For the 16th time, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West will meet in The Heartland: Iowa Speedway.
The list of past winners, beginning with then 16-year-old Joey Logano’s victory over Kevin Harvick in the inaugural event, reads like a who’s who of the sport’s top young talent. Chase Elliott scored his first NASCAR win there in 2012, and Cole Custer followed suit in 2013. Ben Rhodes won there en route to the 2014 title, and Brandon McReynolds (twice in 2015) and Todd Gilliland (2016 and ’17) have combined to give Bill McAnally Racing a four-race win streak at the “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet.”
Since the NASCAR Next program was established in 2011, a NASCAR Next driver or alum has won the overall in 10 of the 11 races at Iowa.
This year’s event is one of two combination races between the two K&N Pro Series, with the drivers returning to the Midwest in August for the first Gateway Classic 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame at Gateway Motor Speedway.
The NASCAR Pinty’s Series heads out on its annual West swing, with the Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s sponsored by Bayer CropScience on deck first on Wednesday at Wyant Group Raceway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Then the series heads to Alberta for Saturday’s LUXXUR 300 presented by Bayer at Edmonton International Raceway.
NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES at IOWA
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Iowa Speedway marks the third in a four-race stretch for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, while it’s the first race in several weeks for their West counterparts. Last year’s change in format — no longer are the two series scored separately — makes it easier for fans and teams to see the championship ramifications.
Tyler Ankrum has rolled off back-to-back East wins, most recently with his dominating effort at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this past weekend. With just five races left, Ankrum holds a 30-point lead on DGR-Crosley teammate Tyler Dippel. The team finished second at Iowa last year with Chase Purdy, and have the tools to get to Victory Lane this year.
Out West, Iowa marks the eighth in a 14-race slate, and Ryan Partridge has a one-point lead over Bruncati Racing teammate Derek Thorn and nine over BMR’s Derek Kraus. Kraus won the pole at Iowa last year, but wound up finishing 11th.
In addition to NASCAR Next drivers Kraus, Hailie Deegan and Rev Racing’s Ryan Vargas, the field will include five NASCAR Next alum. Among that crop are Spencer Davis and Kyle Benjamin. Davis had a strong run at Memphis, while Benjamin is making his first series start since he won the East race at South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway last year. Benjamin was the highest finishing East driver at Iowa in 2016 and has won his last four oval starts in the series.
RACING-REFERENCE: Previous K&N Pro Series races at New Hampshire | K&N Pro Series East drivers’ career stats at New Hampshire | K&N Pro Series West drivers’ career stats at Iowa
RACE FACTS
RACE |
CASEY’S GENERAL STORE 150 |
PLACE |
Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa |
DATE |
Friday, July 27 |
TIME |
7:30 p.m. ET |
TELEVISION |
NBCSN, Thursday, Aug. 2 — 6 p.m. ET |
TRACK LAYOUT |
1.058-mile oval |
2017 WINNER |
Todd Gilliland |
2017 POLE |
Chase Purdy |
EVENT SCHEDULE |
Friday — Garage opens: 11 a.m. CT; Practice: 2-3 p.m.; Final practice: 3:15-3:55 p.m.; Group qualifying: 5 p.m.; Casey’s General Stores 150: 7:30 p.m. |
@IowaSpeedway |
|
HASHTAG |
#Caseys150 #KNEast #KNWest |
RACE CENTRAL LIVE | ENTRY LIST
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 36 cars, for each race, including provisionals.
Championship Points and bonus points will be awarded to the car owner and driver, per the 2018 K&N Pro Series Rule Book (Section 17-7A). Championship Points and bonus points will be awarded based upon each vehicle’s finishing position regardless of which Series has been declared. The event will count for the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship and separately for the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Championship. Each entry (car owner and driver) must declare prior to the event if they are participating in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West or both (Dual Championships), and must hold the corresponding license(s).
Qualifying groups will be determined by each vehicle’s overall fastest single lap from the official practice sessions.
