K&N Pro Series East Stat Advance: Columbus
Analyzing The JEGS 150 At Columbus Motor Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action with the JEGS 150 presented by Germain Toyota on Saturday, July 19 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. Below is a statistical look at the performance of the series and selected drivers:
Columbus Race Setup:
• Ben Rhodes brings the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season points lead to Columbus Motor Speedway with five wins through the season’s first 10 events.
• Jesse Little won his first career series event in the Granite State 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the last time out. The 16-year-old is ranked fourth in the championship standings.
• Daniel Suárez has one win and two top fives in three events at Columbus, the active leader among drivers entered in the event.
AT COLUMBUS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
History
• Began as a motorcycle racing track in 1946 and first played host to stock cars in 1950.
• A charter member of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, now in its 33rd season.
• Is the second track in the state of Ohio in which the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East has competed, along with Mansfield Motorsports Park.
Notebook
• The NKNPS East is the only NASCAR touring series to have visited Columbus. The inaugural event was July 23, 2011.
• Each of the first three events have produced different race winners: Darrell Wallace Jr. in 2011, Cale Conley in 2012 and Daniel Suárez in 2013.
• As with race wins, each of the first three events have featured different pole winners: Max Gresham in 2011, Ben Kennedy in 2012 and Dylan Kwasniewski in 2013.
Columbus Motor Speedway Data
Race: #11 of 15 (7/19/14)
Track Layout: .333-mile asphalt oval
• Banking-turns: variable between 8-10 degrees
• Banking–straights: none
• Race Length: 150 laps (49.99 miles)
Qualifying/Race Data
2013 race winner: Daniel Suárez
2013 pole winner: Dylan Kwasniewski
Track qualifying record: Max Gresham (84.565 mph, 14.176 seconds, 7/23/11)
ACTIVE SERIES CAREER LEADERS:
Wins
1. Eddie MacDonald … 7
2. Dale Quarterley … 6
3. Ben Rhodes … 5
Poles
1. Dale Quarterley … 4
Ben Rhodes … 4
3. Cale Conley … 3
Top Fives
1. Eddie MacDonald … 33
2. Dale Quarterley … 31
3. Ryan Gifford … 15
Top 10s
1. Eddie MacDonald … 87
2. Dale Quarterley … 68
3. Ryan Gifford … 22
Sergio Peña … 22
Laps Completed
1. Eddie MacDonald … 23,069
2. Dale Quarterley … 18,923
3. John Salemi … 8,804
Laps Led
1. Ben Rhodes … 732
2. Dale Quarterley … 706
3. Eddie MacDonald … 674
Selected Driver Highlights:
Ronnie Bassett Jr. (No. 04 Toyota)
• Has three top fives and seven top 10s in 12 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Is seventh in the season standings.
• Has three top fives and six top 10s in six of his last seven events dating back to Greenville Pickens Speedway, where he recorded a season-best result of second.
• Set to make series track debut.
Jay Beasley (No. 42 Toyota Toyota)
• Has two top fives and four top 10s in 10 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Occupies the 12th position in the season standings.
• Set to make series track debut.
• Has posted top-10 finishes in four of his last five events.
• Finished season-best fourth at Iowa Speedway on May 17.
Mackena Bell (No. 21 Special Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Toyota)
• Has two top fives and five top 10s in 30 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Ranks 15th in the season standings.
• Finished eleventh a season ago at Columbus.
• Finished season-best eighth in the season opener at New Smyrna Speedway on Feb. 16.
Nick Drake (No. 15 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
• Has three top fives and five top 10s in 10 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Ranks eighth in the championship standings.
• Making first series appearance at the New Hampshire oval.
• Finished season-best second at Iowa Speedway on May 17.
• Collected first series top-five finish (4th) on Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway.
• Finished third in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West 2014 season opener at Phoenix International Raceway.
Gray Gaulding (No. 20 Krispy Kreme Chevrolet)
• Has two poles, five top fives and 14 top 10s in 24 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Sits second in points, 62 markers behind the points leader.
• Finished 14th in last season’s event.
• Recorded a season-best finish of second on March 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• 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.
• Made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut on March 30 at Martinsville Speedway.
• Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Brandon Gdovic (No. 64 American Messaging/ComServe Toyota)
• Has a win, nine top fives and 21 top 10s in 45 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Has competed in six of nine races this season with a best finish of ninth at New Smyrna.
• Finished fifth at Columbus last year and has one top five and two top 10s in two career starts at the track.
Kaz Grala (No. 31 Oz Link Chevrolet)
• Has a top five and five top 10s in 10 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Occupies the 10th spot in the season standings.
