Thorn wins West Series race in New Mexico

Derek Thorn won his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at NAPA Speedway in New Mexico on a night when a pair of rookies stole the spotlight.
Dallas Montes was the runner-up in his West Series debut. Hannah Newhouse, a 15-year-old making her West Series debut, was sixth.
Thorn started seventh and worked his way to the lead holding off Montes and Eric Holmes in a green-white-checkered flag finish in the NAPA Auto Parts 150.
Greg Pursley was eighth and leads the West Series standings by 13 points over teammate Dylan Kwasniewski.
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race from Albuquerque, N.M.

Photo: Derek Thorn won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at NAPA Speedway in New Mexico. (Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR)

Pursley and Kwasniewski a 1-2 punch for Gene Price Motorsports

Gene Price Motorsports teammates Greg Pursley and Dylan Kwasniewski finished 1-2 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at the Bullring in Las Vegas.
Pursley won the West Series race in Las Vegas for the second year in a row.
Kwasniewski won the pole and led the first 12 laps of the race. He maintained his lead in the West Series standings with his second-place finish.
Pursley won his second race of the season.
"It was a great race," Pursley said. "We had a really good car there and a really good battle there with Dylan. Our car, on a restart, wouldn't start going until about 10 laps in. We had a great battle with him there at the end. Kid's a great driver, but our car was
just a little bit better and had a little bit more at the end."
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race from Las Vegas.

Photo: Greg Pursley (26) and Dylan Kwasniewski gave Gene Price Motorsports a 1-2 finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Las Vegas. (Getty Images for NASCAR)

Thorn wins West Series race in Havasu

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West made its first visit to Havasu 95 Speedway in Arizona and plenty of new faces came to the forefront.

Derrek Thorn, a driver from Bakersfield, won his first K&N Pro Series West race, leading the last 42 laps in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Gene Price Motorsports.

Thorn won the pole, another K&N Pro Series West first, and led a race-high 141 laps.

“I’ve got to pay a tribute to the Sunrise Ford team, (car owner) Bob Bruncati and (crew chief) Bill Sedgwick and all the guys at the shop,” Thorn said. “It was really hard coming here to this track, because no one had raced here. It’s hard to take something from practice and prepare yourself for a 150-lap race, because at 125 laps the car is doing something completely different than it was at Lap 50. It was a lot of guess-work, but the guys did an awesome job of putting an awesome car underneath me. I’m so thankful to be here and get this victory in (the) K&N (Pro Series).”

David Mayhew wins West Series race in Phoenix

David Mayhew, a driver from Atascadero, won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series season opener at Phoenix International Raceway.
The race was short, only 50 laps, and Mayhew led every one of them. He also won the pole for the Walking Stick 50.
It was the fourth win of his West Series career. His previous three wins came in combo events with the K&N Pro Series East.
Mayhew was winless in 2011 after finishing as the runner-up in the West Series standings in 2010.
Go to the K&N website for more on Mayhew's win in Phoenix.

Photo: David Mayhew leads Dylan Kwasniewski in action at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Phoenix International Raceway. (Getty Images for NASCAR)

Eric Holmes wins NASCAR West Series race at Spokane

Eric Holmes and Bill McAnally Racing did what few teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West have been able to do this season: Beat Gene Price Motorsports.
Holmes, the reigning West Series champ, won the West Series race at Spokane County Raceway in Washington, his first of the season.
Greg Pursley and Dylan Kwasniewski, the drivers for Gene Price Motorsports, have combined to win eight of the 12 West Series races this season.
Kwasniewski, winner of the previous two West Series races, won the pole at Spokane and led the first 103 laps of the Spokane 200. Holmes took the lead for good on lap 150 and was out front for the last 50 laps of the race.
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race from Spokane County Raceway.

