DAYTONA BEACH, FLA – Momentum has shifted back and forth this year among three of the top four drivers in the championship standings for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.With three wins each – Derek Thorn, Greg Pursley and Michael Self account for nine victories in 11 races so far. Each has appeared to have been the one to beat at various times this season.
Not to be overlooked, however, is Cameron Hayley. While still looking for his first victory in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West competition, the 17-year-old Canadian from Calgary, Alberta has turned in a solid performance this season. He has top 10 finishes in every race and is second in the standings.
All four drivers hope to get an edge in the championship battle this week when the series visits NAPA Speedway near Albuquerque, N.M., for the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by NAPA AutoCare Centers on Saturday, Sept. 28. It is the 12th event on a 15-race schedule.
Thorn leads the standings, with a 19-point advantage over Hayley. Pursley has moved to third, 24 points out of first, while Self is 25 points out of the lead in fourth.
Hayley, a member of the prestigious NASCAR Next program, captured the spotlight at the beginning of this year – by winning the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach non-points event at Daytona International Speedway.
Although he has yet to get to Victory Lane in a series points event, the young second-year driver leads the series in a couple of categories. Wheeling the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley/GPM Ford for championship car owner Gene Price, Hayley has won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award by Coors Brewing Co., six times – four more poles than any other driver. He has an average finish of 5.0, which also leads the series. He has eight top fives and 11 top 10s, including three second-place finishes, and has led 206 laps of competition.
In addition, Hayley and Pursley – teammates at Gene Price Motorsports – have qualified the two GPM cars side-by-side on the front row in five events this year.
RACE: NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by NAPA AutoCare Centers
PLACE: NAPA Speedway, Albuquerque, N.M.
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 28 // TIME: 8 p.m. MT
TRACK LAYOUT: .5-mile paved oval
2012 WINNER: Derek Thorn // 2012 POLESITTER: Dylan Kwasniewski
EVENT SCHEDULE: Saturday: Practice 1-1:45 p.m., 2:15–3 p.m., Qualifying 6 p.m.
TRACK CONTACT: Charlie Fegan, 505-400-0611
TWITTER: @NAPASpeedway // EVENT HASHTAG: #NAPA150
NASCAR IMC CONTACT: Kevin W. Green (707) 689-5533 kgreen@nascar.com
EVENT SCHEDULE & ENTRY LIST
FAST FACTS
The Race: This event is the 12th of 15 events on the 2013 schedule for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
The Procedure: The starting field is 26 cars, including provisionals. The first 22 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps (75 miles).
The Track: NAPA Speedway is a .5-mile paved oval with four degrees banking in the turns and two degrees in the frontstretch and backstretch.
Records: Qualifying: Dylan Kwasniewski, Sept. 29, 2012, 19.943 seconds, 90.257 mph; Race: Derek Thorn, Sept. 29, 2012, 69.987 mph, 1 hour 5 minutes 35 seconds. (150 laps)
History: Last year’s event marked the first visit by the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West to New Mexico.
ALBUQUERQUE RACE NOTES
Beasley Set To Make Series Debut: Jay Beasley, the leading contender this year for the championship in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model division at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, is set to make his debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at NAPA Speedway.
Other Newcomers: Several other drivers are also slated to make their first appearance in the series at Albuquerque. They include local driver Jason Irwin; J.D. White of Liberal, Kan.; Jim Weiler of Sonoma, Calif.; and Chase Briscoe of Mitchell, Ind.
Milestones: Three-time series champion Eric Holmes is slated to make his 100th series start this week. The 38-year-old driver from Escalon, Calif., made his initial series debut at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., on Oct. 11, 1997. His first full season of series competition was 2006, when he won his first championship. Holmes has piloted the NAPA Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing since the beginning of the 2008 season.
LAST TIME OUT: Tooele
Win For Ranger: Andrew Ranger captured his second career series win with a victory in the iON Camera Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah on Sept. 14. The two-time champion in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 had to start at the tail-end of the field after qualifying was cancelled due to rain.
Top Five For Tifft: Matt Tifft finished fifth at MMP to register his first top five finish in just his second series start.
NEXT TIME OUT: Roseville
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West next heads to Northern California for its annual visit to All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., for the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 on Saturday, Oct. 12. Dylan Kwasniewski captured the victory last year at Roseville en route to winning the series championship.
From Kevin W. Green /Integrated Marketing Communications
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