Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Patience Pays Off For Staropoli
Late Pass At Irwindale Produces First NASCAR Win
Patrick Staropoli celebrates winning Saturday night's NASCAR K&N Pro Series West NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. (Victor Decolongon/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
Patrick Staropoli played the patient game in his first visit to Irwindale Speedway. The result was the rookie's first NASCAR victory.
The 24-year-old from Plantation, Fla., took the lead on a Lap 137 restart and drove to the win in the NAPA Auto Parts 150. It was just the sixth career start for the Harvard University graduate.
David Mayhew edged Greg Pursley for second, while Staropoli's Bill McAnally Racing teammate Brandon McReynolds came home fourth. Earlier in the day, McReynolds won his first Coors Light Pole Award as the series made its first trip to Irwindale since 2011. Dylan Lupton rounded out the top five.
Giles Thornton was sixth, followed by Brett Thompson, rookie Ryan Partridge, Taylor Cuzick and Carlos Vieira.
Pursley moved six points ahead of McReynolds and Lupton, eight in front of Giles Thornton and nine over Thompson.
The NAPA Auto Parts 150 will air on FOX Sports 1 on Friday, April 4 at noon.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will race next at Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway on Saturday, May 3.
Rhodes Seals The Deal At Greenville
#nascar #kneast
17-Year-Old Notches First Career Victory
Ben Rhodes celebrates his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win at Greenville Pickens Speedway on Saturday. The win came in just his 11th series start. (Getty Images for NASCAR) |
GREENVILLE, S.C. – From his perspective it was a week late, but Ben Rhodes got his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win.
After leading all but the final two laps in his last start on March 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the 17-year-old Louisville, Ky., native took no chances on Saturday night by leading the final 26 laps en route to a victory in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 on Saturday night at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
It was just the 11th start for the NASCAR Next driver. His previous best finish at the track was sixth, earned in September of last year. Rhodes’ best series career finish coming into the night was a pair of third-place efforts.
Ronnie Bassett Jr. crossed the line behind Rhodes for his first top-five-finish in six series outings. The 18-year-old rookie from Winston-Salem, N.C., withstood a late charge from Drive for Diversity driver Daniel Suarez to hold on to second place. He was followed by Cameron Hayley and Jesse Little in third and fourth respectively. Suarez fell back to fifth place, his third top-five finish of the season.
Fellow Drive for Diversity pilot Ryan Gifford finished sixth, followed by rookies Kaz Grala and Brodie Kostecki. Sergio Pena and Eddie MacDonald rounded out the top 10.
With the victory, Rhodes took over the lead in the championship standings by seven points over Suarez and nine better than Gray Gaulding, also a NASCAR Next driver.
NASCAR Next is an industry initiative that spotlights young, talented drivers, who could shape the future of the sport.
The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 will be telecast by FOX Sports 1 on Friday, March 28 at 11 a.m. ET.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East is back on the track on April 25 for Blue Ox 100 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
#NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Greenville Pickens Speedway
www.greenvillepickens.com
Race Day - Race 4 of 16 (2014 Season)
Track Facts
SHAPE: Semi-banked oval
SURFACE: Asphalt
LENGTH: Half Mile
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Greenville Pickens Speedway |
TRACK ADDRESS
3800 Calhoun Memorial Hwy
Greenville, SC, 29611
(864) 269-8057
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 6628
Greenville, SC, 29606
Greenville Data
Track Layout: .5-mile asphalt oval
Race Length: 150 laps (75 miles)
Banking/Corners: Five degrees
Greenville Qualifying/Race Data
2013 Pole Winner: Brett Moffitt
2013 Race Winner: Brandon Gdovic
1-Lap Qualifying Record: Brett Moffitt, Toyota, 20.534 seconds, 87.659 mph, April 2, 2011
150-Lap Race Record: Brandon Gdovic, Toyota, 1 hour, 2 minutes, 27 seconds, 72.058 mph, April 6, 2013
Greenville Leaders
Wins
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 2
Sean Caisse … 1
Austin Dillon … 1
Brandon Gdovic … 1
Brian Icker … 1
Corey LaJoie … 1
Joey Logano … 1
Dylan Kwasniewski … 1
Brett Moffitt … 1
Sergio Peña … 1
Poles
Brett Moffitt … 3
Dylan Kwasniewski … 1
Corey LaJoie … 1
Joey Logano … 1
Mike Olsen … 1
Peyton Sellers … 1
Cole Whitt … 1
Field set per rule book … 2
Laps Completed
Eddie MacDonald … 1,486
Brett Moffitt … 1,163
Ryan Gifford … 1,027
Laps Led
Brett Moffitt … 356
Darrell Wallace Jr. … 171
Brian Ickler … 167
#NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Irwindale Speedway
www.irwindalespeedway.com
Race 2 of 14 (2014 Season)
Track Facts
SHAPE: Semi-banked oval
SURFACE: Asphalt
LENGTH: Half Mile
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at Irwindale Speedway |
TRACK ADDRESS
500 Speedway Drive
Irwindale, CA, 91706
(626) 358-1100
MAILING ADDRESS
500 Speedway Drive
Irwindale, CA, 91706
Irwindale Data
Track Layout: .5-mile oval
Race Length: 150 laps (75 miles)
Banking/Corners: Progressive (6-12 degrees)
Irwindale Qualifying/Race Data
2013 Pole Winner: Event Not Held
2013 Race Winner: Event Not Held
1-Lap Qualifying Record:
Butch Gilliland, Ford, 17.871 seconds, 100.722 mph, June 19, 1999
150-Lap Race Record: Austin Cameron, Chevrolet, 1 hour, 0 minutes, 16 seconds, 75.664 mph, Oct. 23, 2004
Irwindale Leaders
Wins
Austin Cameron … 5
Jason Bowles … 3
Brendan Gaughan … 3
Poles
Jason Bowles … 3
Austin Cameron … 2
Mike Duncan … 2
Eric Holmes … 2
Scott Lynch … 2
Greg Pursley … 2
Sean Woodside … 2
Laps Completed
Johnny Borneman III … 3,060
Austin Cameron … 2,922
Brett Thompson … 2,808
Laps Led
Brendan Gaughan … 674
Jason Bowles … 406
Austin Cameron … 404
Friday, March 21, 2014
#NASCAR's Young Stars
Visit Hollywood Movie Studios
Drivers takes tours of studios
With the NASCAR national series in California this weekend, several young drivers took the opportunity to take in the sites that Hollywood has to offer, specifically movie studios tours.
