2014-02-16

Second Career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Win For D4D, NASCAR Next Driver

For Immediate Release

 

Suarez Nets New Smyrna Win

Second Career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Win For D4D, NASCAR Next Driver

 

NEW SMYRNA, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2014) – Offseason did nothing to slow Daniel Suarez's momentum.

 

The Monterrey, Mexico, driver held off Cameron Hayley in a door-to-door battle of NASCAR's rising stars to win the New Smyrna 150 presented by JEGS Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway. The race was the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener and the inaugural visit to the banked half-mile.

 

Driving for Rev Racing and NASCAR's Drive for Diversity, the 22-year-old Suarez picked up his second career victory and gave Rev Racing its 13th win since 2010.

 

It marked Suarez's sixth top-three finishes in eight NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races dating back to last year. And it was his second straight NASCAR touring series win; Suarez won the NASCAR Toyota Mexico Series finale at Mexico City in November. Suarex is also a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights young, talented drivers.

 

Hayley, 17, won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award presented by Coors Brewing Company earlier in the day. But it was Suarez and Brandon Jones, 16, who led the way for most of the night. Jones led 34 laps before giving way to Suarez on Lap 48 and eventually finishing third.

 

Ben Rhodes and Lee Pulliam rounded out the top five. It was the series' debut for Pulliam, the two-time defending NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion.

 

A late race caution set the stage for tense closing laps. Pulliam restarted alongside Suarez, slipped up and dropped out of the top five.

 

That allowed Suarez to get away and Hayley to move back into second.

 

With four to go, Hayley muscled his way alongside Suarez. They rubbed and stayed side-by-side, with Suarez leading leading by inches to the white flag and beating Hayley to the finish by .083 seconds.

 

Kenzie Ruston finished sixth, followed by Gray Gaulding, Mackena Bell, Brandon Gdovic and rookie Kaz Grala.

 

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will get right back at it. The series will be part of the UNOH Battle At The Beach Tuesday on the backstretch at Daytona International Speedway, along with the non-points special event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours.

 

The New Smyrna 150 presented by JEGS will air on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday at 9 a.m.

 

Contact:

Shon Sbarra

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications

 

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST-New Smyrna 150 presented by JEGS Results

Sunday

At New Smyrna Speedway

New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Lap length: 0.48 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (11) Daniel Suarez, Monterrey, Mexico, Toyota, 150 laps, 65.587 mph.

2. (1) Cameron Hayley, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Chevrolet, 150.

3. (10) Brandon Jones, Atlanta, Ga., Chevrolet, 150.

4. (2) Ben Rhodes, Louisville, Ky., Chevrolet, 150.

5. (5) Lee Pulliam, Semora, N.C., Toyota, 150.

6. (6) Kenzie Ruston, El Reno, Okla., Chevrolet, 150.

7. (8) Gray Gaulding, Colonial Heights, Va., Chevrolet, 150.

8. (18) Mackena Bell, Carson City, Nev., Toyota, 150.

9. (17) Brandon Gdovic, Yorktown, Va., Toyota, 150.

10. (21) Kaz Grala, Westborough, Mass., Chevrolet, 150.

11. (24) Patrick Staropoli, Plantation, Fla., Toyota, 150.

12. (15) Matt Tifft, Hinckley, Ohio, Dodge, 150.

13. (16) Brennan Newberry, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 150.

14. (3) Brandon McReynolds, Mooresville, N.C., Toyota, 150.

15. (14) Nick Drake, Mooresville, N.C., Toyota, 150.

16. (12) David Garborcauskas, Jr., Stonington, Conn., Toyota, 150.

17. (22) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass., Chevrolet, 150.

18. (13) Jesse Little, Sherrills Ford, N.C., Chevrolet, 150.

19. (23) Ronnie Bassett, Jr., Winston Salem, NC, Toyota, 150.

20. (4) Brodie Kostecki, Perth, Australia, Toyota, 150.

21. (9) Scott Heckert, Ridgefield, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.

22. (20) Sergio Pena, Winchester, VA, Toyota, 149.

23. (25) Ryan Gifford, Winchester, Tenn., Toyota, 149.

24. (29) Jay Beasley, Las Vegas, Nev., Toyota, 149.

25. (19) Nathan Russell, Curwensville, PA, Chevrolet, 148.

26. (28) Clint King, Denton, N.C., Chevrolet, 135, off track.

27. (7) Austin Hill, Winston, Ga., Ford, 116, off track.

28. (27) Sam Hunt, Midlothian, VA, Toyota, 104.

29. (30) Rusty Skewes, Bluefield, Va., Chevrolet, 66, accident.

30. (26) Jerry Dawson, Saugus, Mass., Chevrolet, 58, handling.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour 5 minutes 52 seconds

Margin of Victory: .083 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: C.Hayley (93.522 mph, 18.477 seconds)

Caution Flags: 3 for 16 laps.

Lead Changes: 5 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C. Hayley (grid), A. Hill 1-3; K. Ruston 4-7; G. Gaulding 8-12; B. Jones 13-47; D. Suarez 48-150.

Standings: 1. D. Suarez, 48; 2. C. Hayley, 42; 3. B. Jones, 42; 4. B. Rhodes, 40; 5. L. Pulliam, 39; 6. K. Ruston, 39; 7. G. Gaulding, 38; 8. M. Bell, 36; 9. B. Gdovic, 35; 10. K. Grala, 34.

 

 

 

 


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Austin Dillon Puts No. 3 On Coors Light Pole For The Daytona 500

Austin Dillon Puts No. 3 On Coors Light Pole For The Daytona 500

Driving Iconic No. 3, Dillon To Lead Field To Green In ‘The Great American Race’

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2014) – Austin Dillon, driving the historic No. 3 car in its return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition for the first time since 2001, won the Coors Light Pole for the 56th running of the Daytona 500 – NASCAR’s most prestigious race and season opener. “The Great American Race” is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 23 at Daytona International Speedway (1 p.m. on FOX, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

The late Dale Earnhardt, whose excellence in the No. 3 elevated the number to iconic status, was the last to drive the No. 3 – a car number he drove to six of his record-tying seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships. A last lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500 took Earnhardt’s life, and the No. 3 car had not been run since.

 

“You want to perform with the No. 3; everyone wants to see it perform,” said Dillon, who won the pole with a lap of 196.019 mph (45.914 seconds). “It's a long season … and this is one of the top points. You want to carry that momentum going forward. I just have to stay grounded and have fun."

 

It was announced last December that the No. 3 Chevrolet would return to full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup competition this year, with Dillon driving. Dillon is the grandson of Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress, who also ran the No. 3 as a driver from 1976-81, and was car owner for all six of Earnhardt’s series championships driving the No. 3 car.

 

Earnhardt, a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class, was the last driver of the No. 3 car to win a Coors Light Pole, at Watkins Glen in August of 1996. Earnhardt also won the pole for that year’s Daytona 500, the last time the No. 3 started on the pole for The Great American Race.

 

This is the fourth time the No. 3 has won the pole for the Daytona 500, and its 67th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole, overall.

 

In addition, Dillon, who won last year’s NASCAR Nationwide Series championship, becomes the fifth Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender to win the pole for the Daytona 500. He joins Loy Allen Jr. (1994), Mike Skinner (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2002) and Danica Patrick (2013).

 

Today’s Coors Light Pole Qualify set the front row for the Daytona 500; Martin Truex Jr. will start second in the race. The remaining starting positions will be determined Thursday night in the Duel at Daytona (7 p.m. on FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

For tickets to the Daytona 500, visit daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

 

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

 

Contact:                                                                                              

Kerry Tharp

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications

 


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