Photo: Eric Holmes won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Spokane County Raceway in Washington. It was his first win of the season and the 15th of his West Series career.(Credit: Otto Kitsinger/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Eric Holmes wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race in Colorado

Eric Holmes won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Colorado National Speedway on Saturday night. It was his second win in a row and his fourth of the season.
Holmes is the leader in the West Series standings. The two-time West Series champ from Escalon, Calif., started on the front row next to pole sitter Luis Martinez Jr. of Long Beach. Holmes took the lead on lap 3 and survived a late surge by teammate Paulie Harraka who finished second.
"That was a hard run there, a lot of fun, really fun," said Holmes, driver of the No. 20 Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing. "This track creates a good two-wide, three-wide racing."
Martinez finished third, behind Holmes and Harraka.
"The car stayed about the same the whole day from the time it came from the shop," said Martinez, the rookie driver of the No.6 Ford for Bob Bruncati.."It unloaded fast. Right before qualifying, my guys told me just sail it into the corner because it looks like the track's got a lot of grip. That's what I did. It ended up paying off real well for us."
Holmes leads the West Series standings by 114 points over David Mayhew with three races remaining in the West Series schedule. The next race is Sept. 12 at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

Photo: Eric Holmes won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Colorado National Speedway, his fourth of the season. 

Michael Self looks to get ahead in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West

Michael Self is second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He is four points behind leader Luis Martinez Jr. with four races remaining.
But Self is more focused on winning his first West Series race than he is in winning the rookie of the year award.
"It’s still anyone’s battle," Self said about the rookie race. "We have to go through these next four races and be consistent and be smart and not let anything push us out of the way. Hopefully we can gain a couple more spots in the points standings, which I’d really like, and if we can win the rookie of the year deal that would be awesome too."
When Self isn't racing in the West Series, he is taking classes at the University of Utah. The 19-year-old  from Park City, Utah, took some business classes over the winter term. He said he wants to change his focus this winter and take some psychology classes instead.
Self has had some good races, but not necessarily the best results. He understands it's part of the growing pains of being a rookie in the West Series.
"It’s just kind of been that way throughout the season," Self said. "Every race I feel like we’ve been awesome at. We’ve run good at, maybe I made a mistake. It’s not always been the crew guys. There’s no way for me to put the blame on anyone. It’s just paying my dues and learning those rookie things."
Go to NASCAR Home Tracks for more on Self and his rookie season in the West Series.

Photo: The No. 88 car for Michael Self goes through inspection at Colorado National Speedway before NASCAR K&N Pro Series West practice at the track.

Eric Holmes wins NASCAR K&N Pro Serie West race in Montana

Eric Holmes has been looking forward to racing on some of the short tracks on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule. He won at the tiny Montana Raceway Park on Saturday night and padded, if ever so slightly, his lead in the West Series standings.
Holmes won the inaugural race at the quarter-mile, high-banked oval in northwest Montana. It was his third win of the season and his first since winning at Douglas County Speedway in Oregon in June.
Holmes started seventh and had to work his way through the field to take the lead. The race went 103 laps caution free before the first yellow flag came out for debris. After that, a series of caution periods bunched up the field and helped Holmes close in on David Mayhew.
Mayhew led the most laps in the race. But Holmes took the lead on lap 113 and held it for the final 38 laps of the race.
"The late yellows there were a little nerve racking having to go through those restarts again," Holmes said. "The car was real good on the bottom, got some great restarts, brought the NAPA Toyota back to victory lane."
Mayhew finished second, followed by Moses Smith in third. Smith was able to avoid a late crash between Travis Bennett, Paulie Harraka and Greg Pursley.
Pursley won the pole and led the first 18 laps of the race. Mayhew took the lead on lap 19 and held it for 94 laps. Mayhew and Holmes raced side-by-side over the last 20 laps, but Holmes was able to pull away at the end.
Jonathon Gomez finished fourth, followed by Gary Lewis in fifth. Lewis, a driver from Bothel, Wash., won the Best of the West Tundra 125 late model race at Montana Raceway Park earlier in the night.