Yup, it is that much fun being a NASCAR Rising Star!
You can follow these NASCAR Rising Stars via Twitter:
- @austindillon3 Austin Dillon
- @BubbaWallace Darrell Wallace Jr.
- @chaseelliott Chase Elliott
- @dylankracing Dylan Kwasniewski
- @kylelarsonracin Kyle Larson
- @RyanBlaney22 Ryan Blaney
- @tydillon Ty Dillon
K&N Pro Series East (#kneast) : Greenville Selected Driver Information (#nascar)
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Special Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Toyota)
- Has two top fives and four top 10s in 23 career series starts.
- Finished 18th and fifth, respectively, in two GPS starts last season.
- Has one top five in three Greenville starts with an average finish of 14.0.
- Opened season with an eighth-place finish at New Smyrna.
- Earned first career top-five finish in April 2013 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Nick Drake (No. 15 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
- Has one top five and one top 10 in three career K&N East starts.
- Attempting to make Greenville debut.
- Collected first series top-five finish (4th) on Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway.
David Garbo Jr. (No. 1 Big Machine Records/Garbo Lobster Toyota)
- Has one top-10 finish in three career series starts.
- Attempting to make K&N East GPS debut.
- Picked up first career top 10 with a seventh-place effort on March 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Gray Gaulding (No. 20 Krispy Kreme Chevrolet)
- Has a pole, four top fives and 11 top 10s in 17 series career starts.
- Registered 10th and third-place finishes last year at Greenville.
- Holds series point lead and is youngest driver (16 years, 1 month, 5 days) in series history to do so.
- Became the youngest pole winner in NKNPS East history (15 years, 2 months, 15 days) in April 2013 at Richmond.
- Became the youngest race winner in NKNPS West history (15 years, 8 months, 30 days) in November 2013 at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway.
- Became the youngest pole winner in
- NKNPS West history (15 years, 8 months, 16 days) in October 2013 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif.
- Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Ryan Gifford (No. 2 Toyota Racing Development Toyota)
- Has a win, a pole, 15 top fives and 20 top 10s in 57 career series starts.
- Scored 13th and 19th-place finishes last season at Greenville.
- Has one to five in seven GPS starts with an average finish of 12.1.
- Best Greenville finish of fourth came in 2010 track debut.
- Scored first series victory in April 2013 at Richmond.
- Has five series career top-five finishes and a pole (Martinsville (Va.) Speedway) on half-mile tracks.
- Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Kaz Grala (No. 31 OzLINK Chevrolet)
- Has two top 10s in three career series starts.
- Attempting to make K&N East GPS debut.
- Is 11th in the championship standings.
- Won Speed51/JEGS 2013 Rookie of the Year honors.
Cameron Hayley (No. 98 Cabinets By Hayley Chevrolet)
- Has one pole and one top five in four career K&N East starts.
- Has a win, six poles, 19 top fives and 26 top 10s in 34 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts.
- Attempting to make Greenville debut.
- Was championship runner-up to Derek Thorn last season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
- Was the youngest (15 years, 23 days) driver to start K&N West race in August 2011.
- Takes over Turner Scott Motorsports car that Dylan Kwasniewski drove to the K&N East championship in 2013.
- Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Austin Hill (No. 22 A&D Welding Ford)
- Has a win, three top fives and four top 10s in 10 career series starts.
- Finished 15th in the October 2012 Greenville event for his only start at the track.
- Ranks eighth in championship standings after three races.
- Earned first career win in September 2013 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
Brandon Jones (No. 33 Wolfpack Energy Services Chevrolet)
- Has one top-five finish and three top-10 finishes in 10 career series starts.
- Finished 14th in his only series GPS start in October 2012.
- Collected a series-best finish of third in Feb. 16 season opener at New Smyrna.
- Made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut last August at Bristol and followed with starts at Iowa and Martinsville.
Jesse Little (No. 97 NASCAR Technical Institute Chevrolet)
- Has six top fives and eight top 10s in 24 career NKNPS East races with a best finish of third on two occasions, most recently at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., in June 2013.
