Raz Rallies For First Career Win
Last-Lap Pass Nets Teen K&N Pro West Race At Roseville
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Gracin Raz did everything he needed to do to keep his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship hopes alive.
The 18-year-old from Lake Oswego, Oregon, executed a last-lap pass Saturday night at All American Speedway to score his first career win in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Axle Crutch.
Raz started third on a green-white-checkered and powered his No. 27 Montana Tech Ford past Chris Eggleston on the first lap and Alex Schutte on the final lap as a late caution pushed the race to 152 laps. Schutte was also bidding to become the third straight driver to score their first career win on the .333-mile oval.
Current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Cameron Haley accomplished the feat in 2014 and Christian PaHud followed suit last season. Instead, it was Raz who completed the milestone win in his 14th career start.
Earlier in the day, Raz won his first 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Brewing Co. However, he lost the lead on the very first lap and didn’t get it back until the last lap.
Raz entered the race 16 points behind his Jefferson Pitts Racing teammate and fellow Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate, Noah Gragson. But Gragson spun after contact with Eggleston while battling for the lead with Schutte late in the race and ended up eighth.
The turn of events cost Gragson the points lead, as Eggleston came home third to take over the top spot.
David Mayhew and Braeden Havens rounded out the top five. Johnny White was sixth, followed by Nicole Behar, Gragson, Ryan Partridge and Blake Williams.
Heading into the season finale at Phoenix International Raceway on Thursday, Nov. 12, Eggleson leads Gragson by four points and Raz by nine. Patridge dropped a spot to fourth, 12 points out of the lead.
Also at All American, Harrison Burton finished 11th. The son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and current NBC Sports analyst Jeff Burton, became the youngest driver in K&N Pro Series history at 15 years, 8 days. He broke the West record set by Hayley, who was 15 years, 23 days (Montana Raceway Park, Kalispell, Montana; Aug. 23, 2011); and the overall K&N Pro Series record held by NASCAR Next driver Jesse Little of 15 years, 11 days (Richmond International Raceway; April 26, 2012).
The Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, October 22 at 7 p.m. ET.
RESULTS | RACE CENTRAL LIVE RECAP
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Gracin Raz made a last-lap pass on a green-white-checkered finish to claim the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images for NASCAR
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