WENATCHEE, WA (March 16, 2018)

As the season opener draws near, the Northwest Super Late Model Series Inc. (NWSLMS) is pleased to announce the 2018 Points Fund and Contingency Prizes to registered drivers. Series Director, Jarrod Goodwin, who has been working diligently during the off season, is excited that the series is able to offer something back to its drivers. “We pride ourselves on having some of the best drivers in the northwest compete with our series. Being able to let them know how much we appreciate them makes it even better,” Goodwin noted.

2018 Points Fund Payout
Points Fund Eligibility Rules:
*Driver must compete in 7 of the 8 scheduled races to be eligible for the point’s fund.

* All cars must run series provided contingency decals & patches on all main events to be eligible for any of the contingency awards. If you do not run the decal package on even one event it will make you ineligible for any contingency awards for the year.



Individual Race Contingency Sponsors:
Longacre Racing Products
* $50 gift certificate for longest tow to the race that day.
* $50 gift certificate for “Move of the Race”

Hoosier Tires
* Starting at race one, three random drivers in the top ten in series points will receive one (1) tire per race at no charge.

Ti Company
* $100.00 cash and plaque for “The Hard Charger”. The driver who gains the most positions from their starting position. In the event of a tie it will be awarded to whoever started the furthest back in starting position.

Wheel Chill
* (1) $200 Certificate towards Wheel Chill to series Champion
* (8)/One for each race - $100 Wheel Chill Certificate to race pole position
* (8)/One for each race - $25 Certificate towards Driver Blowers, awarded to random draw for position 10-24 at each race.
* (8)/One for each race - $25 Certificate towards Grill Chill, awarded to random draw for position 10-24 at each race.

Joe’s Racing Products
* Hard Luck Award awarded to the driver with the worst luck of the night.
This Driver will receive Joe’s racing Products newest tire gauge.

More to be added at a later date!!!

Please note that all race contingency sponsor awards will be awarded at the following event from which it was won at during the drivers meeting.

For additional information, please contact Jarrod Goodwin (509) 879-5082.

In their fifth season, the Northwest Super Late Model Series Inc. is the premier regional touring Super Late Model series in the Pacific Northwest. The series has many valued marketing partner including Hoosier Racing Tire, McGunegill Engine Performance, AR Bodies, Accelerated Graphics, Five Star Bodies, Longacre Racing Products, Franks Racing Radio, Jefferson Pitts Racing, Bassett Wheels, TI Company, Pacific Steel Structures, LLC, Leonard Evans Used Car Super Store and Racing Dynamiks. For more information on the series visit www.nwsuperlatemodels.com or on Social Media, Facebook (NWSLMS) or Twitter (@nw_latemodels).

Photo Courtesy Don Thompson

Via Austin Herzog PR

CLOVIS, CALIFORNIA (March 16, 2018) – 15 year-old Austin Herzog of Clovis, CA made the most of his maiden voyage in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West on Thursday night, taking home an eighth place finish at Kern County Raceway Park. Herzog drove the #77 LC Services / Superior Door & Building Materials Ford for Jefferson Pitts Racing at the half-mile speedway.

“Its crazy. We worked so hard to get into this race. Hopefully we can figure something out for the rest of the year,” Herzog said. “I would really like to drive for Jefferson Pitts Racing. They’re by far the best K&N team for me and my family. I feel ready and I can’t wait to get back in this car. It’s a whole another level. I think we’ll just settle in and get where everyone else is pretty soon.”

Herzog ran as high as sixth in the final practice session during the afternoon and qualified 11th fastest out of the 23 competitors on hand. The race’s youngest driver, Herzog got underway in the midst of heavy battling early in the race. By the 50th lap, he had moved past Rod Johnson, Jr. for 12th place before Johnson got back around him before the lap 65 break.

Adjustments led by crew chief Charlie Wilson freed up the car and allowed Herzog to engage in an entertaining duel with fellow Jr. Late Model graduate Hailie Deegan. Herzog went around Deegan on the outside for ninth before a caution flag. On the ensuing restart, the duo went toe to toe for another half dozen laps with Deegan getting the position on the outside herself.