• Making first series appearance at Columbus.
• Finished a season-best fifth at Langley on June 21.
• Is the series’ youngest full-time competitor at 15 years of age.
Cameron Hayley (No. 98 Hayley’s Cabinets Chevrolet)
• Has one pole, four top fives and five top 10s in 11 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Sits third in the championship standings, three tallies behind second place
• Making first series appearance at the Hampton track.
• Has a season-best finish of second in the season opener at New Smyrna Speedway and at Langley.
• 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.
• Took 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.
Scott Heckert (No. 34 Project Life Chevrolet)
• Has one pole, two top fives and five top 10s in 24 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Is 13th in the season standings.
• Finished 17th a season ago at Columbus.
• Posted a season-best finish of third at Iowa Speedway on May 17.
Austin Hill (No. 22 A&D Welding Ford)
• Has a win, five top fives and nine top 10s in 17 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Ranks sixth in championship standings after 10 races.
• Finished 18th in lone start at Columbus (2012)
• Has seven top 10s in his last nine series starts with four of those being top-five finishes.
• Finished a season-best second on Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway.
• Earned first career win in September 2013 at Dover International Speedway.
• Member of 2014-15 NASCAR Next class.
Brandon Jones (No. 33 Wolfpack Energy Chevrolet)
• Has four top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes in 17 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Holds down the fourth position in points.
• Will be making Columbus track debut
• Has five top 10s in last six events.
• Collected a series-best finish of second at Five Flags.
• Made NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut last August at Bristol.
Jesse Little (No. 97 NASCAR Technical Institute Chevrolet)
• Recorded first career win at NHMS the last time out. Has eight top fives and 13 top 10s in 31 career NKNPS East races.
• Owns the fifth position in the championship standings.
• Finished 12th in lone start at Columbus (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.
Brennan Newberry (No. 24 Qore 24 Chevrolet)
• Has one top five and two top 10s in 11 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Is ranked 14th in the points standings.
• Making first series appearance at Columbus.
• Season-best finish of fourth on March 15 at Bristol.
• Has three poles, two top fives and four top 10s in 12 career K&N Pro Series West starts.
• Has made 35 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts.
Sergio Peña (No. 4 Toyota Toyota)
• Has three wins, seven top fives and 22 top 10s in 49 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Is ranked 16th in the points standings.
• Has a top five and a top 10 in two career starts at Columbus
• Season-best finish of eighth was recorded at Five Flags.
• Is an alumnus of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport, and a current member of Rev Racing and Drive for Diversity.
Ben Rhodes (No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet)
• Has five wins, four poles, 10 top fives and 13 top 10s in 17 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Leads championship standings by 62 points over Gray Gaulding.
• Will make Columbus debut in the JEGS 150 presented by Germain Toyota.
• Has five wins and seven podium finishes his last eight events.
• Scored first career win on March 22 at Greenville. Most recent win came at Langley.
• 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.
Kenzie Ruston (No. 96 Chevrolet)
• Has six top fives and 11 top 10s in 24 career K&N Pro Series East starts.
• Ranks ninth in the championship driver standings.
• Finished eighth last season at NHMS.
• Finished a season-best third at Langley.
• Is a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport.
Daniel Suárez (No. 6 Rev Racing Toyota)
• Has three wins, 12 top fives and 21 top 10s in 40 career NKNPS East starts.
• Earned his first career victory at Columbus last year. Has one win, three top fives and three top 10s in three career starts
• 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 nine career NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series victories with 24 top fives, 31 top 10s and 11 pole wins in 50 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.
Up To Speed:
• 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. Rhodes started from the pole and led 130 of 132 laps.
• Rhodes started from the pole for the third consecutive race and picked up his first series win after leading a race-high 106 laps at Greenville Pickens Speedway.
• Cole Custer started from the outside pole position and won at Richmond International Raceway after passing Bill McAnally Racing teammate and pole sitter Nick Drake with 51 laps remaining.
• Rhodes picked up his second win of the season and led a race-high 115 laps at Iowa Speedway. Brodie Kostecki led the race’s first 35 laps after earning his first series career pole award.
• At Bowman Gray, Rhodes collected his second straight win after his fourth start from the pole.
• Gray Gaulding sat on the pole at Five Flags Speedway last time out, but it was Rhodes who once again stole the show with his third consecutive win.
• Rhodes overtook teammate and pole winner Scott Heckert in the early going at Langley Speedway, holding on for his fourth win in a row
• Jesse Little avoided a late lap accident that claimed the two race leaders, driving past them for hist first career victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sources: John Tejeda, NASCAR PR