K&N Pro Series Statistical Advance: Iowa

Analyzing The Casey’s General Stores 150 at Iowa Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West travel to Iowa Speedway on Saturday, May 17 for the first of two East-West combination races on the Newton, Iowa track this year. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of the series and selected drivers at Iowa, as well as some other statistical trends:

Iowa Race Setup
• Cole Custer led wire-to-wire in his last Iowa start in August 2013 and has two K&N Pro Series wins this season at Phoenix and Richmond.
• K&N West points leader Greg Pursley has twice been the top-finishing West driver and leads all competitors with nine Iowa starts.
• Nine East-West combination events at Iowa Speedway have produced nine different race winners and nine different pole winners.

Iowa Speedway
History
• Designed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
• First race was held in September 2006.
• First NASCAR-sanctioned race in May 2007 was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West combination race won by 17-year-old Joey Logano.
• Hosted first NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events in 2009.
• Facility purchased by NASCAR in November 2013.

Notebook
• This is the 10th K&N Pro Series East-West combination race at Iowa with one each from 2007-2011 and two in 2012-2013.
• The K&N Pro Series West had a standalone event at the track in September 2009.
• The Casey’s General Stores 150 will be telecast on a delayed basis by FOX Sports 1 on Saturday, May 24 at 8:30 a.m. ET.
• Michael Self, representing the K&N West, won the first visit a year ago; Anderson Bowen (K&N East) claimed the overall pole award.
• Kyle Busch and Cole Custer are the only drivers to win the East-West race at Iowa from the pole. Chase Elliott started the furthest back and won, coming from 15th on the grid in May 2012.
• The most cautions for an East-West combination race at Iowa is 11 in June 2013 while the fewest is four in May 2009. The most caution laps (68) came in the inaugural 2007 event and the fewest was 24 in May 2009 for an average of 42.67. The average number of cautions is 7.22.
• In the nine combination events, the lead has changed hands an average of 7.0 times with a high of 18 in the 200-lap May 2007 race.
• The average starting position for the winner is 5.44 while the pole sitter has an average finish of 6.67.
• Eric Holmes is the only driver to start all nine East-West combination events at Iowa.
• Three of the nine East-West combination races at Iowa were extended by a late-race caution for a green-white-checkered finish with the last coming in June 2013.
• Chevrolet has gone to Victory Lane in five East-West events at Iowa, while Toyota has three wins and Ford has one.

Iowa Data
Race: #6 of 16 – East; #4 of 14 – West (5/17/14)
Track Layout: .875-mile asphalt tri-oval
Race Length: 150 laps (131.25 miles)
Banking/Turns: 12-14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 10 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 4 degrees

Iowa Qualifying/Race Data
2013 Pole Winner: Anderson Bowen, Dodge, 132.042 mph (23.856 seconds)
2013 Race Winner: Michael Self, Chevrolet, 63.519 mph (2 hours, 11 minutes, 25 seconds)
1-lap Qualifying Record: Kyle Busch, 135.484 mph (23.250 seconds), May 17, 2009
150-lap Race Record: Corey LaJoie, 88.883 mph (1 hour 28 minutes 36 seconds), Aug. 3, 2012

Iowa Leaders

Overall Combination Race Wins
Kyle Busch … 1
Cole Custer … 1
Chase Elliott … 1
Max Gresham … 1
Brian Ickler … 1
Corey LaJoie … 1
Joey Logano … 1
Brett Moffitt … 1
Michael Self … 1

Overall Combination Race Pole Wins
Anderson Bowen … 1
Kyle Busch … 1
Cale Conley … 1
Cole Custer … 1
Matt DiBenedetto … 1
Austin Dillon … 1
Kevin Harvick … 1
David Mayhew … 1
Brett Moffitt … 1

Combination Race Laps Completed
Eddie MacDonald … 1,336
Greg Pursley … 1,310
Daryl Harr … 1,269
Eric Holmes … 1,092
David Mayhew … 1,067

Combination Race Laps Led
Brett Moffitt … 387
Cole Custer … 169
Kyle Busch … 168
Corey LaJoie … 134
Kevin Harvick … 108

Selected Driver Information:
James Bickford (No. 66 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Springs Ford)
• Has one top-10 finish in just three career K&N West starts.
• Is 10th in the championship standings.
• Looking to make Iowa track debut.
• Recorded first career top 10 (10th) on May 3 at Stockton 99 Speedway.
• Won NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late model track championship at All American Speedway last season.