Herzog was running 12th at the second and final scheduled break at lap 125 and elected not to pit. The restart proved strong for Herzog as he darted back into the top-ten and ran in a closely wound pack the rest of the way. Things began to tighten up on the final lap. An incident in front of Herzog allowed him to sneak through for an eighth place finish at the stripe. Herzog also managed to be the second highest finishing JPR entry as well.

“My crew chief gave me an awesome handling car. We got a little tight halfway through the race but that just goes along with tire wear. Without him giving us that perfect car we wouldn’t have been able to get through the field like we did."

Race fans can keep up on all of the action for Austin Herzog Motorsports at www.AustinHerzogRacing.com Austin Herzog Motorsports can also be found on Facebook.

Austin Herzog thanks LC Services, Superior Door & Building Materials, Sanger Concrete, Castech Pest Services, and Richard Herzog Construction & Solar for their support of his NASCAR K&N West Series debut.

Via NASCAR Media

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Kern County Raceway Park is in Kevin Harvick’s hometown, but the track is clearly Derek Kraus’s kingdom.

Kraus solidified his claim to the throne by use of force en route to his second straight NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win at Kern County Raceway Park in the Bakersfield 175 presented by NAPA Auto Parts.

Battling Harvick for the lead on the final restart, Kraus’ Toyota pushed Harvick up the track in Turn 4 and knocked the hottest driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series out of contention.

Harvick slide back to ninth, while Kraus’ teammate, Cole Rouse, took the lead in that melee. But Rouse eventually ceded it to Kraus in lapped traffic on Lap 159.

“That was really fun,” Kraus said. “Going into 3 and 4 inside of Kevin, I really didn’t mean to get into him. I thought we were three ride and I entered a little higher than I normally would with a guy inside of me. I hate it for him, but that’s short track racing so you’ve got to get through that.”

Harvick spent the past week championing grass roots, short track racing and his entry in the Bakersfield 175 helped pack the grandstands Thursday night. And all signs pointed to a happy Harvick homecoming as he started from the pole and led the first 132 laps.

When asked if he was surprised about the final restart, Harvick said he “was surprised I got run over” but thanked the fans who came out for the 2018 K&N Pro Series West season opener.

For Kraus, he started his 2018 right where he left off last year: In Victory Lane at Kern. The 16-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin, capped his 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year campaign with his first career series’ win in the finale, and looked ready to assume the mantle of the No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota. Kraus moved into the ride vacated by two-time series champion Todd Gilliland, who has moved up to the national series.

Derek Thorn finished second, followed by Rouse. Without a caution in the closing laps to close the field, Harvick was only able to get back to fourth at the finish. Ryan Partridge rounded out the top five, setting the stage for what looks like a year-long battle between Bob Bruncati’s Sunrise Ford team with Thorn and Partridge, and the Bill McAnally Racing stable that saw Kraus and Rouse running up front.

In fact, Bruncati’s third car of Trevor Huddleston finished sixth, while BMR’s Hailie Deegan was seventh in her series debut. Fellow rookies Austin Herzog, Rod Johnson Jr. and Reid Lanpher followed to round out the top 10.

Fans can watch all of the action at 11 p.m. ET, March 20 on NBCSN.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West returns to the track on Saturday, May 5 with twin 100-lap features at Arizona’s Tucson Speedway.

