Dylan Kwasniewski finding his stride early on NASCAR West Series

The only thing holding Dylan Kwasniewski back in his rookie season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West was his age.
When the season started, he was only 15 years old. The age limit to compete in NASCAR touring events was 16. But that changed to 15 after the West Series season opener at Phoenix International Raceway.
Kwasniewski, a driver from Las Vegas, had to wait until the second West Series race to make his debut. He started his West Series career with a bang, the good kind, and posted a fourth-place finish in his first race.
Kwansnieski said he isn't happy with top fives though. He wants to win every race. He's with the team, Gene Price Motorsports, that has won four of the first six West Series races with Greg Pursley as driver.
Kwasniewski will be at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale this weekend looking for his first West Series win.
Go to the K&N website for more on Kwasniewski and his being selected as one of the NASCAR Next 9.

Photo: Dylan Kwasniewski made his debut at 15 and is already making a statement in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. (Kate Gardiner Photography/NASCAR)

Joey Logano wins West Series race in Sonoma with help from Max Papis

Joey Logano is no stranger to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. He was the East Series champion in 2009 and a two-time winner in the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
He won the second West Series race of his career at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, passing David Gilliland late in the race. The two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers finished 1-2 in the West Series race.
Logano, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Cup Series, said he worked with Max Papis and Kyle Busch at Road Atlanta to prepare for the road course races in Sonoma.
Eric Holmes was the highest finishing driver among the West Series regulars in the race. He was third.
Greg Pursley extended his lead in the West Series standings with a fourth-place finish.
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race from Sonoma.

Photo: Joey Logano won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. It was the second West Series win of his career. (Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR)

Retired Arcadia firefighter a top driver in Southwest Tour Trucks Series

Neil Conrad has been racing in the Southwest Tour Trucks Series since it started almost 20 years ago. The name of the series has changed a number of times since then, but Conrad has been one of the mainstays.
He has also become one of the most consistent and best drivers in the series.
He is second in the Southwest Tour Trucks Series standings after four races. He has finished as the runner-up to Jeff Williams in all four of those races.
The most recent Southwest Tour Trucks Series race produced the same result at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
Go to Patch.com for more on Conrad and his Southwest Tour Trucks Series career.

Pena wins again in Virginia

Toyota Speedway of Irwindale fans might remember Sergio Pena from the Toyota All-Star Showdown a couple years ago. He battled with Joey Logano in one of the more memorable races at the track.
Pena won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Langley Speedway in Virginia on Saturday. It was his second win of the season and the second of his K&N Pro Series East career.
It took some time for Pena to kick his racing career into gear. He seems to have found a nice pace.
However, his two wins have been his only two top fives of the 2011 season.
Max Gresham finished third in the race at Langley Speedway and moved into the lead in the East Series standings after seven races.
Pena is in seventh place in the East Series standings.
Go to the K&N website for more on the East Series race at Langley Speedway.

Photo: Sergio Pena won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Langley Speedway in Virginia on Saturday night. (Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Your chance to ask Jeff Gordon a question

Ever wonder if Jeff Gordon wants his kids to follow in his footsteps as a NASCAR driver? Has he ever considered driving for a team other than Hendrick Motorsports? How are he and his new crew chief gelling?
Fans have already submitted those questions on the Bosch Sparks Plug Facebook page. Gordon will answer some of those questions directly, vie video, on the Facebook page.
Submit your questions. The deadline is June 30. It doesn't look like anything is off limits, but keep in family-friendly.