Live from Montana Raceway Park

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West is making its first visit to Montana Raceway Park in Kalispell. The tiny quarter-mile oval is being compared to the old Mesa Marin track in Bakersfield by some of the drivers.
Greg Pursley won the pole for the race. It was his second pole of the K&N Pro Series West season.
Rookie driver Justin Funkhouser was the last driver to arrive at the track. His truck towing his car and carrying his crew overheated in Nevada and he didn't make it to the track until the middle of the second practice session on Friday.
Jack Sellers is making his 238th career West Series start, the second most among West Series drivers.

Photo: Greg Pursley won the pole for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Montana Raceway Park.

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.

Auggie Vidovich Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale

Auggie Vidovich Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale

Going up against the top drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, Auggie Vidovich won the King Taco 200 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
He held off challenges from West Series regulars Blake Koch and Greg Pursley to win the first West Series race of his career.
Pursley won the pole and led the first 42 laps of the race. But he got a flat tire and hit the backstretch wall on lap 43.
Koch led 11 laps, but was passed by Vidovich on lap 59 and led the rest of the way.
Go to the K&N website for more on the West Series race from Toyota Speedway.

Photo: Auggie Vidovich won the first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race of his career at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Auggie Vidovich wins first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race of his career

Auggie Vidovich won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Toyota Speedway on Saturday night as one of his contenders fell off the pace and stalled with two laps to go.
Vidovich won the first West Series race of his career. It was his first win in three West Series starts this year.
Brennan Newberry of Bakersfield was running in second place when his car slowed in the waning laps of the King Taco 200. He stalled in turn 2 with two laps to go. Blake Koch passed him for second place and Brett Thompson benefited with a third-place showing, matching his best finish at Irwindale in 14 West Series starts.
“The car was all right,” Vidovich said. “Blake, I thought he was the one who was going to get me. I was driving my heart out. Then Newberry got in position and I didn’t see much out of him, so then I just rode. When he stalled, I had a big enough lead. It really didn’t matter I don’t think.”
For Blake, it was his third top-five finish and his fourth top-10 finish in six West Series races this year.
“In the first half of the race, I was cool right there in fifth just holding my own,” Koch said. “We had a pretty good car on the bottom. Toward the end, we got a couple restarts with Auggie. I saw earlier that I could catch him and he had to go to the bottom. I knew if I could clear him once and stick him on the bottom, it would be tough for him to get back by me. I did it once, he got back behind me. We were racing good and clean. Auggie had a real good car.”
Thompson posted his second top-10 finish in three West Series races this year.
“We’re happy with a third place,” Thompson said. “We’ve had such a rough season to begin with. To bring it home in the top three, we’re pretty proud of that.”
Greg Pursley won the pole and led the first 42 laps of the race. He hit the backstretch wall on lap 43 and had to pull into the pits. He finished 29th.
Eric Holmes, who entered the Irwindale race at the leader in the West Series standings, finished 10th.
The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race is at Portland International Raceway in Oregon on July 18.
In the NASCAR Late Model race at Irwindale, R.J. Johnson, a driver from  Canyon Country, won his fifth race of the season and closed in on the lead in the Late Model standings at the track.
Johnson is two points behind Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills, the reigning Late Model champion at Irwindale. Joanides finished second. Derek Thorn was third.

Photo: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Auggie Vidovich won the King Taco 200 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West visits Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West visits Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

Brandon Davis of Huntington Beach will be making his second start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West for Bill McAnally Racing in the King Taco 200 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
Davis is coming off an impressive third-place finish in the West Series race at Infineon Raceway two weeks ago. The former SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge GT champion will be making his first start on a NASCAR short track. Toyota Speedway is a half-mile oval.
Davis is one of four drivers from Bill McAnally Racing entered in the West Series race at Irwindale. Eric Holmes, the leader in the West Series standings, Paulie Harraka, the reigning West Series rookie of the year, and Moses Smith are entered in the race for Bill McAnally Racing.

Photo: Jason Bowles (31) leads a pack of NASCAR K&N Pro Series West cars through Infineon Raceway in Sonoma on June 19. The West Series is visiting Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.