Contact:
Jason Christley
NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications
(386) 310-6094
jchristley@nascar.com

NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES WEST-Bakersfield 175 presented by NAPA Auto Parts Results
Thursday
At Kern County Raceway Park
Bakersfield
Lap length: 0.5 miles

(Start position in parentheses)
1. (6) Derek Kraus, Stratford, Wis., Toyota, 175 laps, 64.762 mph.
2. (12) Derek Thorn, Lakeport, Calif., Ford, 175.
3. (2) Cole Rouse, Fort Smith, Ark., Toyota, 175.
4. (1) Kevin Harvick, Charlotte, NC, Ford, 175.
5. (5) Ryan Partridge, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Ford, 175.
6. (9) Trevor Huddleston, Agoura Hills, Calif., Ford, 175.
7. (8) Hailie Deegan, Temecula, Calif, Toyota, 175.
8. (11) Austin Herzog, Clovis, Calif., Ford, 175.
9. (14) Rod Johnson Jr., Canyon Country, Calif., Ford, 175.
10. (10) Reid Lanpher, Manchester, Maine, Ford, 175.
11. (13) Matt Levin, Tucson, Ariz., Chevrolet, 174.
12. (3) David Mayhew, Atascadero, Calif., Chevrolet, 174.
13. (16) Ron Norman, Tucson, Ariz., Chevrolet, 174.
14. (19) Bill Kann, Scottsdale, Ariz., Chevrolet, 174.
15. (18) Travis Milburn, Eagle, Idaho, Chevrolet, 174.
16. (4) Will Rodgers, Solvang, Calif., Ford, 174.
17. (23) Salvatore Iovino, Los Angeles, Calif., Ford, 160.
18. (21) Rich DeLong III, Santa Clarita, Calif., Chevrolet, 155.
19. (22) Andrew Tuttle, Eagle, Idaho, Chevrolet, 155.
20. (20) Takuma Koga, Nagoya, Japan, Chevrolet, 132.
21. (7) Kody Vanderwal, LaSalle, Colo, Ford, 128, overheating.
22. (15) Todd Souza, Aromas, Calif., Toyota, 89, accident.
23. (17) Jesse Iwuji, Carrolton, Texas, Chevrolet, 78.

Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 21 minutes 4 seconds
Margin of Victory: 1.154 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: K.Harvick (99.124 mph, 18.159 seconds)
Caution Flags: 5 for 21 laps.
Lead Changes: 2 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: K. Harvick 1-132; C. Rouse 133-158; D. Kraus 159-175.
Standings: 1. D. Kraus, 47; 2. D. Thorn, 42; 3. C. Rouse, 42; 4. K. Harvick, 42; 5. R. Partridge, 39; 6. T. Huddleston, 38; 7. H. Deegan, 37; 8. A. Herzog, 36; 9. R. Johnson,Jr., 35; 10. R. Lanpher, 34.

Via PCS Media

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (March 15, 2018) – The season opener for the Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com set for Saturday at Madera Speedway has been postponed due to weather. Rainy conditions forced cancellation of Friday practice and unsettled weather on Saturday was also a factor.

A reschedule date will be announced at a later date. The Pacific Challenge Series is set for eight races in 2018 across four different race tracks, with the next scheduled race on April 21 at Shasta Speedway in Anderson, CA.

For more information on the Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com, visit www.PacificChallengeSeries.com or follow them on Facebook or YouTube

The Pacific Challenge Series is presented by: Penney Racing Supply, Penney & Associates, American Racer Tires, Radio Law Talk, Compact-It, Northwest Compactors, Naake Suspension, Sunoco Fuels, Five Star Bodies, BrakeOMeter, Lefthander Chassis, ARP Bodies, Joes Racing Products, Bassett Wheels, Frank's Radio, WrapStar Pro, and Blakesley Sports Media. All PCS Super Late Models race ABC Bodies or Muscle Car bodies on American Racer Tires with Sunoco Racing Fuel.

2018 Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com Schedule
Subject to Change
March 17 Madera Speedway (Madera, CA) *POSTPONED*
April 21 Shasta Speedway (Anderson, CA) *Kool April Nights*
May 19 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *Return to Roseville*
June 23 Shasta Speedway (Anderson, CA) *Shasta Fair*
July 21 Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, CA) *Summer Classic*
August 11 Madera Speedway (Madera, CA) *Thunder & Lightning II w/ USAC & 360 Supers*
September 8 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *Back to School*
October 13 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *October Classic 100*

Prepared by Blakesley Sports Media

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA (March 14, 2018) – The final event of the 2017-18 Winter Series at Bakersfield Karting Experience is this Friday with racing for Open and Stock Appearing Dirt Flat Karts. Pits open at 2pm with racing at 7pm The BKE rental karts will also be available throughout the program giving fans the chance to be in the racing program!

