speedway and has been in contention for his first career series points win at multiple events through the first half of the season. The 17-year-old from Calgary, Alberta drives the No. 24 Cabinets By Hayley Ford for championship car owner Gene Price. Hayley finished 19th last year in his first visit to Monroe.

Hayley’s teammate at Gene Price Motorsports, Greg Pursley, is 36 points out of first place in the standings. Pursley, the 2011 series champion, finished sixth at Monroe last year in the No. 26 GPM/Star Nursery/Real Water Ford.

This year’s leading Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Dylan Lupton, is 56 markers back of first in the overall standings. The Wilton, Calif., driver – who wheels the No. 9 Vadio/Lupton Excavating/Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil Ford – is a teammate to Thorn in the Bruncati camp.

The balance of the top 10 drivers in the standings feature Carl Harr of Edmonton, Alberta in the No. 2 WestWorld Computers Chevrolet; Taylor Cuzick of Tolleson, Ariz., in the No. 42 Freightliner of Arizona Chevrolet: Daryl Harr of Edmonton, Alberta in the No. 71 iWorld Connect Chevrolet; Dylan Hutchison of Fair Oaks, Calif., in the No. 5 Karl Kustom/Bay Bio Diesel Chevrolet; and 15-year-old series rookie Giles Thornton of Whitefish, Mont., in the No. 12 TTC Racing Chevrolet.

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