K&N Pro Series East News & Notes: Loudon
Suárez Brings String Of Successes To NHMS
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East makes its annual stop at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the North American Power 100, third-year competitor Daniel Suárez is hitting his stride.
Suárez heads to Loudon, N.H., on the heels of the best two months of his career, and aside from championship leader Dylan Kwasniewski, has been perhaps the hottest driver of the season’s summer stretch.
Suárez’s first two seasons of K&N Pro Series East completion – 2010-11 – were characterized by mixed results. Competing part-time, he registered three top 10s each season, but the consistency wasn’t there from one race to the next.
For the 2013 season, Suárez’s situation stabilized. He joined Rev Racing for a full-time schedule as part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative, and after an up-and-down start, the 21-year-old member of NASCAR Next has since exhibited his true potential.
It all started to come together for Suárez on June 22 when he finished second to Kwasniewski at Langley Speedway, the best finish of his K&N Pro Series East career at the time. Suárez needed only one race to top that, however, as he drove to his first American victory in the at Columbus Motor Speedway on July 13.
Suárez, who hails from Monterey, Mexico, had won in the past in the NASCAR Toyota Series in his native country, but the Columbus triumph was a landmark victory in his still-burgeoning career. It marked just the third race in the 27-year history of the K&N Pro Series East that was won by a Mexican-born driver.
Proving that his back-to-back podiums were no fluke, Suárez has since recorded two more in the three races since, and was in position to compete for the checkered flag at Virginia International Raceway on Aug. 24 before suffering a blown engine.
Suárez now heads to NHMS, which has been one of his best tracks. In three previous races there he’s recorded a top-10 average finish. If he’s able to keep the recent run going, Suárez could contend for a second victory and yet another place in the history books as the first international driver in series history to win multiple races.
RACE: North American Power 100
PLACE: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 21
TIME: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV COVERAGE: Fox Sports 1, Oct. 4, 11:30 a.m.
TRACK LAYOUT: 1.058-mile asphalt oval
2012 WINNER: Kyle Larson
2012 POLESITTER: Brett Moffitt
EVENT SCHEDULE: Friday – Practice 8:30-10 a.m., Qualifying 2 p.m.; Saturday – Driver Autograph Session 11-11:30 a.m.
TRACK CONTACT: Kristen Costa, (603) 513-5708, kcosta@nhms.com
TRACK TWITTER: @NHMS
EVENT TWITTER HASHTAG: #NAPower100
NASCAR CONTACT: Jason Cunningham (704) 201-6658, jcunningham@nascar.com, Twitter: @NASCAR_NE
FAST FACTS
The Race: The North American Power 100 will be the 12th of 14 races on the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule and the lone trip to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The Procedure: The starting field is 36 cars, including provisionals. The first 32 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 100 laps (105.8 miles) with a 10-minute break at or near the conclusion of Lap 50. The tire change rule is two tires, any position.
The Track: NHMS, a 1.058-mile slightly-banked asphalt oval, is the largest track the K&N Pro Series East races at. NHMS has played host to the K&N Pro Series East in each year of the track’s existence and has held more races than any other facility in the series’ 27-year history.
Race Winners: There have been 26 different winners in 57 all-time stand-alone races at NHMS. New Hampshire native Brad Leighton has the most series wins at the “Magic Mile” with eight while Eddie MacDonald is the active leader with three.
Pole Winners: Of the 29 different drivers to earn a Coors Light Pole Award at NHMS, Kelly Moore has the most in K&N Pro Series East history with six. Brett Moffitt set the track qualifying record at 29.648 seconds (128.467 mph) in this event last year for his third “Magic Mile” pole.
NEW HAMPSHIRE RACE NOTES:
NASCAR Prospects Shine at NHMS: Since the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East evolved into a developmental series, many of NASCAR’s bright young stars have found success in the series at the “Magic Mile.” Joey Logano, who is in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup this season, won both K&N Pro Series East races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2007, a feat that current part-time NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Ryan Truex matched in 2010. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor Max Gresham won an East race at NHMS in 2011 while the defending North American Power 100 victor – Kyle Larson – is widely viewed as the sport’s top prospect and will compete full-time in the Sprint Cup level in 2014. Other current national series drivers that have turned in top-five K&N Pro Series East finishes in recent seasons at NHMS include: Austin & Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Miguel Paludo, Kevin Swindell, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Cole Whitt.