2017-18 Winter Series CHAMPIONS
OPEN OUTLAWS: Larry Moody
SR. MINI DWARFS: Jett Yantis
JR. MINI DWARFS: Bryson Martin
JR. JR. MINI DWARFS: Emma McKellar

NASCAR STARS Ryan Reed of Bakersfield and Ryan Truex are both expected to be a part of Wednesday's League Night! Don't miss it!

SATURDAY'S SX PARTY begins at 5 p.m. and includes drink specials for St. Patrick's Day!

Bakersfield Karting Experience is a state of the art, complete entertainment venue! RC car racing, oval dirt kart racing, golf simulator, arcade games, and food and drink specials. BKE is open to the public 6 days a week with karts available for rent for a single race or for group outings. Birthday parties and private room rentals round out the extensive options for a night out or for a great get together.

For more information, you can visit Bakersfield Karting Experience online at www.BakersfieldKE.com or on Facebook

Sponsorship and media inquiries can be directed to Jeff Thielscher at (661) 428-0911

Via PCS Media

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (March 13, 2018) – Madera Speedway’s busy spring continues with the opening round of the 2018 Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com on Saturday evening, with 75 laps of Super Late Model action on tap. It will mark the sixth series appearance at the popular one-third mile speedway.

PCS Super Late Models will be paired with the potent Western Winged Sprints and USAC Western US Midgets providing fans with plenty of open wheel racing as well. Modified Super Toyotas, F4s, and a Jr. Late Model exhibition race round out the busy card.

Parity has been the name of the game in the PCS for several seasons including six first-time winners in last year’s series. Carlos Vieira won the Madera season opener for his first career win. Popular Late Model and tour car standout Jacob Gomes has two career PCS wins – both at Madera.

Modesto’s Mike Beeler narrowly topped Granite Bay’s John Moore to grab the 2017 championship. 2015 Rookie of the Year Cole Moore finished third with one victory while two-time winner Matt Wendt, the 2016 Rookie of the Year, was fourth in the final rundown. 2017 Rookie of the Year Jack Wood was unable to grab a win but still finished fifth in the championship ahead of his cousin Travis Milburn. El Dorado Hills’ Jason Romero, Valley Springs’ Tracy Bolin, Elk Grove’s Mike Hite, and Pine Grove’s Matt Scott made up the rest of the top-ten. Other winners included Derek Copeland at Shasta, Jeff Bischofberger at Stockton, and Randy Hedrick at Ukiah.

Saturday’s show will be run as an early season “matinee”. Friday practice will open activities with pit gates opening at 3 pm and practice from 5pm – 8pm. On Saturday, pit gates will open early at 10am with practice running from 11am -1:15pm. Qualifying will follow. The American Racer Tire dash will be at 3:15 with main events to follow. The 75 lap feature is the final race scheduled for the exciting evening, tentatively going green at 5:30pm.

Ticket Prices are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military, $7 for youth ages 6-12 and kids five and under are free

For more information on the Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com, visit www.PacificChallengeSeries.com or follow them on Facebook or YouTube

The Pacific Challenge Series is presented by: Penney Racing Supply, Penney & Associates, American Racer Tires, Radio Law Talk, Compact-It, Northwest Compactors, Naake Suspension, Sunoco Fuels, Five Star Bodies, BrakeOMeter, Lefthander Chassis, ARP Bodies, Joes Racing Products, Bassett Wheels, Frank's Radio, WrapStar Pro, and Blakesley Sports Media. All PCS Super Late Models race ABC Bodies or Muscle Car bodies on American Racer Tires with Sunoco Racing Fuel.

