What would you like to ask Dale Jr.?

There is a lot of controversy involving NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. at this time.

Earnhardt was not given medical clearance to participate in this past Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway or this week's race at Kansas after suffering multiple concussions over the past six weeks. His streak of 461 straight races came to an end.

Earnhardt first suffered a concussion in test at Kansas Speedway (August 29) in which the impact registered 40 G-forces. He then suffered symptoms of another headache after an October 7 crash (thanks Smoke) on the last lap at Talladega Superspeedway.

Earnhardt visited Dr. Petty following the Talladega crash. After several tests, Dr. Petty opted to sit NASCAR's most popular driver for at least two races.

It does not matter; Dale Jr. is still one of my favorite all-time drivers! His hiatus is a blow to the chase. As most of my readers know, I have been working on the “Dew Crew.”

 NASCAR Race Mom has just learned that she has been honored to have been invited to participate in an exclusive digital press conference with the king of the Dew Crew himself, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NRM needs to come up with three questions to contribute to the press conference. Leave a comment on this post and tell me what would you like to ask Dale Jr.?

Kwasniewski Toughs Out Roseville Win

ROSEVILLE, Calif. – Dylan Kwasniewski got what he needed.

Dylan Kwasniewski earned a huge NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory on Saturday in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.Jason Watson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Crucial Victory Gives Teen K&N West Points Lead

By Shon Sbarra, NASCAR
October 14, 2012 - 1:22am

The 17-year-old from Las Vegas rebounded from an early flat tire to win the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West action on Saturday night at All American Speedway and regain the lead in the championship standings, with just one race left on the schedule.

After starting on the pole for the fifth time this season, Kwasniewski fell back through the 24-car field in the early going with the tire problem. After a quick pit stop to change the flat, he began to scratch and claw his way to the front of the field. Kwasniewski made a Lap 119 pass on Eric Holmes and led the rest of the way for his third victory of the season and the fifth of his career.

POS	DRIVER
1	Dylan Kwasniewski
2	Eric Holmes
3	David Mayhew
4	Derek Thorn
5	Cameron Hayley

In Victory Lane after the race, Kwasniewski talked about his early misfortune and battling back for the win.

“We didn’t even lead a lap; then we got a flat tire,” he said. “Right after I got in and we changed that flat, I got taken out and went to the back again.”

Despite the tight battling that went on around the third-mile Roseville oval, Kwasniewski was able to work his way back to the front.

“We just had an awesome car,” he said of the No. 03 Royal Purple/Rockstar Ford. “That was by far the best race I’ve had all year. It was so good to finish in the front. There’s no better feeling.

“I’m in the lead by one or two points,” Kwasniewski said of the championship standings. “This was by far the best race. We not only gained the points lead, but we won the race. I can’t thank the guys enough, and my mom, too. This is the happiest I’ve been all year.”

Holmes, who led a race-high 101 laps, held on for second – finishing .436 seconds behind Kwasniewski.

“It was a great night for the NAPA Toyota No. 20 car,” Holmes said. “I’m disappointed we didn’t get the win, but Dylan had a really fast car coming through the pack. Congratulations to him. That was an awesome win for him. On long greens, I was a little better than him, I felt. But on the short greens, he got by me. It was great side-by-side racing through the front of the field.”

David Mayhew was close behind in third. Derek Thorn, who lost the lead to Holmes after contact on Lap 33, recovered to take fourth – while Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Cameron Hayley finished fifth. Jamie Krzysik finished sixth in his series debut, with Travis Milburn in seventh and rookie Dallas Montes in eighth. Former series champion Mike David, making his first start since 2009, and Jonathon Gomez rounded out the top 10.

Kwasniewski came into the night trailing Gene Price Motorsports teammate and defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Greg Pursley by 14 points in the standings. It was a sub-par performance for Pursley. After starting 13th, he ran into early trouble and had to make a quick pit stop. Starting from the back, he also made his way to the front and was up to fourth by the midway point of the race. He faded in the second half, however, and ended up 13th.

