CNS Staff
Aug 18, 2015
By Brooke Franceschini, NASCAR
August 18, 2015 - 12:51pm
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Chris Eggleston is heading home this weekend. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will compete at Colorado National Speedway Saturday and Eggleston will have one goal, to win.
Erie's own Chris Eggleston takes the checkered in the 2014 NAPA/Toya 150 at CNS (Starr photo)
The Erie, Colorado, native will attempt to join Mike Duncan and Eric Holmes as the only drivers to record multiple victories at the historic Colorado short track, and Duncan is the only one to do it in back-to-back fashion, something Eggleston will try to duplicate.
Eggleston won the K&N West Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 last season at the .375-mile track after leading 107 laps for his first series victory. In 2011, he made his K&N West debut at his home track and finished 14th.
The 26-year-old has won 12 Late Model races and was the 2013 Legends champion at the Erie, Colorado, track.
A win at home won’t be the only thing on his mind. He is currently tied with Noah Gragson for first in the series’ champion points standings. A win would break the tie and award Eggleston the top spot in the battle for the championship title with three races remaining on the schedule after Saturday.
Race: NAPA/Toyota 150
Date: Saturday, August 22
Time: 8:30 p.m. MT
TV Schedule: NBCSN, Thursday, August 27, 7 p.m. ET
2014 Winner: Chris Eggleston
2014 Pole Winner: David Mayhew
Event Schedule: Garage opens: 9 a.m.; Practice: 12-12:45 p.m.; Rookie Practice: 1:10-1:30 p.m.; Final Practice: 1:45-2:30 p.m.; Qualifying: 5:30 p.m.; Driver Autograph Session: 7:15 p.m.; Driver Introductions: 8:15 p.m.; NAPA/Toyota 150: 8:30 p.m.
Twitter: @cnsracing
Event Hashtag: #NAPAToyota150
FAST FACTS:
The Race: The event is the 10th of 13 races on the 2015 schedule for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
The Procedure: The starting field is 22 cars, including provisionals. The first 18 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps (56.25 miles).
The Track: Colorado National Speedway is a .375-mile paved oval with four degrees of banking in the straights and progressive banking of six to 12 degrees in the corners.
Records: Qualifying: Brian Ickler, June 2, 2007, 16.452 seconds (82.057 mph). Race: Derek Thorn, July 27, 2013, 50 minutes 32 seconds (66.788 mph).
History: This race will be the 13th series visit to Colorado National Speedway.
COLORADO RACE NOTES:
Celebrating 50 Years: Colorado National Speedway is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Established in 1965, Colorado hosted its first NASCAR sanctioned event in 1992 when Rick Carelli won the NASCAR Southwest Series inaugural event at the Erie, Colorado track. The K&N Pro Series West, then known as the Winston West Series, made its Colorado debut in 1995 and Mike Chase walked away victorious. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, then NASCAR SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman, first visited the track in 1995 with the NASCAR Midwest Series following in 1999.
Importance of Qualifying: In the first 12 K&N Pro Series West races at Colorado, 10 of the winners have finished in the top-three in qualifying. Three victors have walked away with pole, Eric Holmes (2008), Dylan Kwasniewski (2011) and Derek Thorn (2013). Steve Portenga is the only winner to qualify outside the top-10, starting 14th in 2001. Prior to Portenga, Mike Chase was the highest qualifier starting ninth during the inaugural race.
Partridge Eyeing First Win: Rookie Ryan Partridge is coming off his best series finish, second, at Washington’s Evergreen Speedway. His runner-up finish has him hungry for the win heading into his first start at Colorado National Speedway.
Lead Changes Inevitable: Eleven out of 12 K&N Pro Series West races at Colorado have had various lead changes. Last year’s race resulted in the most lead changes in the track’s history with seven. Greg Pursley is the only race winner to have led all 150 laps at Colorado National.
Fresh Faces: Jack Nugent and Chris Fenton are scheduled to compete in the NAPA/Toyota 150. Nugent of Lafayette, Colorado, made his series debut last season at his home track and finished 17th. He competes in the track Super Late Model division, where he is ranked fifth with 304 points. Chris Fenton of Meridian, Idaho, will be making his K&N West debut Saturday. He’s competed in Idaho’s Meridian Speedway’s Big 5 Late Model Division and won his first track Late Model Championship in 2011.
Championship Battle Update: The championship battle is heating up in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, with the top-five being separated by only 16 points. Chris Eggleston and Noah Gragson are tied with 354 points. Ryan Partridge and Gracin Raz follow closely behind with 348 and 346 points, respectively. David Mayhew rounds out the top-five with 338 points.
Home Tracks Update: Championship Battle Is Heating Up
Three NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions will be joining the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West on the track Saturday night at Colorado National Speedway: Snap-On Tools Pro Trucks, South Philly Cheesesteaks Late Models and Art’s Septic Service Figure 8s. Jeff Walbaum is looking to earn his second track championship in the late Model division. The 2014 champion, has an eight point lead over Mark Neff in the standings. Adam Deines and Rudy Vanderwal, the 2014 champion Pro Truck champion, are currently tied at the top of the Pro Truck standings with 314 points. Jereme Wall is seeking his first track championship in the Figure 8s division and currently has a 13 point lead over Al Duran.