MacDonald on a Run: Eddie MacDonald is once again turning in a commendable performance in 2013, and it could get even better as the K&N Pro Series East heads to his home track this week for the North American Power 100 at NHMS. MacDonald ranks fourth in points and only championship leaders Dylan Kwasniewski and Brett Moffitt have more top-10 finishes (nine) than the Rowley, Mass., native (eight). Following five straight top 10s, MacDonald heads to his best track, where he’s posted three of his six career victories. The recent run of success could have MacDonald positioned to end a 48-race winless drought that dates to his last Loudon win in 2009.
Kwasniewski Continues Pursuit of History: With just three races left on the 2013 calendar for the K&N Pro Series East, Kwasniewski moves one step closer to history each time out. With a lead of 40 points in the season standings, Kwasniewski is contending to become the first driver to capture titles in both the K&N Pro Series West and K&N Pro Series East. The 18-year-old came out on top in the K&N Pro Series West championship chase in 2012, and is also looking to become the first NASCAR driver to earn back-to-back crowns in different series since Mike Stefanik simultaneously won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and K&N Pro Series East titles in both 1997-98.
N.H. Native Joyce to Attempt Series Debut: Cory Joyce, originally from Gilford, N.H., will look to make his K&N Pro Series East debut at his home track with the North American Power 100. Joyce got his racing start at Sugarhill Raceway in New Hampshire racing go-karts before his family relocated to North Carolina in 2005 at age 13. In recent seasons Joyce has competed in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late models at Tri-County Motor Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina, and UARA.
LAST TIME OUT: Greenville
The 11th event of the 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season took place at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway on Sept. 2. Here are some highlights from the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140:
• Dylan Kwasniewski continued his roll by winning from the pole for the second race in a row to extend his lead in the championship standings to 40 tallies.
• Daniel Suárez crossed the line second for his fourth podium finish in the last five races.
• Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Gray Gaulding showed improvement from the spring Greenville race in which he finished 10th as he recorded a third-place finish in the series’ return to the track.
• The race saw four different drivers lead laps and was slowed by just one caution, a track record for fewest yellow flags.
NEXT TIME OUT: Dover
Following the North American Power 100, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action on Friday, Sept. 27 with the Drive Sober 150 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. It will be the 13th all-time event at the “Monster Mile” and the 10th year in a row the K&N Pro Series East has visited the track. Brett Moffitt is the only driver in series history to record multiple wins at the facility.
Sources: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR K&N Pro Series East PR
NWMT-NKNPS East NHMS 9/21/13 Schedule
Time Series Event
Thursday
11 a.m. NKNPS-East Haulers Enter
12 p.m. NWMT Haulers Enter
12 p.m. NKNPS-East Garage Opens
1 p.m. NWMT Garage Opens
5 p.m. NKNPS-East Garage Closes
6 p.m. NWMT Garage Closes
Friday
7 a.m. NKNPS-East Garage Opens
8:30 a.m. NWMT Garage Opens
8:30-10 a.m. NKNPS-East Practice
10:10-11:45 a.m. NWMT Practice
2 p.m. NKNPS-East Qualifying
4 p.m. NKNPS-East Garage Closes
5 p.m. NWMT Qualifying
7 p.m. NWMT Garage Closes
Saturday
7:30 a.m. NWMT Garage Opens
9:15-9:45 a.m. NWMT Driver Autograph Session
10 a.m. NKNPS-East Garage Opens
10:30 a.m. NWMT Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
11-11:30 a.m. NKNPS-East Driver Autograph Session
11:50 a.m. NKNPS-East Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
12:15 p.m. NWMT F.W. Webb 100 (100 Laps, 105.8 Miles)
2:30 p.m. NKNPS-East North American Power 100 (100 Laps, 105.8 Miles)