The first 28 cars will secure starting positions based on the group qualifying session for the CASEY’S GENERAL STORE 150. The remaining eight spots will be awarded through the provisional process.
Each group qualifying session will be five (5) minutes in duration and the fastest single lap speed of each vehicle will determine starting positions 1st through 22nd. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on a vehicle after the vehicle enters the track to begin the qualifying session. Vehicles may not
return to the track or make any further qualifying laps unless directed to do so by a NASCAR Official or in the event of a caution. If a vehicle returns to pit road, the vehicle’s qualifying attempt is complete.
The CASEY’S GENERAL STORE 150 will be 150 laps (131.25 miles), to be run in three (3) segments. The five (5) minute breaks will occur at or near the conclusion of Laps 50 and 100. At the conclusion of the break, lead lap vehicles that elected to pit will line up – in the order they were running at the beginning of the break — behind the lead lap vehicles that elected not to pit in order of running.
The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: four (4) tires for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and to begin the race, and four (4) additional tires for use during the race, for a total of twelve (12) tires.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Saskatoon
Since 2012, Saskatoon is perfect on predicting the NASCAR Pinty’s Series championship.
Race winners DJ Kennington (2012), Scott Steckly (2013), LP Dumoulin (2014) , Scott Steckly (2015) and Cayden Lapcevich (2016) all went on to win the series title. Last year, Alex Labbe won the first of two twin 100-lap features (and finished third in the other) en route to his title.
What does that mean for current points leader Andrew Ranger, whose two titles pre-date the series’ visit to the Saskatoon track? The Roxton Pond, Quebec, driver has three top fives and seven top 10s there. But he missed last year’s race because of illness that effectively took him out of title contention. Dumoulin, who is tied with Ranger in points, has a three top fives and five top 10s in seven starts. Meanwhile, Cole Powell will be making his debut there, Marc-Antoine Camirand is racing there for just the second time, and Kevin Lacroix has three top 10s in all three of his starts at the track.
DJ Kennington finished runner-up in both races a year ago.
RACING-REFERENCE: Previous Pinty’s Series races at Saskatoon | Pinty’s Series drivers’ career stats at Saskatoon
RACE FACTS
RACE |
VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125S SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE |
PLACE |
Wyant Group Raceway, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
DATE |
Wednesday, July 25 |
TIME |
6:05 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. (approx.) MT |
TELEVISION |
TSN, Saturday, Aug 4 – 1:30 p.m. ET; RDS2, Tuesday, Aug 21 – 10 p.m. |
TRACK LAYOUT |
third-mile oval |
2017 WINNER |
Alex Labbe / Cayden Lapcevich |
2017 POLE |
Kevin Lacroix / DJ Kennington |
EVENT SCHEDULE |
Wednesday — Garage opens: 10:15 a.m. MT; Practice: 12:20-1:30 p.m.; Qualifying: 3 p.m.; Autograph session: 4:35 p.m.; Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s sponsored by Bayer CropScience Race 1: 6:05 p.m.; Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 125s sponsored by Bayer CropScience Race 2: 8:30 p.m. (approx.) |
@wyantgrprace; @NASCARPintys |
|
HASHTAG |
#NPSWesternSwing, #VelocityBayerTwin125s |
RACE CENTER | ENTRY LIST | TICKETS
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 24 cars, for each race, including provisionals.
The first 21 cars will secure starting positions based on qualifying. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process.
Qualifying for the VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125s SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE Race 1 will consist of two consecutive qualifying laps per vehicle. Faster lap determines qualifying position.
Qualifying for the VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125s SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE Race 2 will be determined by each vehicles best lap time during the running of the first event.
The VELOCITY PRAIRIE THUNDER TWIN 125s SPONSORED BY BAYER CROPSCIENCE will be two 125 lap (41.25 mile) championship points races.