2018 Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com Schedule
Subject to Change
March 17 Madera Speedway (Madera, CA) *Thunder & Lightning w/ USAC & Winged Sprints*
April 21 Shasta Speedway (Anderson, CA) *Kool April Nights*
May 19 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *Return to Roseville*
June 23 Shasta Speedway (Anderson, CA) *Shasta Fair*
July 21 Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, CA) *Summer Classic*
August 11 Madera Speedway (Madera, CA) *Thunder & Lightning II w/ USAC & 360 Supers*
September 8 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *Back to School*
October 13 All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *October Classic 100*

10am PIT GATES OPEN

11am PUSH OFF & FIRE Winged Sprints

11:15–1:00 PRACTICE (2 sessions each class)
F4’s (5 mins)
MST’s (5 mins)
Western US Midgets (5 mins)
Winged Sprints (5 mins)
Jr Late Models (5 mins)
PCS Late Models (20 mins)

1:00 QUALIFYING
F4’s
MST’s
Western US Midgets
Winged Sprints
Jr Late Models
PCS Late Models

2pm DRIVERS MEETINGS

2:30 HEATS (8 laps)
F4’s (6 laps)
MST’s (6 laps)
Western US Midgets
Winged Sprints

3:15pm Main Events
PCS Late Models Dash for Cash
F4’s (30 laps) 20 mins
MST’s (30 Laps) 20 mins

4pm Opening Ceremonies
Western US Midgets (30 Laps) 20 mins
Winged Sprints (40 laps) 25 mins
Jr Late Models (30 Laps) 25 mins
PCS Late Models (75 Laps)

Kody Vanderwal had seven top 10 finished last year in his first season in the K&N Pro Series West (Photo Courtesy Otto Kitsinger/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Via NASCAR Media

Kody Vanderwal will be making his third visit with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West to Kern County Park Raceway in California on Thursday.

To think, Vanderwal almost didn’t make it to his first race at Kern.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season opens in Kern County. Vanderwal, a 17-year-old driver from Colorado, is entering his second season in the K&N Pro Series West. He was supposed to race only one time, the season opener at Tucson Speedway in Arizona last year. But he continued, entering every K&N Pro Series West race and finishing in the top 10 in the K&N Pro Series West standings.

He doesn’t measure the success of his first season by the results of his races. He considers it a success because he started and finished every race on the schedule. He had two top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 14 races.

“I would definitely say it was successful considering the fact that it wasn’t planned at all,” Vanderwal said. “It was originally supposed to be just a one-race deal for the season opener in Tucson and it kind of snowballed into the full season. The end of the season wasn’t all that great. Still in the grand scheme of things ninth place in points was successful for our rookie campaign.”

Kyle Vanderwal had seven top 10 finishes last year in his first season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

Vanderwal didn’t start racing until he was 11 years old. But he remembers going to the race track with his dad when he was 6. He was able to work in the pit areas during the races and in the garage during the week. He was always around his dad, Rudy Vanderwal, and his cars.

When Kody turned 11, his dad put together a 1972 Monte Carlo for him to run in enduro races.

“That taught me a lot about how to pass cars, how to draft, how to control a car,” Vanderwal said. “Never had a whole lot of success doing that up until we modified that car slightly bit and took it to Colorado National when I turned 14 for the pure stock class. Nearly won my first race out. Ended up winning three races and finishing second in all but two of the other ones.”

Kody Vanderwal said he returned to dirt track racing after a stint on the asphalt track at Colorado National Speedway. But he has yet to win a race on a dirt track.

“I never did win a race. Something always happened,” Kody Vanderwal said. “I either ran out of fuel or broke a wire or had a flat tire or whatever, you name it. I still have never won a dirt main event.”

He will get another chance on the dirt when the K&N Pro Series West visits the dirt track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 30.

Kody Vanderwal is a junior in high school. He has been homeschooled and will be managing his school schedule with his K&N Pro Series West schedule and racing super late models at Colorado National Speedway. He also plays football for the Dayspring Christian Academy eight-man team. He’s a defensive end and offensive guard. But he is debating whether to play football in his senior season.

