Bill McAnally Racing and the ARCA Menards Series West returns to Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif., for Saturday’s NAPA AUTO PARTS 150. It will mark the 12th appearance for the West Series at the state-of-the-art half-mile oval, but first since 2020.
BMR had enjoyed a tremendous record at Kern with six-consecutive victories from 2016 through 2019 with drivers Todd Gilliland and Derek Kraus. Bakersfield has been a site for many West Series events, hosting a total of 63 races back to 1956 across three different facilities. Kern County Raceway Park opened in 2013 as a replacement for series mainstay Mesa Marin Raceway.
Austin Herzog of Clovis, Calif., made his series debut in 2018 at the raceway with an eighth-place finish in a race won by BMR with driver Derek Kraus. Herzog earned his career-best third place finish in the ARCA Menards Series in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS at the half-mile Irwindale Speedway in March.
His teammate Cole Moore of Granite Bay, Calif., also earned a career-best mark in round two of 2022 with a second-place result at Irwindale. Moore will make his debut ARCA West Kern start this weekend; but has 13 Super Late Model starts, with five top-five finishes at the speedway. He also participated in six BMR Drivers Academy events at Kern in 2021 with five victories.
The NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 will feature a “Salute to the Oil Industry,” which includes a fireworks spectacular following the races. Pro Late Models will be competing as well before the race.
Guests from the NAPA Distribution Center in Fresno will enjoy the event with a VIP hospitality area with over 200 guests, VIP suites, and a garage tour with a driver meet-and-greet. Special NAPA Fresno guests will have the honor to be on the grid for driver introductions, be the honorary starter, give the command to start the engines, and be part of the trophy presentation after the race.
BMR drivers will also participate in an autograph session in the breezeway underneath the reserved grandstands at 6 p.m.
ARCA Menards Series West Event:
Race: NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 (Race 3 of 11) April 23, 2022
Location: Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, Calif. (half-mile oval)
Television: Streamed live on FloRacing on April 23, 8:15 p.m. PT/ USA Network on April 29, 10 a.m. PT
BMR Drivers:
Austin Herzog
No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS
Age: 19
Hometown: Clovis, Calif.
Career series stats: 3 starts, 2 top 10
Most recent series finish and best career series finish: 3rd – Irwindale (3/26/22)
Kern stats: 1 start, 1 top 10
Cole Moore
No. 99 CMeleon Chevrolet SS
Age: 24
Hometown: Granite Bay, Calif.
Most recent series finish and best career series finish: 2nd – Irwindale (3/26/22)
First career start at Kern
BMR Series Record at Irwindale:
6 Victories – Todd Gilliland (2016 and 2017), Derek Kraus (2017, twice in 2018, 2019)
BMR PR
