Pena Back in Victory Lane
Drive For Diversity Driver Scores K&N Pro East Win At Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sergio Pena found his way back to Victory Lane.
The 21-year-old from Winchester, Va., held off the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East field following a late caution at Columbus Motor Speedway to win the JEGS 150 presented by Germain Toyota.
It is the third win of the season for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. It is also the third win in four years for Rev Racing at Columbus, following wins by Darrell Wallace Jr. (2011) and Daniel Suarez (2013).
It is Pena’s fourth career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win and first since 2011, when he won three times.
Pena took the lead from Cameron Hayley on Lap 120 and then held off Hayley’s challenges over the closing laps. A caution with 10 to go gave Hayley one more shot, but Pena was able to power his way to the victory.
Hayley settled for second, followed by championship points leader Ben Rhodes. Jesse Little and Pena’s Rev Racing teammate Ryan Gifford were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Ross Chastain was sixth and rookies Nick Drake and Kaz Grala were seventh and eighth, and Brennan Newberry was ninth. Scott Heckert, who won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award earlier in the day, finished 10th.
Rhodes continues to lead the championship points standings by 62 over Hayley. Gaulding is third, another 12 points back, and is followed by Little and Brandon Jones.
The JEGS 150 presented by Germain Toyota will air on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, July 27 at 10 a.m.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 1 for the second showdown of the season with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
RESULTS | RACE CENTRAL LIVE REPLAY | AUDIO: WINNER SERGIO PENA | AUDIO: RUNNER-UP CAMERON HAYLEY | AUDIO: THIRD PLACE BEN RHODES
NKNPS East Columbus 7/19/14 Results
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
1 4 4 Sergio Pena Toyota Racing Development Toyota 150 47 4 Running
2 10 98 Cameron Hayley Cabinets by Hayley Chevrolet 150 44 2 Running
3 6 41 Ben Rhodes * Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet 150 41 Running
4 5 97 Jesse Little NASCAR Technical Institute Chevrolet 150 40 Running
5 3 6 Ryan Gifford NASCAR Technical Institute Toyota 150 39 Running
6 11 1 Ross Chastain * Toyoda Gosei Toyota 150 39 1 Running
7 2 15 Nick Drake * NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 150 37 Running
8 17 31 Kaz Grala * OzLINK Chevrolet 150 36 Running
9 8 24 Brennan Newberry Qore24 Chevrolet 150 35 Running
10 1 34 Scott Heckert Project Life Chevrolet 150 35 1 Running
11 12 4 Ronnie Bassett, Jr. * Butler Trailer Mfg./Roush-Yates Toyota 150 33 Running
12 14 96 Kenzie Ruston Ben Kennedy Racing Chevrolet 150 32 Running
13 18 42 Jay Beasley * Toyota Racing Development Toyota 150 31 Running
14 20 33 Brandon Jones Wolfpack Energy Services Chevrolet 150 30 Running
15 16 20 Gray Gaulding Krispy Kreme Chevrolet 149 29 Running
16 13 18 Mason Massey * Special Olympics Georgia Toyota 149 28 Running
17 22 54 Brad Means * Joiner Motorsports/DMI Chevrolet 148 27 Running
18 9 22 Austin Hill * A&D Welding Ford 146 26 Running
19 7 57 Brandon Oakley * Dayton Int’l Airport Chevrolet 146 25 Running
20 23 19 Chuck Buchanan, Jr. * Spring Drug Chevrolet 145 24 Running
21 15 43 Brodie Kostecki * Arcoplate Toyota 143 23 Running
22 21 21 Mackena Bell Special Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Toyota 114 22 Running
23 19 10 J.J. Haley * Charles Dean Lefler Trust Chevrolet 110 21 Ignition
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Scott Heckert, Time: 14.288 Seconds, Speed: 83.903 mph
Time of Race: 51 mins, 14 secs Average Speed: 58.497 mph Margin of Victory: .283 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 28-31 (#54 Turn 3 & 4 – FP#19); 41-46 (#57 Turn 3 & 4 – FP #54); 100-106 (#24 Turn 3 & 4 – FP # 04); 111-118 (#34 Turn 4 – FP #24); 127-130 (#1 Turn 1 – FP # 34); 141-147 (#96 Turn 4 – FP #33). 6 for 36 laps.
Lap Leaders: Scott Heckert 1-56, Ross Chastain * 57-60, Cameron Hayley 61-119, Sergio Pena 120-150.
Total Laps Led: Cameron Hayley 59, Scott Heckert 56, Sergio Pena 31, Ross Chastain 4. 3 changes involving 4 drivers.
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender
Sources: John Tejeda/NASCAR WMT PR