“I’ve never had a real passion for anything other than racing,” Kody Vanderwal said. “I’ve played football since the first grade. I may or may not play my senior year. I played last year. I would most likely be a starter on varsity. I’m not sure whether schedules will work out or not.”

His focus is on racing. He wants to improve on his rookie campaign. He knows the field in the K&N Pro Series West is competitive and talented. He got a taste of the depth of the field at the K&N Pro Series East season opener at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. He finished 11th in a car prepared by Bill McAnally Racing in a field that included some of the top teams and drivers from the K&N Pro Series East and West.

Vanderwal finished ninth in his first race at Kern County. He didn’t have quite the same result in his second trip to Kern County, in the season finale. He crashed his car in practice finished 18th in the team’s back-up car.

Vanderwal said he is looking forward to returning to the track in Bakersfield in the No. 43 Bultrite Signs/LaSalle Oil Toyota. His team, which is a joint effort between Patriot Motorsports Group and Flying Dutchman Racing, has expanded to two cars and is committed to running a full season. He has experience on the tracks in the K&N Pro Series West, which should translate into better results. He knows where he can improve at Kern County from the two races from last year.

“We should have had seventh (in the first race). I threw it away on one of the restarts,” Vanderwal said. “I guess that was inexperience. The last race of the season, we blew a right front (tire) in practice and destroyed the primary car. The backup car was hardly worthy of being on the track. It wasn’t a very good race for us. But we showed some speed in practice.”

The Bakersfield 175 presented by NAPA Auto Parts at Kern County Raceway Park will practice and qualify Thursday afternoon, with the green flag scheduled for approximately 8:15 p.m.

He has high expectations, but he doesn’t know exactly what kind of potential his team has.

“I don’t know exactly what to expect,” he said. “I know our cars are going to be more prepared. Our team is going to be more experienced. I’m going to be more experienced, so I expect to run better. I don’t know exactly what to expect about how much better.

“Basically, we’re trying to compete for a win. That’s what everybody is doing. What else are we doing if we’re not trying to win?”

News & Notes
The Numbers Game: Bill McAnally Racing will feature a slightly different look this year, as two-time defending champion Todd Gilliland moves up to the national series, and 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Derek Kraus slides into the seat of the No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota. Kraus won at Kern to close out last year in the No. 19. That car number is now with BMR’s Hailie Deegan, a NASCAR Next driver and series’ rookie. And Cole Rouse, won won the CARS Late Model title last season, returns to the K&N Pro Series West in the No. 99 NAPA Filters Toyota.

Rouse finished eighth in 2016 in the West in the No. 6 for Bob Bruncati. That ride for Sunrise Ford will be filled by Derek Thorn, who won five times in it between 2012-13 and won the series championship in ’13.

Thorn has a pair of sixth-place finishes at Kern, and also won Kern’s big money Super Late Model race, the Winter Showdown, in 2017.

Rod Johnson Jr., who ran the No. 4 at Kern in last year’s finale, will pilot the No. 44 Thursday to allow Harvick to run his No. 4 for fans who follow his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series successes.

Return Engagement: David Mayhew posted a pair of top five finishes in his two starts last year, and he’ll return to Kern Thursday in the No. 17 MMI Services Chevrolet. Mayhew, who has 10 career K&N Pro Series West wins, has led the most (146) laps of any competitor at the Bakersfield half-mile. He has four top fives in six races there. He also won an astounding 15 times in the Late Model division at Kern in 2013 en route to the track’s inaugural NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I title.

Nothing New: While this is the season opener for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, seven drivers in the field already have K&N Pro Series track time and experience on the new radial tires this year thanks to running the East opener at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway last month. Rouse finished second and Kraus was fourth in the New Smyrna 175. Deegan, Salvatore Iovino, Jesse Iwuji, Andrew Tuttle and Vanderwal also made their season debuts in Florida.