All times ET and subject to change
NKNPS East NHMS 9/21/13 Entry List
CAR DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM OWNER CREW CHIEF
00 Cole Custer, Ladera Ranch, Calif. * Haas Automation Chevrolet Ken Schrader Matt Goslant
0 Rafael Vallina, Chihuahua, Mexico * Jarritos Mineragua Toyota Rafael Vallina Lonnie Rush, Jr.
1 Johnny VanDoorn, Coopersville, Mich. * Karl Performance Chevrolet Dave Davis Andy Santerre
2 Ryan Gifford, Winchester, Tenn. Universal Technical Institute/NTI Toyota Max Siegel Mark Green
04 Ronnie Bassett, Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C. * Jerry Hunt Auto Sales/Rheem Toyota Ronnie Bassett Chris Lawson
4 Bryan Ortiz, Bayamon, Puerto Rico Rev Racing Toyota Max Siegel Eddie Dickerson
5 Brandon Watson, Stayner, Ontario, Canada * Royal Distributing/Shear Metal Chevrolet Kendell Legendre Kendell Legendre
6 Daniel Suárez, Monterrey, Mexico Visit Acapulco Toyota Max Siegel Skip Eyler
11 Brett Moffitt, Grimes, Iowa NRC/NISCO Toyota Shigeaki Hattori Dave McCarty
15 Trey Hutchens, Lexington, N.C. * MilitaryWarriors.org/Impact Gel Chevrolet Bobby Hutchens Bobby Hutchens
19 Chuck Buchanan, Jr., Hildebrand, N.C. * Spring Drug Chevrolet Chuck Buchanan, Jr. Craig Wood
20 Gray Gaulding, Colonial Heights, Va. * Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Toyota Steve Urvan Doug Howe
21 Mackena Bell, Carson City, Nev. * Toyota Racing Development Toyota Max Siegel Nick Hutchins
26 Dylan Presnell, Sevierville, Tenn. Amtrol/American Mountain Rentals Chevrolet Kenneth Presnell Rich Hubbs
33 Brandon Jones, Atlanta, Ga. * Rheem Chevrolet Steve Turner Cale Gale
34 Kenzie Ruston, El Reno, Okla. * AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Harry Scott Jr. Rich Burgdoff
37 Clay Campbell, Martinsville, Va. Legend Gear & Trans./Spraker Racing Chevrolet Jeff Spraker Scott Goyer
39 Cory Joyce, Gilford, N.H. * Caplin Family Charities Chevrolet Ronald Faison Mark McFarland
41 Ben Rhodes, Louisville, Ky. * Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet Steve Turner Lee McCall
44 Akinori Ogata, Kanagawa, Japan * Enos Motor Oil Toyota Sherry Kuykendall Steve Kuykendall
46 Brandon Gdovic, Yorktown, Va. WindStax.com/Aquis Communications Toyota Rick Gdovic Ron Otto
47 Cale Conley, Vienna, W.Va. PMC Toyota Yale Conley Wes Ward
63 John Salemi, Nashua, N.H. Envirotek Toyota Joe Salemi Kevin Salemi
71 Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass. Grimm Const./National MS Society Chevrolet Rob Grimm Rollie Lachance
72 Scott Heckert, Ridgefield, Conn. * Project Lifesaver Chevrolet BJ McLeod BJ McLeod
77 Austin Wayne Self, Austin, Texas * AM Technical Solutions Dodge Kerry Scherer Chad Bryant
89 Matt Tifft, Hinkley, Ohio * DOC 360 Chevrolet Kevin Cywinski Jamie Jones
96 Ben Kennedy, Daytona Beach, Fla. Ben Kennedy Racing Chevrolet Robert Johnson Mike Fritts
97 Jesse Little, Sherrills Ford, N.C. * NASCAR Technical Inst./Jean Savers Chevrolet Jason Little Kris Bowen
98 Dylan Kwasniewski, Las Vegas, Nev. Royal Purple/Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet Mike Curb Mardy Lindley
99 Austin Dyne, Malibu, Calif. KMC Wheels Chevrolet Steve Turner Raymond Holm Jr.
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender