Luis Martinez breaks through with first West Series win, selected as NASCAR Next 9

Luis Martinez Jr. won the first race of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West career at Portland International Raceway in Oregon in July. It was a bit of a surprising win considering the start to the season Martinez had.
It was also surprising because few drivers in the West Series have been able to beat Greg Pursley this season.
Martinez, a 21-year-old driver from Long Beach, won the 2010 West Series rookie of the year and was selected as one of the NASCAR Next 9 of up-and-coming drivers.
He has already tested the waters of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and is coming off a top-20 effort at Montreal on Saturday.
Go to the K&N website for more on Martinez and his West Series career.

Photo: Luis Martinez Jr. won the first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race of his career at Portland International Raceway in July. (Credit: Jonathon Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Pursley, Martinez in NASCAR Hunter Index top 10

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Greg Pursley has been the only driver to be in every NASCAR Hunter Index this year. He won the West Series race at Evergreen Speedway in Washington and comes in at No. 7 in the Hunter Index for August.
Pursley has won six West Series races and has a commanding lead in the West Series standings.
Luis Martinez Jr., a driver from Long Beach, won the West Series race at Portland International Raceway, the first of his career, and cracked the Hunter Index top 10 for the first time this year. He was ranked No. 8.
Even Brandon Davis, a driver from Huntington Beach racing NASCAR Late Models at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, earned an honorable mention in the Hunter Index for July.
Go to NASCAR Home Tracks for the entire Hunter Index for August.

Luis Martinez Jr. wins NASCAR West Series race at Portland

Luis Martinez Jr., a driver from Long Beach, won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Portland International Raceway in Oregon, becoming one of the few drivers to beat Greg Pursley this year.
Martinez won the first race of his West Series career. He was the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the West Series.
Martinez won the pole foe the Bi-Mart Salute to the Troops 125, but had to rally through the field late in the race. He led the first three laps, but started dropping back. He passed David Mayhew for the lead on the last lap of the race.
Pursley, who has won six of the nine races in the West Series, led the most laps in the race, but blew his motor and finished in 26th place.
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race from Portland.

Photo: Luis Martinez Jr. won the first race of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West career at Portland International Raceway. (Credit: Jonathon Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Martinez Tackling Steep Learning Curve | NASCAR Home Tracks

Martinez Tackling Steep Learning Curve | NASCAR Home Tracks

Luis Martinez Jr. has been asked to take the steering wheel of one of the more successful teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. The rookie driver from Long Beach is driving the No. 6 Sunrise Ford for Bob Bruncati, the same team that won the West Series championship with Jason Bowles as its driver in 2009.
Martinez said his rookie season has had its share of ups and downs. He is looking forward to the second half of the season, especially the road courses.
The next race on the West Series schedule is at Portland International Raceway, one of two road courses that remain on the West Series schedule.

Photo: Luis Martinez Jr. is the leader in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings after six races.

Luis Martinez Jr. wins S2 stock car race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

Luis Martinez Jr., a rookie in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, won the S2 stock car race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.
Martinez was in the West Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Thursday. He plans on racing in the NASCAR Super Late Model race at Irwindale in two weeks.
His next West Series race will be at Iowa Speedway in May.

Luis Martinez makes impressive run at Irwindale

Luis Martinez Jr., a driver from Long Beach, opened some eyes at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
Martinez finished second in the NASCAR Super Late Model season opener, rallying through the field and challenging race winner Nick Joanides in the closing laps.
No one's eyes were bigger than Joanides' when he saw Martinez in his rear view mirror on the last lap of the race.
If the race went a few more laps than the scheduled 100, Martinez had a chance to run down Joanides.
Click here for a video of how Martinez described the last laps of the Super Late Model race at Irwindale.