More on Andrew Ranger's NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win in Sonoma

Fuel strategy played a big role in Andrew Ranger's NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
Ranger and runner-up Paulie Harraka had barely enough fuel to finish the race.
Jason Bowles, winner of the previous two West Series races at Sonoma, ran out of fuel 100 feet from the finish line. He was running in second place at the time. When the race was over, Bowles was in 22nd place.
Go to the K&N website for more on Ranger's win and the West Series race in Sonoma.

Photo: Andrew Ranger won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma on Saturday. (Getty Images)

Andrew Ranger win first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race of his career

Andrew Ranger, a driver from Roxton Pond, Quebec, won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. It was the first West Series win of his career.
Ranger, a two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion and former driver in the Champ Car Series, took the lead in the race on lap 49 from David Gilliland and led the final 15 laps.
Ranger held off Jason Bowles, the reigning West Series champion and winner of the previous two West Series races at Infineon Raceway.

Paulie Harraka climbs back in contention for NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship

Paulie Harraka took advantage of a puttering car driven by Jason Bowles and finished second in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
Harraka passed Bowles who ran out of fuel 100 feet from the finish line. Bowles was running in second place when he ran out of gas.
Harraka recorded his best West Series finish since winning the opening night race at All American Speedway in Roseville. Harraka moved into third place in the West Series standings, behind leader Eric Holmes and David Mayhew.

Brandon Davis finishes third in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway

Brandon Davis, a driver from Huntington Beach, finished third in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
Davis was making his second career West Series start. His third-place finish was his best in his brief West Series career.
Davis jumped into third place after Jason Bowles ran out of fuel 100 feet from the finish line. Bowles, who was in search of his third straight West Series win at Sonoma, was running in second place when he ran out of gas.

Ranger wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race in Sonoma

Talk about a fuel shortage.
Andrew Ranger won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma on Saturday and ran out of fuel on his warm-down lap around the Northern California road course.
Jason Bowles ran out of gas 100 feet from the finish line and saw his second-place spot slowly slip away to 22nd.
Paulie Harraka, the runner-up in the West Series race, said he was shutting down his engine during caution laps to conserve fuel.
It ended up being a good day for the West Series regulars on a crash-filled race around the 1.99 road course. There were six caution periods for 14 laps, but a number of cars ended their day with dented fenders and crumpled bumpers.
Harraka had his best finish since winning the season opener at All America Speedway in Roseville in March. Brandon Davis, a driver from Huntington Beach making his second career West Series start, finished third, his best career finish in the West Series.
Eric Holmes, a two-time West Series champion, was fourth. He was followed by Michael Self, a rookie driver from Park City, Utah, in fifth. Holmes took over the lead in the West Series standings and leads David Mayhew by 24 points.
Bowles, who won the pole for the race, was looking to win his third straight West Series race at Sonoma. The reigning West Series champion from Ontario won the previous two West Series races at Infineon Raceway.
Carlsbad’s Boris Said, a road-course ringer and one of three drivers in the West Series race who also qualified for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, started on the front row with Bowles. Said ended up 14th.
David Gilliland, a Sprint Cup Series regular and a driver from Riverside, started the race fifth, but ended up in 28th place. He led the most laps in the race, including a stretch of 14 from laps 29-43. Ranger passed Gilliland on lap 44, but Gilliland regained the lead on lap 45. Ranger took the lead for good on lap 46.
Mattias Ekstrom, a driver from Sweden who will be in the No. 83 Toyota for Red Bull Racing in the Cup race, started 11th, but ran into trouble early, spinning off the course, and finished 36th.
It wasn’t a good day for Mayhew, who entered the race as the leader in the West Series standings. He started on the second row and in the third spot, but had mechanical problems and finished 23rd.
Greg Pursley, who started the day in third place in the West Series standings, was spun out by Jim Inglebright on a restart and crashed with Jonathon Gomez on lap 40. Pursley finished 27th and dropped to seventh place in the West Series standings.

Photo: Eric Holmes took over the lead in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings with a fourth-place finish at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma on Saturday.