- Has one top five and two top 10s in three GPS starts.
- Best Greenville finish of third was October 2012; has average finish of 8.7 at the track.
- Was 2013 Sunoco Rookie of the Year for the K&N Pro Series East and finished ninth in championship standings.
- Made K&N Pro Series West, in which his father, Chad, was the 1987 champion, debut last November at Phoenix.
Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 Grimm Construction Chevrolet)
- Has seven wins, two poles, 32 top fives and 84 top 10s in 175 career series starts.
- Has four top fives and seven top 10s in 10 GPS starts to lead active drivers.
- Has an average finish of 9.2 at the South Carolina oval with a best finish of third in 2009.
- Snapped a 53-race winless streak with a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 15.
- Has finished in the top 10 in points for six consecutive K&N East seasons.
Brennan Newberry (No. 24 Qore24 Chevrolet)
- Has one top five and one top 10 in four career K&N East starts.
- Attempting to make Greenville debut.
- Has three poles, two top five and four top 10s in 12 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts.
- Also competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Sergio Peña (No. 5 Toyota Racing Development Toyota)
- Has three wins, seven top fives and 19 top 10s in 42 series career starts.
- Has a victory and three top 10s in five Greenville starts.
- Greenville win came in September 2011.
- Is in third season with Rev Racing and the Drive for Diversity initiative.
Lee Pulliam (No. 11 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota)
- Has two top fives in three K&N East career starts as a rookie.
- Attempting to make Greenville debut.
- Is a two-time and reigning NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion and joins Larry Phillips (5) and Philip Morris (4) as the only multi-time series title winners.
- Has 73 career NASCAR Whelen All-American Series wins over 157 starts dating back to 2009.
Ben Rhodes (No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet)
- Has two poles, four top fives and seven top 10s in 10 career K&N East starts.
- Finished sixth in September 2013 in his only Greenville start.
- Has won consecutive pole awards – Daytona and Bristol.
- Ranks third in the championship standings after three races.
- Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Kenzie Ruston (No. 96 Ben Kennedy Racing Chevrolet)
- Has four top fives and eight top 10s in 17 career series starts.
- Has a top-five and two top 10s in two GPS starts.
- Led four laps on Feb. 16 at New Smyrna and became the first female K&N East driver to lead a lap since Danica Patrick at Dover in September 2010.
- Best career finish of third, recorded in April 2013 at Greenville, is the best finish by a female driver in NKNPS East history.
- Finished sixth in the final K&N East standings last season which is the best in series history for a female driver.
- Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Daniel Suárez (No. 6 Toyota Racing Development Toyota)
- Has three wins, 10 top fives and 17 top 10s in 33 career NKNPS East starts.
- Finished seventh and second last year at GPS; runner-up finish in September was track-best effort.
- Has a top five and three top 10s in three Greenville starts.
- Is second in points; four points behind Gaulding.
- Opened season with two straight series wins to become the second driver in series history to win the first two events of the season with Sean Caisse (2006) being the other.
- Has six career NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series victories and 10 pole wins in 44 career starts.
- Is in second season with Rev Racing for the NKNPS East.
- Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
K&N Pro Series West (#knwest) Irwindale
Selected Driver Information #nascar
James Bickford (No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Ford)
- Finished 25th in his K&N West debut on Feb. 27 at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.
- Set to make Irwindale debut.
- Won 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model championship at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.
- Cousin of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon.
Taylor Cuzick (No. 42 Freightliner of Arizona Chevrolet)
- One top five, 12 top 10s in 26 career series starts.
- Finished 27th in only Irwindale start in 2011 after a crash ended his night early.
- Best career series finish of fourth came in 2012 at Albuquerque.
- Best 2013 finish was sixth at Albuquerque and Monroe.
- Average finish in 2013 of 13.7.
Carl Harr (No. 2 WestWorld Computers Chevrolet)
- One top five, 20 top 10s in 77 career series starts.
- Best career series finish of fifth came in August 2013 at Monroe.
- Average finish in 2013 of 15.5.
- One top 10 in three Irwindale starts.
- Best Irwindale finish of 10th in October 2004.
- Average finish at Irwindale of 15.7.
Daryl Harr (No. 71 iWorld Connect Chevrolet)
- Six top fives, 36 top 10s in 120 career series starts.
- Best career series finish of second, June 2013 at Lebanon.
- Average 2013 season finish this season of 12.7.
- One top-10 finish in seven starts at Irwindale.
- Best IEC finish of ninth in July 2005.
- Average finish at Irwindale of 18.7.
Dylan Lupton (No. 9 Vadio/Lupton Excavating/Sunrise Ford Ford)
- One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s in 19 career series starts.
- Was 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Sunoco Rookie of the Year.
- Picked up first series win in August 2013 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.
- Set to make Irwindale debut.
Thomas Martin (No. 5 Jack Sellers Racing Chevrolet)
- One top five, three top 10s in six career series starts
- Best career series finish of fourth, at Stockton in May 2013.
- Set for Irwindale debut.
David Mayhew (No. 17 MMI/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet)
- Four wins, eight poles, 34 top fives and 52 top 10s in 73 career series starts.
- Has also competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
- Won 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model title at Kern County Raceway Park.
- One top five and four top 10s in six IEC starts.
- Best Irwindale finish of fifth came in August 2008.