Streaking: Harvick has made plenty of headlines with his three straight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins this season. He enters Thursday on another winning streak: Two straight K&N Pro Series victories. Prior to his win at Sonoma Raceway last year, Harvick was the highest finishing West driver (second overall to a then 16-year-old Joey Logano) in the inaugural combination race at Iowa Speedway in 2007. He was credited with a West win, under the race rules at the time. His previous start before that? He was 13th in the 2005 West opener at Phoenix.

Full Schedule: In addition to the K&N Pro Series West opener, Thursday night at Kern will also feature the track’s Whelen All-American Series Late Model division. Harvick will serve as Grand Marshal for the Happy Harvick 50 for the division. Kern’s Super Stock and Les Schwab Tires Spec-Mod divisions headline the racing on Saturday, March 24.

Via NASCAR Media

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West kicks off Thursday with the Bakersfield 175 presented by NAPA Auto Parts at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California, and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour gets underway Saturday night with the Performance Plus 150 presented by Safety-Kleen at South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach Speedway.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

It’s been 19 years since Kevin Harvick has been to Victory Lane in a NASCAR race in his hometown, and he’s looking to go back.

The 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion returns home to compete in the K&N Pro Series West opener, as a lead-in to the national series doubleheader weekend down the road at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Harvick, who will pilot one of the four Jefferson Pitts Racing entries, ran at the old Mesa Marin Speedway in the West Series as well as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the former NASCAR Southwest Series. While he had a best finish of third in six West starts and runner-up in five Truck starts, he won the final two of his 12 Southeast Series races at the now bulldozed half-mile.

The fast half-mile, state-of-the-art Kern facility now resides in Bakersfield, and Harvick will head a field of talented young drivers looking to make their own name.

Jefferson Pitts Racing will have a trio of rising stars as Harvick’s teammates, led by 24-year-old Will Rodgers, who impressed in a runner-up finish to Harvick in the West race at Sonoma last year. Austin Herzog, 15, will make his series debut, while Reid Lanpher, 19, is making the trek from Maine to get additional seat time prior to running in the K&N Pro East race at Bristol in April.

While two-time defending series champion Todd Gilliland, who has two wins at Kern, is not entered the event, his former team, Bill McAnally Racing, features a stable of drivers that also includes 2017 series’ Sunoco Rookie of the Year Derek Kraus, NASCAR Next driver Hailie Deegan and Cole Rouse. Meanwhile, Bruncati Racing will look to end BMR’s run of three straight titles with former champion Derek Thorn and 2016 series’ runner-up Ryan Partridge. They’ll be joined by 2017 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship runner-up Trevor Huddleston, Kern’s 2017 Late Model Division champion.

RACE FACTS

RACE
BAKERSFIELD 175 PRESENTED BY NAPA AUTO PARTS

PLACE
Kern County Raceway Park, Bakersfield, Calif.

DATE
Thursday, March 15

TIME
8:15 p.m. PT

TELEVISION
NBCSN, Tuesday, March 20 – 11 p.m. ET

TRACK LAYOUT
Half-mile oval

2017 WINNER
Todd Gilliland

2017 POLE
Todd Gilliland

EVENT SCHEDULE
Thursday — Garage opens: 9 a.m. PT; Practice: 1-1:45 p.m. and 2-2:45 p.m.; Group qualifying: 5:45 p.m.; Bakersfield 175 presented by NAPA Auto Parts: 8:15 p.m.

TWITTER
@KernRaceway

HASHTAG
#Bakersfield175 #KNWest


CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The maximum starting field is 26 cars, including provisionals.

Qualifying groups will be determined by each vehicle’s overall fastest single lap from the official practice sessions.

The first 22 cars will secure starting positions based on the two-lap qualifying session. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process.

The BAKERSFIELD 175 presented by NAPA AUTO PARTS will be 175 laps (88 miles) to be run in three (3) segments. The five (5) minute breaks will occur at or near the conclusion of Laps 63 and 125. 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 for a total of eight (8) tires.

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 for a total of eight (8) tires.