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The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West goes full throttle this weekend with three races in three days.
Five days ago, the season took the green flag and Chris Eggleston was victorious at Tucson Speedway and is the only driver who can win the bonus NAPA 500 Challenge series. The NAPA 500 Challenge Series is where a driver can try and win the first four races (Tucson Speedway, Kern County Raceway, and the twin races in Irwindale). Eggleston must sweep all four races to net $100,000.00.
Don’t sign the check for Eggleston just yet, though. His teammate and 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Champion Todd Gilliland will be looking to defend his win from last season and he will try to obtain his eighth career Pro Series victory. In the sole practice session held today he was at the top of the charts, beating second-place Matt Levin by only 0.018 seconds.
Since we won’t be seeing Ryan Partridge in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West behind the wheel of Bob Bruncati’s No. 9 this season due to what Partridge explained as an “inclusive drug test,” Michael Self will make his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West start since Phoenix in 2013. Self, a six-time winner in the series, will look to add some more this weekend. Self’s experience should help teammate Julia Landauer, who pilots the No. 6 for Bruncati. She was able to bring home a 12th-place finish in Tucson and currently sits 12th in points, 16 points behind points leader Eggleston. Last season, she was able to pull a 10th-place finish at Kern County and an eighth place finish at Irwindale.
David Mayhew, a 10-time series winner, makes his return to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West this weekend, and came off the truck fast finishing sixth quickest on the speed charts in the sole practice. He will make his first appearence in the series since Sonoma last season where he finished 30th after having electrical issues. Mayhew drove in the inaugural race at Kern County back in 2013 where he finished fourth. On top of racing in the first, he has raced in every race at the Kern County Speedway and finished a best of second in 2015.
Teammates Garret Archer and Will Rogers will be looking to add on to their teams success. Both drivers had strong showings last weekend which could translate into something in the next three races. Archer and Rodgers have never raced at either of the upcoming tracks behind the wheel of a K&N car and will look to give the best showing possible in their debut at the tracks while also looking to tally their first victories. Both drivers had fast cars in practice today with Rodgers finishing seventh and Archer winding up in eighth. Both are also currently in the Top-5 in points.