- Has led 126 laps at Irwindale.
- Average finish at IEC of 11.7; average starting position of 3.8.
Brandon McReynolds (No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
- One top five and three top 10s in three career K&N West starts, all at Phoenix.
- Competing fulltime in K&N West this season with Bill McAnally Racing.
- Three top fives and eight top 10s in 14 career K&N East starts.
- Set to make track debut in the NAPA 150.
Greg Pursley (No. 26 Gene Price Motorsports Chevrolet)
- 18 wins, 17 poles, 48 top fives, 63 top 10s in 86 career series starts.
- Won 2011 series championship.
- Led series with five wins a season ago; has 15 victories in last three seasons.
- Average 2013 finish 5.2.
- One win, two poles, three top fives, three top 10s in six IEC starts.
- Victory came in last series visit to Irwindale in July 2011.
- Has led 205 laps at Irwindale.
- Average finish at IEC of 16.2.
Patrick Staropoli (No. 99 PEAK Toyota)
- Has one top five and two top 10s in two career K&N West starts.
- Has two top 10s in three career K&N East starts.
- Attempting to make Irwindale debut.
- Summa cum laude graduate of Harvard University and is attending medical school at University of Miami (Fla.).
- Won development contract with Michael Waltrip Racing in inaugural PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge last year.
Brett Thompson (No. 61 RTTI/61 Logistics Chevrolet)
- One win, one pole, 23 top fives, 69 top 10s in 127 career series starts.
- Has made seven career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts.
- Five top fives, nine top 10s in 15 starts at Irwindale.
- Best IEC finish of third on three occasions, most recently in 2010.
- Average finish at Irwindale of 10.6.
Giles Thornton (No. 12 TTC Racing Toyota)
- Three top fives, six top 10s in 15 career series starts.
- Best career finish of fourth, on two occasions in 2013 – Colorado and Spokane.
- Average finish in 2013 of 13.1.
- Set to make Irwindale debut.
Luis Tyrrell (No. 74 Team Tyrrell Chevrolet)
- One top five, three top 10s in six career series starts.
- Best career series finish of fourth, at Stockton in May 2013.
- Set for Irwindale debut.
Carlos Vieira (No. 51 51 FIFTY Energy Drink Chevrolet)
- Has made 12 career K&N West starts.
- Best career series finish of 11th in 2011 at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah..
- Finished 19th in only series start at Irwindale in July 2011.
John Wood (No. 30 Holleran’s Performance Toyota)
- Has two top 10s in 37 career K&N West starts.
- Finished 24th in only Irwindale start in July 2011.
- Scored first series career top-10 finish (10th) in West portion of Iowa combination race in August 2013.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
K&N West Statistical Advance:
Irwindale (#nascar #knwest)
Analyzing The NAPA 150 At Irwindale Speedway
Brett Thompson is one of the few NASCAR K&N Pro Series West drivers with experience at Irwindale Speedway as the series hasn't competed at the track since July 2011. (Getty Images for NASCAR) |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West heads to Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway for the first time since July 2011 on Saturday, March 22 for the NAPA 150. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of the series and selected drivers at Irwindale, as well as some other statistical trends:
Irwindale Race Setup
- After being away from the track for a couple of seasons, Greg Pursley is the only driver in the field with an Irwindale victory.
- Just seven of the 26-entered drivers have more than one start at the Southern California oval led by Jack Sellers with 18. Brett Thompson is second with 15.
- Irwindale races have been won from the pole on seven occasions including four of the last five.
Irwindale Speedway
History
- Irwindale Speedway opened in May 1999 and has capacity for 6,500 spectators.
- The facility is located in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California and is just 25 minutes from downtown Los Angeles.
- There are multiple racing configurations available with half-mile and third-mile ovals along with an 1/8-mile drag strip.
- The half-mile track was home to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, a special non-points event for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, from 2003-11.
Notebook
- This is the series’ 22nd event at Irwindale and first since July 2011.
- The NAPA 150 will be telecast on a delayed basis by FOX Sports 1 on Sat., April 4 at noon ET.
- Eleven different drivers, led by Austin Cameron with five, have won at Irwindale.
- Thirteen different drivers, led by Jason Bowles with three, have won the pole position at the track.
- The most cautions for a K&N West points race at Irwindale is nine in the June 2000 event while the fewest is two (2002). The most caution laps for a race is 79 in August 1999 and the fewest is 16 in the 2011 race.
- The race lead has changed hands an average of 8.19 times with a high of 26 changes in inaugural June 1999 event.
- The average starting position for the winner is 5.2 while the pole sitter has an average finish of 5.33.
- The race has been won from the pole seven times including four of the last five.
- Chevrolet has gone to Victory Lane in Irwindale 15 times followed by Ford (5) and Dodge (1).
K&N Pro Series East Statistical Advance:
Greenville (#nascar #kneast)
Analyzing The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150
Sergio Peña has a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory at Greenville Pickens Speedway in his pocket from September 2011. (Getty Images for NASCAR) |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East heads to Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on Saturday, March 22 for the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150, the season’s fourth event. Below is a look at the performance of the series and selected drivers at Greenville, as well as, some other statistical trends:
Greenville Race Setup
- Sergio Peña is part of an impressive list of NASCAR K&N Pro Series East winners at Greenville that includes Austin Dillon, Dylan Kwasniewski, Joey Logano and Darrell Wallace Jr., who is the only multi-time series winner at the track.
