Kyle Larson Fastest in Opening Phoenix Test Session

Even though most of the attention centered on Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the two-day NASCAR test opened up Tuesday at Phoenix International Raceway, there were plenty of other drivers who took their cars to the track as well.

Kyle Larson posted the fastest lap, turning it in 26.586 seconds at the 1-mile venue. But Joey Logano, who had the second-fastest overall lap (26.595), was the fastest for the most laps — recording 19 of the fastest 22 lap times in the opening morning session.

Earnhardt, the driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, missed the last half of last season because of a concussion. He was cleared by NASCAR to return behind the wheel after a December test at Darlington Raceway, and Tuesday marked another important step on his comeback trail.

Earnhardt has repeatedly said that he is ready to go full throttle for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, which will be televised live on FOX. He was fifth-fastest in the opening test session at Phoenix, turning a lap in 26.807 seconds.

Also in attendance Tuesday at PIR was Carl Edwards, who recently shocked the racing world by announcing that he was stepping away from NASCAR. He was on hand to help his replacement in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Daniel Suarez, navigate his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series test.

Suarez’s top lap in the opening session ranked 14th on the speed chart, so there obviously is work to do.

The unofficial top lap speeds of the participants in the opening session of the Phoenix test on Tuesday were as follows:

1. Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing) — 26.586 seconds
2. Joey Logano (Team Penske) — 26.595
3. Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing) — 26.774
4. Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing) — 26.799
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports) — 26.807
6. Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports) — 26.845
7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing) — 26.854
8. Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) — 26.876
9. AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty Racing) — 26.896
10. Erik Jones (Furniture Row Racing) — 26.898
11. Michael McDowell (Leavine Family Racing) — 26.965
12. Ty Dillon (Germain) — 26.976
13. Alex Bowman (Chevy wheel force) — 27.027
14. Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) — 27.125
15. JJ Yeley (Toyota wheel force) — 27.186

Source

It has been a fun week at the track! We are already counting down the days until the cars are back! 😎 #WinningSpringBreak https://t.co/htdVJj6Xwk

— Phoenix Raceway (@PhoenixRaceway) February 2, 2017

First time in the car for 2017. Test is going pretty good so far. @Target @CreditOneBank pic.twitter.com/Gl1oeXz9Cj

— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) January 31, 2017

2 days testing @PhoenixRaceway complete. @nationwide88 gang got a lot of work done. Car was awesome to drive! One step closer to @DISupdates

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 2, 2017

Related Posts:

1. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Organizational Test At Phoenix International Raceway
2. Stewart-Haas Racing Unveils 2017 #NASCAR Ford Performance Fusions
3. Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Claims a New Event High Driver Count
4. Cars for a Cause: Two Earnhardt Rides Up for Auction
5. Logano Wins Phoenix - Homestead Bound!

Kraus Named To Drive For BMR In #NASCAR K&N Pro Series

15-Year-Old Wisconsin Driver Set To Make Series Debut

 

Bill McAnally Racing today announced that Derek Kraus will compete for BMR in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for 2017.

The 15-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin will contend for the Rookie of the Year Award and overall title as he runs the full schedule in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, while also competing in select events in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

“We’re excited to have Derek join the BMR team, as he takes the next step in his racing career,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “He impressed us when we had the opportunity for him to get behind the wheel of one of our K&N Pro Series cars in testing. Derek has a great passion for racing and will be an outstanding representative of BMR and our partners. We look forward to working with him.”

Kraus has quickly progressed up the racing ranks and makes the move to the K&N Pro Series after competing in super late models at multiple tracks last year. He will be behind the wheel of BMR’s No. 19 Carlyle Tools Toyota Camry for the 2017 season.

“I am excited for the opportunity to run the K&N Series with BMR,” Kraus said. “After the test session we had, I’m confident we will do well in representing Toyota, NAPA, and Carlyle Tools. I am looking forward to what the 2017 race season will bring.”

In his move to the K&N Pro Series, Kraus joins the ranks of NASCAR’s top developmental series.

His father, Mark, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity.

