Todd Gilliland Wins K&N Pro Series West Race at Kern County
- Mar 24, 2017
Bill McAnally Racing drivers finished 1-2 for the second K&N Pro Series West race in a row. Gilliland, who won the eighth K&N Pro Series race of his career, won the pole and took the lead at Kern County Raceway Park on lap 95 of the NAPA Auto Parts 150. The race was extended six laps and had a green-white-checkered flag finish. Gilliland, the reigning K&N Pro Series West champion, said Kern County Raceway Park fits his racing style. “It’s fast. It’s pretty big and it’s really racy,” Gilliland said. “I really enjoy all those things. I feel it’s probably one of the best race tracks we go to.” Gilliland led the first 10 laps of the race. Michael Self passed Gilliland for the lead on lap 11 and held it for 84 laps. Self led the most laps in the race. But on lap 95, Gilliland regained the lead and was out front for the final 62 laps. He led for 72 laps in the race. “We were just trying to save our tires as much as we could,” Gilliland said. “It felt like I was going way too hard. We ended up getting by him there and it all worked out. Usually it doesn’t work out that easy or the way you want it to.” Derek Knaus, a 15-year-old rookie, was second. He started the race in sixth and moved his way up throughout the race. “The beginning of the race it was a little crazy,” Knaus said. “Todd was kind of lifting a little earlier than what I expected. I thought he was crazy, but then on the long run, that’s what helped him. He saved way more than I did. He had a little more turn in the car. He was just a little more freer off.”
“That’s the main thing. We’re teammates,” Knaus said. “We got to race each other clean.” Will Rodgers, another K&N Pro Series West rookie, was third. He was fifth in the race at Tucson Speedway. “I think we actually had the car that could go to the front,” Rodgers said. “If I had just a little bit more experience, it’s my first time at the race track, so I’m still kind of learning the whole thing, the way it flows, where the fast line is at the end of the night on old tires. This thing could definitely take this win. But for our first time, we are very happy how it panned out.” Eggleston, a 10-time winner in the K&N Pro Series West, finished fourth and David Mayhew was fifth. Gilliland has a two-point lead over Eggleston in the K&N Pro Series West standings after two races. “It feels great,” Gilliland said. “That’s something we built on last year from winning the first three West races. That’s something I feel like we have now and we will keep digging.” The next race in the K&N Pro Series West is the NAPA Auto Parts Twin 100s at Irwindale Speedway in California. | |||
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