- Eddie MacDonald, who broke a 53-race winless streak with a triumph on March 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, leads active drivers with 10 GPS starts and four top-five finishes.
- Track position is critical in short-track racing, and Greenville is no exception. The average starting position for the 11 race winners is 3.18.
Greenville Pickens Speedway
History
- Opened on July 4, 1946 as a dirt track. The race surface was converted to asphalt in April, 1970.
- Held 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races from 1951-71, including the first flag-to-flag televised event.
- David Pearson (1959) and Ralph Earnhardt (1965, 66) are among the famed drivers that have won championships at the track.
- Junior Miller won a pair of NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races at Greenville in the 2006-07 seasons.
Notebook
- This is the series’ 12th visit to the historic South Carolina track.
- The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East held its inaugural Greenville Pickens Speedway race on June 6, 2006 and has returned every year since. This is the fourth straight season that the track has held two events.
- The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 will be telecast on a delayed basis by FOX Sports 1 on Friday, March 28 at 11 a.m.
- Brandon Gdovic took the checkered flag in this event last year while eventual series champion Dylan Kwasniewski won the September event. Darrell Wallace Jr. is the only driver in the first 11 races at GPS to earn two victories.
- In the first 11 NKNPS East events there have been three drivers that have won from the pole: Joey Logano (2007), Moffitt (2011) and Kwasniewski (2013). Moffitt also set the track qualifying record in 2011.
- Logano, Austin Dillon (2008), Gdovic (2013) and Wallace (2010) earned their first career NKNPS East wins in events at Greenville.
- The most cautions for a K&N East race at Greenville is 13 on two occasions (2006, 2010) while the fewest is one in the September 2013 race. The most caution laps (79) came in the inaugural 2006 race while the fewest was eight in September 2013.
- In 11 races the lead has changed hands an average of 3.55 times with a high of eight changes in 2009.
- The average starting position for the winner is 3.18 while the pole sitter has an average finish of 6.45.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Better Late For MacDonald
GWC Pass Nets Bristol Win For Mass. Driver
Eddie MacDonald celebrates in Victory Lane Saturday following the PittLite 125 after he scored his seventh career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Getty Images for NASCAR) |
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Veteran Eddie MacDonald showed a little late-race mastery Saturday afternoon and brought home the winning trophy from Bristol Motor Speedway.
The 33-year-old driver from Rowley, Mass., took the lead on a green-white-checkered finish at the PittLite 125 and held off Gray Gaulding and Ben Rhodes to win the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at “The Last Great Colosseum."
It's MacDonald's first win since September of 2009 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway snapping a 53-race winless streak and the seventh of his career.
“We had a really great car today right from the drop of the green,” said the driver of the No. 71 Grimm Construction/National Multiple Sclerosis Society Chevrolet. “It was a little tight at the beginning, but at the end it was perfect. I started pushing a little bit with 15 or 20 (laps) to go and got up there which gave me the thought that on another restart we might be able to win this thing.”
Saturday, March 15, 2014
K&N East Statistical Advance: Bristol
#nascar #kneast
Analyzing The PittLite 125
In two starts at Bristol, Ryan Gifford has scored a pair of third-place finishes. (Getty Images for NASCAR) |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After a couple of weeks away from the track, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East heads to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 15 for the PittLite 125, the season’s third event. Below is a look at the performance of the series and selected drivers at Bristol, as well as, some other statistical trends:
Bristol Race Setup
- Daniel Suárez is looking for his third straight NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory after winning the first two races of the season in February. He became just the second driver in series history to win the first two races of the season joining Sean Caisse, who accomplished the feat in 2006. Suárez also has a streak of four straight NASCAR touring series wins by taking the checkered flag in his last two NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series starts.
- Ryan Gifford has a pair of third-place finishes in two starts at Bristol and is the only driver in the series with two top-five finishes.
- Twenty of the 40 drivers on the entry list will make their Bristol debut if they make the 36-car field for the PittLite 125.
Bristol Motor Speedway
History
- Bristol Motor Speedway opened in 1961 and hosted its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 30 of that year. Jack Smith picked up the win and led 243 of the 500 laps.
- To date, the track has hosted 106 Sprint Cup Series races, 63 NASCAR Nationwide Series races and 16 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events. Kyle Busch leads all drivers with 16 Bristol victories and Darrell Waltrip tops the charts with 12 Sprint Cup Series triumphs.
- The .533-mile concrete oval hosted its first NASCAR K&N Pro Series event in March 2012 with Nelson Piquet Jr. collecting the win.
Notebook
- This is the series’ third visit to the legendary Tennessee track.
- The PittLite 125 will be telecast on a delayed basis by FOX Sports 1 on Sat., March 22 at 11:30 a.m.
- For each of the two previous Bristol winners – Nelson Piquet Jr. (2012) and Dylan Kwasniewski (2013) – it was their first K&N East victory.
- The most cautions for a K&N East race at Bristol is eight (2013) while the fewest is six (2012). Consequently, the most caution laps were 37 in 2013 and fewest were 33 in 2012.
- In two races the lead has changed hands an average of 3.5 times with a high of five changes in 2012.