Photo: Jeff Gordon, who won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway a couple weeks ago, is taking fan questions through the Bosch Spark Plug Facebook page. (Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Rookie Lupton sweeps Twin 30 Late Model races at Irwindale

Rookie Dylan Lupton of Wilton swept the Late Model Twin 30s at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale and Brandon Davis from Huntington Beach padded his lead in the Late Model standings with a pair of podium finishes at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
Lupton has won three of the past four Late Model races at Irwindale. Davis was third in the first race and second in the second race. He won the first five races of the season and was the runner-up in the next two. But he was disqualified after his car did not pass inspection after the most recent race.
Despite being disqualified, he entered Saturday night’s race with a 22-point lead over Toni McCray of San Bernardino.
McCray was eighth in the first race and fifth in the second race.
In other races, Zack Green from Long Beach won the Super Stocks race, the first of his career. Gerrit Cromsigt of Saugus was second, followed by Rich DeLong III of Santa Clarita in third.
DeLong maintained his lead in the Super Stocks standings despite not winning a race this season. He has one runner-up finish as is six points ahead of Curtis White of Norwalk and Green after five races.
Jeff Williams of Newbury Park won his fourth Southwest Tour Trucks race in a row. Neil Conrad of Arcadia finished second for the fourth race in a row. Kirk Knostman of Hesperia was third and finished on the podium for the first time in his career.
Jason Galvin of Valencia, one of the track announcers at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, won the Open Comp race. He was followed by Jerry Toporek of Venice in second and Jim Schoening of Chicago in third.

Pursley dominates at Las Vegas

Greg Pursley won the pole, set the track record in qualifying and led every lap in Saturday night's NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Pursley has won four of the five West Series races this year. He has a 201-point lead over Moses Smith and is running away with the West Series championship.
Dylan Kwasniewski, Pursley's teammate at Gene Price Motorsports, finished second. Jason Fensler, the only other driver to win a West Series race this year, was third. Fensler won the West Series race at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., and was making only his second West Series start of the season at Las Vegas.
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race at Las Vegas.

Photo: Greg Pursley in the No. 26 car, leads Eric Holmes at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Pursley won the race, his fourth of the season. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Gresham wins at Gresham Motorsports Park

Max Gresham's family owns the track, Gresham Motorsports Park in Georgia. Now Gresham owns a trophy from the track after winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park on Saturday night.
Gresham led a race-high 98 laps and won the pole for the race. It was his first win of the season and the third of his career.
Darrell Wallace Jr. finished fourth and maintained his lead in the East Series standings after six races. He has a five-point edge over Matt DiBenedetto.
Go to the K&N website for more on the East Series race from Gresham Motorsports Park.

Photo: Max Gresham does a burnout for the fans at Gresham Motorsports Park on Saturday after he picked up his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win of the season. (Kevin Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Philip Morris tops NASCAR Hunter Index for June

Philip Morris, a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series driver from South Boston Speedway in Virginia, was the top driver in the Hunter Index for June.

He wasn't my choice, but he received four first-place votes and beat Keith Rocco, 174-168.

I put Brett Moffitt atop my list for the Hunter Index. He won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at Iowa Speedway last month.

Greg Pursley was the only driver from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in the Hunter Index top 10. He came in at No. 6 after a fourth-place finish in the K&N Pro Series race at Iowa Speedway.

Go to NASCAR Home Tracks for the complete Hunter Index for June.

Photo: Philip Morris won nine Late Model races in a row at South Boston Speedway in Virginia and earned the top spot in the Hunter Index for June. (James Price)

Here is a look at how I voted:

'One Night In June' highlights history of Bowman Gray Stadium

Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina has been home to NASCAR almost since its birth. The first NASCAR race was run there in 1949. Some of the legends of NASCAR raced there during their careers.
It was the site of Richard Petty's 100th NASCAR win. Junior Johnson, Davey Allison and Tiny Lund won NASCAR races at the track.
Bowman Gray Stadium will be the subject of a documentary called "One Night In June." Film crews recorded Saturday night's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race as part of the documentary.
Matt DiBenedetto won the race, leading every lap including the final six that went past the scheduled 150.
Go to the K&N website for more on the "One Night In June" documentary and the history of Bowman Gray Stadium.

Photo: Matt DiBenedetto, in the No. 15 Toyota, won Saturday night's NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Bowman Grey Stadium in North Carolina. Bowman Gray will be the subject of a documentary called  "One Night In June." (Credit: Sara D. Davis/Getty Images for NASCAR)