Cole Custer (No. 00 NAPA/Haas Automation Chevrolet) 
• Has three wins, two poles and six top fives in 16 career K&N East starts.
• Won August 2013 East-West combination race at Iowa.
• Finished fourth in June 2013 start at Iowa.
• Has led a total of 169 laps at the Iowa track.
• Earned victory in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West opener at Phoenix this year.
• Has one win, two poles and two top 10s in three career K&N West starts.
• Is a member of the current NASCAR Next class.

Taylor Cuzick (No. 42 Freightliner of Arizona Chevrolet)
• One top five, 14 top 10s in 28 career K&N West starts.
• Occupies the sixth position in points.
• Best Iowa finish in three starts was 22nd in August 2013.
• Finished 31st in his track debut in May 2011.
• Best career series finish of fourth came in 2012 at Albuquerque.
• Best 2013 finish was sixth at Albuquerque and Monroe.

Nick Drake (No. 15 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota) 
• Has two top fives and two top 10s in five career K&N East starts.
• Is ninth in season standings.
• Attempting to make Iowa track debut.
• Finished season-best third at Richmond after winning first career pole award.
• Collected first series top-five finish (4th) on Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway.

Gray Gaulding (No. 20 Krispy Kreme Chevrolet)
• Has a pole, four top fives and 11 top 10s in 19 career K&N East starts.
• Sits second in points, 18 tallies in back of leader Ben Rhodes.
• Finished ninth in June 2013 Iowa track debut.
• Finished 33rd in August 2013 visit to the .875-mile track.
• 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.
• Made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut on March 30 at Martinsville.
• Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.

Kaz Grala (No. 31 OzLINK Chevrolet) 
• Has three top 10s in five career K&N East starts.
• Sits seventh in the championship standings.
• Attempting to make Iowa debut.
• Led 15 laps in Greenville in March 2014.

Cameron Hayley (No. 98 Cabinets By Hayley Chevrolet) 
• Has one pole and two top fives in six career K&N East starts.
• Is third in the championship standings.
• Finished sixth in his last start at Iowa in August 2013.
• Scored an eighth-place finish in last year’s Casey’s General Stores 150.
• Has a win, six poles, 19 top fives and 26 top 10s in 34 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts.
• Was championship runner-up to Derek Thorn last season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
• Is 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 an alumnus of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.

Austin Hill (No. 22 Don-Rich Ford/A&D Welding Ford) 
• Has a win, four top fives and five top 10s in 12 career K&N East starts.
• Ranks sixth in championship standings after five races.
• Finished 37th in this event a season ago; followed with a 24th-place finish in August.
• Earned first career win in September 2013 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
• Member of 2014-15 NASCAR Next class.

Brandon Jones (No. 33 Wolfpack Energy Services Chevrolet) 
• Has one top-five finish and four top-10 finishes in 12 career K&N East starts.
• Holds down the eighth position in points.
• Finished 11th in last year’s Casey’s General Stores 150.
• 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.

Brodie Kostecki (No. 43 Arcoplate Toyota) 
• Has two top-10 finishes in eight career K&N East starts.
• Ranks 10th in points.
• Finished 42nd in Iowa debut in June 2013.
• Season-best finish of eighth on March 22 at Greenville and April 26 at Richmond.

Jesse Little (No. 97 NASCAR Technical Institute Chevrolet)
• Has seven top fives and 10 top 10s in 26 career NKNPS East races with a best finish of third on two occasions, most recently at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., in June 2013.
• Currently owns the fifth position in the championship standings.
• Finished 19th a season ago in this event.
• Best finish in three Iowa starts is fifth in August 2013.
• 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.
• Member of 2014-15 NASCAR Next class.

Dylan Lupton (No. 9 Sunrise Ford/Go Pro/Lucas Oil Ford)
• One win, five top fives, 15 top 10s in 21 career K&N West starts.
• Is fourth in championship standings.
• Finished 26th in last year’s Casey’s General Stores 150.
• 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.
• Is a member of the 2014-15 NASCAR Next class.