The maximum tire allotment available for the first event is as follows: One (1) tire for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and the race for a total of five (5) tires. If this is a driver’s first event on an oval, the maximum tire allotment available is as follows: Four (4) tires for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and the race for a total of eight (8) tires.
The maximum tire allotment available for the second event is as follows: four (4) tires for the race for a total of four (4) tires.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Edmonton
Edmonton could be a key venue for Alex Tagliani.
In the series’ first visit in 2014, he led 268 laps but a late-race battle with eventual winner Andrew Ranger relegated him to 13th. After a top-10 run the following year, the Montreal driver led the final 213 laps on the quarter-mile in 2016 en route to the victory. Last year, he finished fourth. He enters the week sitting sixth in points, but is just 18 out of the lead.
The western swing will go along way toward deciding the title. The top seven drivers are all within 22 points, and three races and a scheduled 550 laps will transpire before the series returns to Quebec in August. Those drivers who get through Saskatoon will have their work cut out for them on the tough Edmonton bullring.
RACING-REFERENCE: Previous Pinty’s Series races at Edmonton | Pinty’s Series drivers’ career stats at Edmonton
RACE FACTS
RACE |
LUXXUR 300 PRESENTED BY BAYER |
PLACE |
Edmonton International Raceway, Wetaskiwin, Alberta |
DATE |
Saturday, July 28 |
TIME |
7:30 p.m. ET |
TELEVISION |
TSN, Saturday, Aug 11 – 1:30 p.m. ET; RDS2, Tuesday, Aug 28 – 10:30 p.m. |
TRACK LAYOUT |
quarter-mile oval |
2017 WINNER |
Alex Labbe |
2017 POLE |
Alex Labbe |
EVENT SCHEDULE |
Saturday — Garage opens: 10 a.m. PT; Practice: 12:35-1:45 p.m.; Qualifying: 4:05 p.m.; Autograph session: 6:10 p.m.; LUXXOR 300 presented by Bayer: 7:30 p.m. |
@EIRNASCAR; @NASCARPintys |
|
HASHTAG |
#NPSWesternSwing, #NASCARWeek, #LUXXUR300 |
RACE CENTER | ENTRY LIST | TICKETS
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 24 cars, including provisionals.
The first 21 cars will secure starting positions based on qualifying. The remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process.
Qualifying will consist of two consecutive qualifying laps per vehicle. Faster lap determines qualifying position.
The LUXXOR 300 PRESENTED BY BAYER will be 300 laps (75 miles), to be run in two (2) segments. The five (5) minute breaks will occur at or near the conclusion of Laps 150 and 100. Tires may only be changed during the break. In addition, during the break, changing of major components (ie: sealed parts, rear gear, spring, shocks, sway bars, etc.) will not be permitted unless authorized by the Technical Director. Unauthorized changing of major components may result in a discretionary penalty of a minimum of one (1) lap. At the conclusion of the break, vehicles will line up with lead lap cars to the front.
The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: One (1) tire for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and to begin the race and four (4) additional tires for use during the race for a total of nine (9) tires. If this is a driver’s first event on an oval, the maximum tire allotment available is as follows: Four (4) tires for practice, four (4) tires for qualifying and to begin the race and four (4) additional tires for use during the race for a total of twelve (12) tires.
INTERNATIONAL
The NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series returns to action this weekend with the Grand Prix BLU Smartphones at Nuevo Autodromo de Aguascalientes.
Ruben Garcia Jr. will have a busy weekend. After racing for Rev Racing at Iowa, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver and NASCAR Next alum will head to Aguascalientes. Garcia used a win at Puebla earlier this month to take over the championship points lead in Mexico by eight over Irwin Vences and 10 over Ruben Rovelo. Garcia had his first career win at Aguascalientes as a 17-year-old in 2013.
Meanwhile, Oscar Peralta Jr. holds an eight-point lead on Michael Dorrbecker and nine over Julio Rejon, in the NASCAR FedEx Challenge Series.
NASCAR PR
