K&N West Series rookie Kwasniewski leads every lap to take the Toyota/NAPA 150

Saturday, 06 August 2011 20:37

(Dacono, CO - 08-06-2011) A warm summer evening was the setting for this years K&N Pro Series West Toyota/NAPA 150. The touring series didn't disappoint as they thrilled the huge CNS crowd for 150 laps putting on one of the cleanest shows of the year at Colorado National Speedway.

Once every year the K&N Pro Series West touring series makes a visit to CNS and they battle it out in the Toyota/NAPA 150. The K&N Pro Series features drivers from all over North America in cars that are dramatically different from the late model division that races at CNS. Therefore you rarely see any of the CNS regulars get a chance to compete in this major event. Yet this year CNS's Chris Eggleston and last year's champion "Speedy" Ronnie Hults had both found a ride in the event which had the CNS fans buzzing. When qualifying was complete K&N Series rookie #03 Dylan Kwasniewski from Las Vegas Nevada in a Ford locked down the pole position with a 16.491. Local favorites Chris Eggleston and Speedy Ronnie Hults qualified in the 13th and 16th positions respectively.

When they lined up for the feature it was 16 year old Kwasniewski on the point and #26 Greg Pursley outside of row one. Tucson Arizona's #59 Alex Bowman was inside row two alongside #6 Luis Martinez Jr.

In the early stages of the race it was clear that Kwasniewski was the car to beat as he built a large lead and began to lap slower cars. Bowman had worked his way into second at lap 60 and was beginning to gain on the race leader. At the halfway point Kwasniewski maintained the lead followed by Bowman, Pursley, Martinez, and last years race winner #20 Eric Holmes. With just 5 laps to go, 2nd place Bowman made contact with the leader and sent him spinning into turn 2. When track announcer Marc Moser announced that Bowman was sent to the rear for aggressive driving the crowd agreed and erupted with a large cheer. That set up a sprint to the finish between #02 Dylan Kwasniewski, West series point leader #26 Pursley and #61 Brett Thompson. Yet nobody could stop young Kwasniewski as he raced to the checkered flag to take his first ever series win followed by Pursley, Thompson, Martinez Jr., Holmes.

NTC Logistics Super Stocks
#13 Racin' Jason Morris and #39 Jack "don't call me Ted" Nugent jumped out to an early lead in the Super Stock feature event with #46 Lightning Rick Lothert just a few car lengths behind. The leaders worked through lapped traffic bringing the crowd to their feet as they made daring pass after pass. Tires were smoking, doors were banging, cars were sideways as the drivers were putting on a great show narrowly avoiding disaster on each and every turn. With just two laps to go race leader Morris began to leak and then spun and hit the wall in turn 2. A green, white, checker closed out the action and Lothert took the win followed by Nugent, #3 Michael Cox, #61 John Humphrey, and #23 Harry Livermore Jr rounded out the top 5.

Qualifying race winners #75 Emilio Abeyta & #39 Jack Nugent

RMRLA Legends
#58 Kyle Ray absolutely dominated his heat race winning by a straightaway and proceeded to do the same thing in the main event jumping to the front past #6 Scotty Scott, #29 Scott Griffith, #06 Mike Gallegos, and #34 Chris Cooper. Ray then built a massive lead with #22 Chris Eggleston and #06 Mike Gallegos in 2nd and 3rd. With 9 laps to go Eggleston and Gallegos both left the race with mechanical problems. This opened the door for last year's champ #66 Kyle Clegg to challenge Ray for the lead. Yet Ray was the class of the field and not even Clegg could catch him for the win.

Qualifying race winners #58 Kyle Ray & #22 Chris Eggleston

A Comfort Shack Figure 8's
Nick "the quick" Martinez had not been in a Figure 8 car at CNS for a long time after switching to the Sportsman and Late Model division. Yet to the fans delight, Nick showed up driving Brandon Drieling's beautiful #10 car and was fast right out of the gate. Only the other Martinez (Smokin' Joe) was quicker and the two of them ran first and second lap after lap. The action heated up in the "X" causing track announcer Marc Moser to scream "look out now, look out!!!" dozens of times. With only a couple laps to go Big Al had caught up with second place Nick Martinez and made a daring outside pass to take the position. But in the end it was #24 Smokin' Joe Martinez, #23 Big Al Duran, #10 Nick "the quick" Martinez, #15 Jereme Wall, and #50 Justin Mckeachie rounded out the top five.

