Burton Captures NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship with Win at Dover

Entering Friday’s season finale, Burton was second in Championship points standings, eight points behind the leader. After pacing the field in final practice, the 16-year-old Huntersville, N.C., driver qualified third in the No. 12 RUUD / DEX Imaging Toyota. A blown tire and destroyed race car for championship points leader Todd Gilliland opened the door for Burton. Still needing to finish fifth or better after leading a lap, he closed out the 125-lap event with a solid restart, taking the lead for the final time with two to go. The victory was his series leading fifth of the season.

 

Creed continued his hot streak with MDM Motorsports. After nearly winning at Kentucky Speedway last weekend in the ARCA Racing Series Crosley 150, Creed made the trip to Dover International Speedway looking for redemption. He qualified the No. 40 United Rentals / A.M. Ortega Construction Toyota seventh, but didn’t stay there long. He worked his way to the lead before a flat tire forced him to pit. He restarted in the rear of the field and was able to drive back into the top-five, eventually finishing fourth, a career-best NKNPSE finish for Creed.

 

Herbst joined MDM Motorsports at Dover International Speedway for the first time. Piloting the Terrible Herbst No. 41 Toyota, the 18-year-old Las Vegas native qualified 13th. Working with veteran crew chief Jamie Jones, Herbst worked his way into the top-10 before the halfway break and the No. 41 MDM Motorsports team, led by Jones, made some quality adjustments. In the second half of the race, Herbst appeared to be a contender. He worked his way inside the top-five and eventually to second. On the final lap, contact from another competitor sent him into the wall, ending his chances of a top-five finish. Despite the damage, he was able to limp home seventh.

 

Harrison Burton, driver of the RUUD/DEX Imaging No. 12… Harrison Burton, the son of former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star and current NASCAR on NBC broadcaster Jeff Burton, scored one of the biggest victories of his young career on Friday, when he went to victory lane in the (RACE NAME) at Dover International Raceway. That win, his fifth of the season, closed an eight-point deficient and propelled him to the 2017 NKNPSE Championship.

 

Burton on Dover: “It’s the best day of my life. To win at Dover, a place my dad has won at before and for that win to help us win the championship is special. Having my mom and dad here to celebrate with me is really cool because they are my biggest supporters. After the last few races, I almost began to doubt myself, but my family and this No. 12 team rallied around me, giving me everything I needed today to get this done. It’s just really cool, it’s definitely the best day of my life.”

 

Sheldon Creed, driver of the United Rentals/A.M. Ortega Construction No. 40… Creed, a two-time Speed Energy Stadium Super Truck Champion, made his Dover International Speedway debut on Friday. After starting seventh, the 20-year-old Alpine, Calif., native worked his way into the top-three and eventually the lead before a flat tire forced him to pit. He restarted in the rear and drove his No. 40 United Rentals/A.M. Ortega Construction Toyota back inside the top-five. He finished fourth, his best career NKNPSE finish and second NKNPSE top-five in a row. That finish helped him win the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award.

 

Creed on Dover: “This MDM Motorsports team keeps giving me wicked fast race cars, we just have no luck. We should have three straight wins between ARCA and now K&N. I had a great car, and if the tire wouldn’t have went down, it might have been a different story. I’m excited to get back in the ARCA car at Kansas in a few weeks. Hopefully we can score a win.”

 

Riley Herbst, driver of the Terrible Herbst No. 41… Herbst, a full time ARCA Racing Series driver, made his NKNPSE season debut with MDM Motorsports in the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 125 presented by Carl Deputy & Son Builders. He qualified 13th but worked his way inside the top-10 early in the event. After a few changes to the No. 41 Terrible Herbst Toyota at the halfway break, the 18-year-old driver worked his way inside the top-five and found himself second with just two laps left. On the final lap, contact from another competitor sent him into the wall, which relegated him to a seventh-place finish.

 

Herbst on Dover: “That was a lot of fun. I wish we would’ve got a shot to run that last lap because you just never know but that’s how it goes sometimes. I can’t thank MDM Motorsports enough for bringing a great car to Dover. We were fast, especially in the second half. Again, I can’t thank MDM Motorsports enough for giving the opportunity to the run this race. We have one more ARCA Racing Series event at Kansas and I’m excited to hop into my Toyota Camry over there and get to work.”

 

The NKNPSE National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 125 presented by Carl Deputy & Son Builders at Dover International Speedway will air on NBCSN Oct. 6 at 10:30 p.m., ET.

 

MDM Motorsports PR