Thomas Martin (No. 5 MedActive Oral Care Chevrolet)
• Has one top five in 19 series career K&N West starts.
• Is seventh in championship standings.
• Looking to make Iowa debut.
• Best career series finish of fifth on May 3, 2014 at Stockton.

David Mayhew (No. 17 MMI/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet)
• Five wins, nine poles, 36 top fives and 54 top 10s in 75 career K&N West starts.
• Ranks fifth in points after Stockton victory in last start.
• Finished 36th in last Iowa start in August 2013.
• Was top-finishing West driver in May 2009 and May 2010 East-West combination events at Iowa.
• Won K&N West standalone event at Iowa in September 2009.
• 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.

Brandon McReynolds (No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
• Three top fives and five top 10s in five career K&N West starts.
• Second in season standings, nine points in back of Pursley.
• Finished 36th in this event a season ago.
• 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.
• Is a member of the 2014-15 NASCAR Next class.

Greg Pursley (No. 26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery/Real Water Chevrolet)
• 18 wins, 17 poles, 50 top fives, 65 top 10s in 88 career K&N West starts.
• Leads championship standings by nine points over Brandon McReynolds.
• Finished fourth last year in the Casey’s General Stores 150.
• Was the top-finished West driver in the May 2011 and August 2013 East-West combination races at Iowa.
• Won 2011 series championship.
• Led series with five wins a season ago; has 15 victories in last three seasons.

Ben Rhodes (No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet) 
• Has three poles, six top fives and nine top 10s in 12 career K&N East starts.
• Leads K&N East championship standings by 18 over Gray Gaulding.
• Finished fifth in this event last season.
• Made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut on March 30 at Martinsville and finished eighth.
• 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, 11 top fives and 18 top 10s in 35 career NKNPS East starts.
• Fourth in the championship standings.
• Finished 16th last season in the Casey’s General Stores 150.
• Best Iowa finish in five starts was third in August 2013.
• 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 eight career NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series victories with 22 top fives and 11 pole wins in 48 career starts.
• Is in second season with Rev Racing for the NKNPS East.
• Made NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing at Richmond in April.
• Is an alumnus of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.

Giles Thornton (No. 12 TTC Racing Toyota)
• Four top fives, eight top 10s in 17 K&N West career starts.
• Holds down the third position in the season standings.
• Finished 25th overall in his track debut a season ago.
• Best career finish of third on May 3 at Stockton.

Luis Tyrrell (No. 74 Rodan Builders Chevrolet)
• One top five, three top 10s in eight career series starts.
• Sits eighth in the championship standings after three events.
• Attempting to make track debut.
• Best career series finish of fourth, at Stockton in May 2013.

John Wood (No. 36 Rescue Pak Toyota) 
• Has two top 10s in 39 career K&N West starts.
• Ranks ninth in points.
• Finished 31st in his June 2013 track deubt.
• Scored first series career top-10 finish (10th) in West portion of Iowa combination race in August 2013.

Up To Speed In The East
• The 2014 season is the 28th for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
• The 2014 schedule features 16 races at 14 different tracks across 10 states.
• Daniel Suárez opened the season with a narrow victory over Cameron Hayley, who won his first K&N East pole, at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
• Suárez won at Daytona for his second straight series victory to become just the second driver in series history to win the first two races of the season. Sean Caisse in 2006 is the other. Ben Rhodes picked up his first series career pole award.
• Eddie MacDonald snapped a 53-race winless streak at Bristol. Ben Rhodes started from the pole and led 130 of 132 laps.
• Ben Rhodes started from the pole for the third consecutive race and picked up his first series win after leading a race-high 106 laps.

Up To Speed In The West
• The 2014 season is the 61st for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
• The 2014 schedule features 14 races at 11 different tracks across seven states.
• Cole Custer won the season opener at Phoenix from the pole.
• Patrick Staropoli collected his first career win at Irwindale while Brandon McReynolds nabbed his first career pole award.
• David Mayhew returned to Victory Lane for the first time since March 2012 at Phoenix with a win from the pole at Stockton.

Sources: Shon Sbarra/NASCAR PR

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