- The average starting position for the winner is 3.0 while the pole sitter has an average finish of 2.5.
- Bristol is one of four half-mile tracks on the series schedule joining 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway and New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
Gene Price Motorsports (#knwest)
Receives Certificate of Recognition
Parker area residents had a chance to sample the wares of a dozen local eating establishments at the second annual “Taste of Parker” event held March 6 at the Joshua Street Mall. The event was a fundraiser for the Colorado River Regional Crisis Services. CRRCS President Deniese Perez said approximately $4,000 was raised for the shelter.
Perez estimated the size of the crowd at 250 persons.
Of the 12 establishments represented, event patrons chose Lucky’s BBQ as having the best food, with a three-way tie for second place between Lily’s Mexican Food, Roadrunner and the River’s Edge Cantina.
Pizza Hut was voted as having the best team spirit, Fox’s had the best decorations and Tommy’s Paradise Bar & Grill was voted as having the best theme.
Other participating establishments included Papa Nick’s Pizza, Wal-Mart’s Deli, The Bar, Sandra’s Creations, Gifts & More and the Soroptimist Diva Bar.
At a special presentation held near the close of the event, Perez offered a special certificate of recognition to the main sponsor of the event, Gene Price of Gene Price Motorsports.
Other sponsors included River Septic, The Bar, and ChaBones of Lake Havasu City.
Perez said she also thanked the businesses of the Joshua Street Mall for letting the event impose on them for the evening.
The mission of the Board and Staff of the Colorado River Regional Crisis Shelter is empowering individuals and their families to live a life free from domestic violence, by providing protection, education and resources.
After just three full-time years in the K&N Pro Series West, Gene Price Motorsports won the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro West Series Championship with Greg Pursley. They accomplished a repeat performance in 2012 winning the NASCAR K&N Pro West Series Championship with Dylan Kwasniewski behind the wheel!
#NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Bristol Motor Speedway
www.bristolmotorspeedway.com
Wins
Dylan Kwasniewski … 1
Nelson Piquet Jr. … 1
Poles
Michael McGuire … 1
Nelson Piquet Jr. … 1
Laps Completed
Ben Kennedy … 252
Michael McGuire … 252
Ryan Gifford … 252
Bryan Ortiz … 252
Jimmy Weller … 252
Laps Led
Dylan Kwasniewski … 96
Nelson Piquet Jr. … 62
Chase Elliott … 40
Race Day - Race 3 of 16 (2014 Season)
Track Facts
SHAPE: High-banked oval
SURFACE: Concrete
LENGTH: .533 Miles
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East - Bristol Motor Speedway |
TRACK ADDRESS
151 Speedway Blvd
Bristol, TN, 37620
(423) 989-6900
MAILING ADDRESS
PO Box 3966
Bristol, TN, 37625
Bristol Leaders
Wins
Dylan Kwasniewski … 1
Nelson Piquet Jr. … 1
Poles
Michael McGuire … 1
Nelson Piquet Jr. … 1
Laps Completed
Ben Kennedy … 252
Michael McGuire … 252
Ryan Gifford … 252
Bryan Ortiz … 252
Jimmy Weller … 252
Laps Led
Dylan Kwasniewski … 96
Nelson Piquet Jr. … 62
Chase Elliott … 40
Friday, March 14, 2014
The New Goodyear Blimp To Be Named By Contest Winner
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today unveiled an all-new, state-of-the-art version of its world-famous icon, the Goodyear Blimp. The new airship is larger, faster, and more maneuverable and builds on the company’s legacy as the world’s leading builder and operator of airships.
At 246 feet long, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company's newest blimp is 54 feet longer than its predecessor. |
The new blimp was introduced to media, Goodyear associates and dealers at an event held at Goodyear’s Wingfoot Lake hangar in Suffield, Ohio. The blimp is scheduled to begin test flights over Northeast Ohio later this month before going into service in the summer.
“The completion of the new blimp marks the beginning of a new era for our airship program and reflects Goodyear’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of aerial broadcast coverage and support,” said Paul Fitzhenry, senior vice president, global communications. “This airship will offer enhanced aerial television coverage capabilities, increased flight range to cover more events and an unparalleled passenger experience.”
This airship is the first of a new generation of Goodyear blimps that will be different in construction, appearance, and operation than the current fleet of blimps. The new helium-filled airship is 246 feet long, more than 50 feet longer than the previous blimps and just 18 yards shorter than an American football field. The blimp features a new paint scheme while retaining Goodyear’s logo and traditional blue and yellow branding on a silver envelope.
NAME THE BLIMP CONTEST
In conjunction with the unveiling, Goodyear announced the launch of a nationwide contest to name the new blimp.
Every Goodyear blimp needs a name and, once again, the company is inviting the public to participate in a Goodyear “Name the Blimp” contest. Entrants over 18 years of age in the United States and Washington, DC can submit a name for the new blimp by visiting:
One name will be chosen from the entries and the contest winner will join the Goodyear Blimp for a day of airship activities. In addition, nine runner-up winners will receive a set of Goodyear tires. The contest opens on Friday, March 14 at 9 a.m. EST and will close on Friday, April 4.