“I would like to extend a thank you to Performance Marketing Group for creating the opportunity between BMR and our son, Derek,” Mark Kraus said. “I feel confident that BMR will be a good fit for Derek as we take this next step toward his future.”

His name is in place, ready for @Derek9kraus to make his #KNWest / #KNEast debut in the No 19 @CarlyleTools @ToyotaRacing for @BMR_NASCAR pic.twitter.com/4HKVRF7m67

— Bill McAnally Racing (@BMR_NASCAR) February 2, 2017

Kraus began his racing career as a 7-year-old competing in the Wisconsin State Go Kart Series in 2008. Success in karting led him to move up to the Midwest Bandolero Series, where he won championships in 2013 and 2014. He followed that up with a championship in the Midwest Truck Series in 2015. In addition, he also won rookie titles that year in the American Ethanol Super Truck Series and at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Kraus competed in super late models last year; scoring five wins, 16 top-five, and 22 top-10 finishes in 44 starts overall. He finished as the runner-up in the Super Late Model championship points at State Park Speedway for the season and also finished second in the Yellow River Race Series at Marshfield Super Speedway in Marshfield, Wisconsin.

In addition, he finished fourth last year in season championship points and second in the rookie standings in the ARCA Midwest Tour Series. He became the youngest driver to win an ARCA Midwest Tour Series race, breaking a 25-year-old record set by Matt Kenseth.

Kraus was also named as one of seven drivers in the 2016 Ganassi Racing Gen G program, Chip Ganassi Racing’s method of identifying and assisting North America’s top up-and-coming race car drivers.

BMR captured back-to-back titles in the K&N Pro Series West in 2015 and 2016, giving car owner Bill McAnally seven series championships overall – a record for the series and the NASCAR Regional Touring level.

Source

Related Posts:

1. Best of 2016: K&N Pro Series West
2. Gilliland and BMR Expand Horizons For 2017
3. Before They Were #NASCAR Champions
4. Julia Landauer Not Just A Survivor
5. BMR Teams Honored In NASCAR Night Of Champions Awards Ceremony
6. The Bill McAnally Racing Team is on Fire!

Rest In Peace Racer – Lee Hatch

UPDATE: Lee Hatch funeral services will be this Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10am. Services will take place at St. Louise Church in Covina.

Hatch Dominated The Speed Truck Series - Winning Twelve Consecutive Races In 2004. 

 

 

I remember Lee Hatch from our ASA Speed Truck days. Hatch, a two-time ASA Speed Truck champion (2003 / 2004), recently passed away following a lengthy battle against colon cancer. He was only forty-nine years old.

Lee put forth a valiant effort to battle his cancer, including three very difficult years of enduring the most painful treatments and major surgeries. 

He leaves behind his wife Gina, and beloved children - seven-year-old little Marissa, nine-year-old Anthony, eleven-year-old Lee Hatch Jr. and twenty-nine-year-old Jennifer.

Last April, Lee Hatch was honored with his own night at Irwindale Raceway and had one last opportunity to drive around the half-mile track.

“Words cannot express how honored I am to have such recognition at Irwindale Speedway,” Lee Hatch stated at the time. “This is my home track and I have a lot of great memories here with my team, Racing was a huge part of my entire life and I appreciate everyone who has been there for me during this difficult time.”

“It was truly a family sport,” said Lisa Hatch McClure, Lee’s sister and an advertising executive. “Lee is my hero. I grew up always feeling so proud of how well he raced and how hard he worked. Lee treated his battle with colon cancer like he had to win the race; the difficult thing it isn’t a part on his race truck he could just replace. 

Lee Hatch fought his cancer with the same spirit he raced; with everything he had until his last breath.

Family have set-up a GoFundMe page  to assist with Lee’s final expenses. If you can, please help them reach their $8000 goal.

Click Here to Donate

Related Posts:

1. Lady Antebellum To Perform DAYTONA 500 Pre-Race Show
2. Daytona Trivia #NASCAR
3. MDRmotorsports Driver Mentoring Meeting at Sam Bass Gallery
4. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Organizational Test At Phoenix International Raceway
5. Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Wins GTLM Title at Rolex 24 At Daytona