Kwasniewski came away with a two-point lead over Pursley as the series heads to the season finale, Casino Arizona 50, at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 10. Thorn is third in the standings, with Holmes fourth and Mayhew fifth. They are followed by Michael Self, Hayley, Austin Dyne, Gomez and Ryan Philpott.

In addition to the series championship, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title will be decided at Phoenix – with Dyne holding a slim lead over Hayley.

The Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 will air on SPEED on Oct. 18 at 3 p.m. ET.

RESULTS | LAP-BY-LAP RECAP | AUDIO: ERIC HOLMES POST-RACE | AUDIO: DAVID MAYHEW POST-RACE

Dylan Kwasniewski (03) works past Eric Holmes en route to his victory at All American Speedway. Jason Watson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Thorn Awesome In Albuquerque

Collects 2nd K&N West Win After Charge To Front

By Shon Sbarra, NASCAR
September 29, 2012 - 11:47pm
 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Derek Thorn won the NAPA Auto Parts 150 in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West action on Saturday night at NAPA Speedway.

Thorn, out of Lakeport, Calif., started from the seventh position and charged to the front after Dylan Kwasniewski, who earned the pole position earlier in the day, set a blistering pace in the early going. Thorn, who collected his second win of the season, had built a more than seven-second lead on Lap 120, but had to hold off rookie Dallas Montes and Eric Holmes on a green-white-checkered finish after a late caution.

POS	DRIVER
1	Derek Thorn
2	Dallas Montes
3	Eric Holmes
4	Taylor Cuzick
5	Austin Dyne

With the 150-lap race being run without any scheduled pit stops, tire management was the key to success, according to Thorn.

“I knew this race was going to be hard on tires,” said Thorn, who has championship crew chief Bill Sedgwick calling the shots for the No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Ford. “Even when the car felt good, you had to back off in the car even more.”

Nevertheless, Thorn was able to open up a lead of more than seven seconds before several cautions bunched the field late in the race. He pulled away on each restart and held a margin of .808 seconds in taking the checkered flag.

Montes – filling in for David Mayhew, who was competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in Las Vegas – took second while Holmes crossed the line in third. Rookies Taylor Cuzick and Austin Dyne completed the top five.

“I don’t know what to say,” an emotional Montes said, while thanking car owner Steve McGowan and his sponsors for the opportunity. “Running good like this is huge for us.”

Montes was recently named to participate in the upcoming 2012 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine, in which candidates compete for an opportunity to be a part of the 2013 NASCAR Drive for Diversity class of drivers.

“I can’t thank the NASCAR Diversity program enough for the opportunity,” he said. “I’ve been able to go back there the last two years. I’ve done pretty well, but not quite good enough. Hopefully, this year’s the year.”

Fifteen-year-old Hannah Newhouse, who was also selected for the Diversity Combine and was also in her series debut, finished sixth at Albuquerque. She was followed by her teammate at Rich Thompson Racing and fellow rookie Braeden Havens. Points leader Greg Pursley, Kwasniewski and Carl Harr rounded out the top 10.

In the championship standings, Kwasniewski trimmed Pursley’s lead to 14 points – 547 to 533. Thorn is 37 points out of the lead with 510. Holmes is fourth with 489, while Michael Self is fifth with 471. Mayhew slipped to sixth at 470, followed by Cameron Hayley at 427, Austin Dyne at 424, Jonathon Gomez at 412 and Ryan Philpott at 370.

Dyne, meanwhile, has opened up an eight-point lead over Hayley in what has been a tight challenge for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award. Dyne leads with 107 over Hayley with 99.

The NAPA Auto Parts 150 will air on SPEED on Oct. 11 at 3 p.m. ET.

The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule is the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., on Oct. 13.

Derek Thorn (No. 6) set the pace as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
race wound down at NAPA Speedway. Steve Snowden/Getty Images for NASCAR

RESULTS | LAP-BY-LAP RECAP | DALLAS MONTES POST-RACE AUDIO | ERIC HOLMES POST-RACE AUDIO