The K&N Pro Series East PittLite 125
FAST FACTS (#nascar #knwest)
The Race: The PittLite 125 is the third event of the season for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. It’s the third of 14 oval track events and 16 races, overall, on the 2014 schedule. This is the series’ third visit to iconic high-banked Tennessee oval.
The Procedure: The starting field is 36 cars, including provisionals. The first 32 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials while the remaining four starting spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 125 laps covering 66.625 miles with a break at or near the conclusion of Lap 70.
The Track: Bristol Motor Speedway opened in 1961 and hosted its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 30, 1961 won by Jack Smith. The .533-mile concrete oval has 600-foot staightaways with five to nine degrees of banking on the frontstretch and four to eight degrees on the backstretch. The turns are progressively banked from 24 to 28 degrees. The racing surface is 40 feet wide.
The Records: The one-lap qualifying record for the series at Bristol of 15.898 seconds (120.694 mph) is held by Michael McGuire and established on March 16, 2013. The 125-lap race record of 1 hour, 2 minutes, 6 seconds (65.402 mph) was set on March 17, 2012 by Nelson Piquet Jr. in a race that was extended to 127 laps.
Dylan Kwasniewski won the DRIVE4COPD 125 at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2013. |
BRISTOL RACE NOTES
A First For Triumphant Gladiator: The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East field rolls into “The Last Great Colosseum” with each driver hoping to add a Bristol victory to their résumé. The victor will be a first-time winner at the Tennessee track with the two previous series winners – Nelson Piquet Jr. (2012) and Dylan Kwasniewski (2013) not in the field. Eight drivers on the entry list, led by Eddie MacDonald with six, have K&N East wins to their credit while two others have K&N West victories on their list of racing accomplishments.
Elite List: With a K&N Pro Series West win on Feb. 27 at Phoenix International Raceway, Cole Custer becomes the ninth driver to win points races in both East and West series. The other eight are Chuck Bown, Ricky Craven, Brian Ickler, Kwasniewski, Joey Logano, Andrew Ranger, Ken Schrader and Peyton Sellers. Custer is seeking his third career K&N East win in the PittLite 125.
So Far; So Good: The transition from NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models to K&N Pro Series East cars has been fairly seamless for two-time and reigning weekly series national champion Lee Pulliam. The Semora, N.C., driver has posted top-five finishes in each of his first two K&N East outings. Pulliam, last year, joined the late Larry Phillips (5) and Philip Morris (4) as the only multi-time national champions in the 32-year history of the grassroots series.
Big Machine Garbo: Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender David Garbo Jr. added country music powerhouse Big Machine Records as the primary sponsor on his No. 1 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota. The label’s CEO and founder Scott Borchetta is a former racing competitor and champion at Nashville’s Tennessee State Fairgrounds Speedway.
Welcome Aboard: United Mining Equipment, a global supplier of industrial and mining lights, is a new partner for Bristol Motor Speedway and sponsor of the PittLite 125.
“We are pleased to be associated with Bristol Motor Speedway and the K&N Series race,” said Don Simms, UME president and CEO. “We look forward to building this new relationship. We are excited about the PittLite 125 and have some special promotions planned for that weekend as well.”
Drivers for 2014 Pro/Celebrity Race (#nascar)
Olympic Champion Carmelita Jeter, Academy Award Winner Adrien Brody and Turbocharged Personalities Including Phil Keoghan and Corbin Bleu Get Behind the Wheel for Charity
LONG BEACH, CA--(Marketwired - Mar 6, 2014) - Grand Prix Association of Long Beach officials announced today the 20 participants from film, television, music and sports who will compete in the 2014 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity Race. The 38th annual charity race will take place April 12 on the 1.97-mile street course in downtown Long Beach, Calif., as part of the 40th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend.
The field of racers will take to the streets in 210-horsepower Scion FR-S race-prepped cars navigating high speeds and demanding turns to benefit "Racing for Kids," a national fundraising program supporting children's hospitals throughout the United States. The announced field of intensely competitive individuals includes:
Sam Witwer (Aidan Waite from "Being Human") is just one of the fifteen celebrity drivers for the 2014 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity Race. |
•Eric Braeden (@EBraeden): Emmy award-winning daytime superstar most recognized as Victor Newman on the popular soap opera "The Young and the Restless."
•Adrien Brody: Academy award-winning actor for his role in "Pianist." Most recently seen in "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and Academy Award-winning "Midnight in Paris."
•Corbin Bleu (@CorbinBleu): Actor, model, dancer, producer and singer-songwriter who performed in the "High School Musical" film series and was the first runner-up in the 2013 Fall season of "Dancing with the Stars."
•Brett Davern (@BDavv): Actor who stars as Jake Rosati in MTV's hit series "Awkward." Other credits include the films "Movie 43" and "Born to Race: Fast Track."
•Colin Egglesfield (@CEgglesfield): Actor best known for his roles on "Rizzoli & Isles," "The Client List," and "Melrose Place," plus films such as "Open Road," and "Something Borrowed."
•Carmelita Jeter (@CarmelitaJeter): American sprinter and three-time Olympic Gold medalist, often dubbed "the fastest woman in the world."
•Cole Hauser (@ColeHauser): Television and film actor who stars with Johnny Depp in the soon to be released "Transcendence." "Olympus Has Fallen" and "A Good Day to Die Hard," are among his other action film credits.