Qualifying race winners ##28 Vic Johnson & 15 Jereme Wall

K&N Pro Series West
1 #03 Dylan Kwasniewski
2 #26 Greg Pursley
3 #61 Brett Thompson
4 #6 Luis Martinez Jr
5 #20 Eric Holmes
6 #16 Moses Smith
7 #98 Chad Boat
8 #96 Ben Kennedy
9 #59 Alex Bowman
10 #38 Ryan Philpott
11 #14 Chris Eggleston
12 #71 Daryl Harr
13 #21 Michael Self
14 #2 Carl Harr
15 #88 John Wood
16 #07 Cassie Gannis
17 #15 Jack Sellers
18 #01 Grag Rayl
19 #5 Justin Funkhouser
20 #52 Ronnie Hults DNF

Super Stocks
1 #46 Richard Lothert, Loveland, CO, 78 Nova
2 #39 Jack Nugent   
3 #3 Michael Cox, Littleton, CO, 86 Impala
4 #61 John Humphrey, Cheyenne, WY, 79 Monte Carlo
5 #23 Harry Livermore, Englewood, CO, 85 Monte Carlo
6 #15X Scott Rhoades, Westminster, CO, 82 Impala
7 #02 Darrell Smith, Littleton, CO, 85 Caprice
8 #77 Kevin Keller, Englewood, CO, 79 Nova
9 #52 Don Patterson   
10 #90 Kyle Patee, Thornton, CO, 75 Chevelle
11 #05 David Rothrock, Golden, CO, 85 Chevy Caprice
12 #75 Emilio Abeyta, Denver, CO, 84 Cutless
13 #25 Kathy Calkins, Denver, CO, 78 Monte Carlo
14 #83 Greg Wohlcke, Westminster, CO   
15 #24 Dave Coblentz, Wellington, CO, 80 Grand Prix
16 #42 Dave Witzke   
17 #84 Brian Eubank, Fort Collins, CO, 85 Monte Carlo
18 #18 Chris Pinelli, Arvada, CO, Nova
DNF #13 Jason Morris, Denver, CO, 77 Nova
DNF #47 Donald McAtee       
DNF #9 Curtis Heldenbrand, Arvada, CO
DNS #72 Hans Brewster, Henderson, CO, 75 Nova

Legends
1 #58 Kyle Ray, Littleton, CO, 34 Ford Coupe
2 #66 Kyle Clegg, Westminster, CO, 34 Ford Coupe
3 #29 Scott Griffith, Colorado Springs, CO, 37 Chevy
4 #34 Chris Simons-Cooper, Frederick, CO, 34 Ford
5 #6 Scotty Scott   
6 #14 Terry Plummer       
7 #1 Eric Stedman, Woodland Park, CO, 34 Ford Coupe
8 #85 Cole MacEwen, Fort Collins, CO, 34 Ford Sedan
9 #13 Peter Dellarco, Highlands Ranch, CO   
10 #7 Corey Seip,   
11 #78 Brittany Duncan, Aurora, CO, 37 Ford Sedan
12 #77 Brandon Moore, Colorado Springs, CO   
13 #33 Trip Gaylord       
14 #44 Kevin Kurtz, Brighton, CO, 37 Sedan
15 #07 Bill Seip       
16 #52 Eric Hipkins, Woodland Park, CO, 34 Ford Coupe
17 #96 Rick Rusk, Aurora, CO, 34 Chevy Coupe
18 #25 Adam Pechman, Morrison, CO   
19 #4 Jon Kast, Lakewood, CO, 37 Chevy Sedan
20 #06 Mike Gallegos, Wheatridge, CO, 34 Ford Coupe
DNF #22 Chris Eggleson, Erie, CO   

Figure 8s
1 #24 Joe Martinez
2 #23 Al Duran
3 #10 Nick Martinez
4 #15 Jeremy Wall
5 #50 Justin McKeachie
6 #52 Jared Wall
7 #28 Vic Johnson
8 #16 Phil Taylor
9 #17 Harry Livermore Jr
10 #19 Bruce Wall
11 #03 Luke Zike
12 #95 Eddie Floyd Jr