•Tricia Helfer (@TrutriciaHelfer): Actress recently seen in the television show "Killer Women," she also starred in "Battlestar Galactica" and "Burn Notice."
•Phil Keoghan (@PhilKeoghan): Emmy award-winning New Zealand-born television personality best known for his role as host of the popular series "Amazing Race."
•Vanessa Marcil (@VanessaMarcilM): Actress best known for her roles in "General Hospital," "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Las Vegas."
•Brian McKnight (@ItsBMcKnight): Multiple Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, producer and R&B musician.
•Lisa Stanley (@LisaKearth): Entertainment reporter on K-EARTH 101 FM morning show with Gary Bryan. Also featured on TV's "Hard Copy" and radio's "Rick Dees Show."
•Max Thieriot (@MaxThieriot): Actor who currently stars as Dylan Massett on "Bates Motel." Other credits include the film "House at the End of the Street" and "Catch That Kid."
•Nick Wechsler (@Nick_Wechsler): Actor seen currently on ABC's "Revenge" as Jack Porter. He also starred in "Roswell" and had recurring roles on "Without a Trace" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
•Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer): Portrays vampire Aidan Waite on the North American remake of "Being Human." He was also seen on "Battlestar Galactica" and "Smallville."
Pro drivers competing against the stars include former NASCAR racer and FOX personality Kyle Petty, the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, two-time CART Series Champion and overall winner of the 1985 and 2009 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race Al Unser Jr. and Rutledge Wood, 2013 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race celebrity winner, auto racing analyst on Fox Sports 1 and co-host of "Top Gear USA."
"This is an exciting and competitive group of stars, athletes, musicians and pro drivers that will put on a great show," said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association. "It's fitting that we will have such a great field for the Pro/Celebrity Race during our 40th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. And thanks to Toyota, the Pro/Celebrity Race gives back to kids in our communities through donations to Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach and Children's Hospital of Orange County."
Rounding out the field are charity auction winner Doug Fregin, co-founder and former vice president of operations for Research in Motion (RIM) and Dr. William Pinsky, founder and president of "Racing for Kids."
Since 1991, Toyota has donated more than $2 million to the "Racing for Kids" organization on behalf of this race and its participants.
Fans can follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB, Twitter @ToyotaGPLB (#TGPLB40) and Instagram at ToyotaGPLB.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
PittLite 125
#KNEAST Race Schedule
RACE: | PittLite 125 |
---|---|
PLACE: | Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway |
DATE: | Saturday, March 15 |
TIME: | 4:45 p.m. ET |
TV SCHEDULE: | FOX Sports 1, Saturday, March 22, 11:30 a.m. ET |
TRACK LAYOUT: | .533-mile concrete oval |
2013 WINNER: | Dylan Kwasniewski |
2013 POLE SITTER: | Michael McGuire |
EVENT SCHEDULE: | Thursday, March 13: Practice Noon-1:15 p.m. ET, 1:45-3 p.m. Two-lap Qualifying 5 p.m. Saturday, March 15: Autograph Session 11:30 a.m. |
TRACK CONTACT: | Lynsey Wilson, 423-989-6991 or lwilson@bristolmotorspeedway.com |
TWITTER: | @BMSupdates |
EVENT TWITTER HASHTAG: | #PittLite125 |
NASCAR IMC CONTACT: | Shon Sbarra, (704) 309-5493 or ssbarra@nascar.com, @ShonSbarra |
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Suárez In Front Early
#NASCAR #KNEAST
Racing is a momentum sport and no one has more of that right now than Daniel Suárez.
Daniel Suárez opened the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season with a pair of victories. (Getty Images for NASCAR) |
The Drive for Diversity product out of Monterrey, Mexico, opened the 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season just as he ended the 2013 edition – at the front of the field.
Over the final eight K&N East events of last season, the NASCAR Next driver scored six top-three finishes including his first series victory on July 13 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. His average finish over the span was 4.5. Take away an 18th-place showing at Virginia International Raceway, where he succumbed to engine problems while leading the race, and the number drops to 2.57. Factor in the two wins to start this season and the number moves to an average finish of 3.8 over his last 10 series starts. The average result for his 10 outings prior to that was 13.7.
“It comes down to communication,” said Suárez. “With English being my second language, I’m sure that’s part of it, but I think it’s more than that. My crew chief Skip Eyler and I are really on the same page. The crew has worked really hard to get the car just right. I’m just really happy to be in this position right now and will work hard to make it continue.”
The K&N East streak is just part of the story for Suárez, who has a string of four consecutive NASCAR touring series triumphs with wins in his last two NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series races dating back to last year’s season finale.
“Both series are important to me,” Suárez said. “Winning at home is always special and winning in the K&N East is great because it is so hard to do. There are probably 16 or so cars that can win at every race (in the K&N Pro Series East).”
In two starts, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway – the site of the PittLite 125 on Saturday, March 15 – hasn’t been very kind to the 22-year-old. He finished 15th in his track debut in 2012 and 26th last season.
“It’s not a place where I’ve done very well, but I definitely love racing there,” he said. “We’re definitely looking forward to it and hope to change our luck there.”
With an early 18-point advantage over Lee Pulliam in the championship standings, Suárez is attempting to bring Rev Racing its second series crown in three seasons. Current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Kyle Larson drove to the K&N East title in 2012.
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