Story by: Kevin W. Green, NASCAR
Photo by: Christian Petersen/Getty Images for NASCAR
Daytona Beach, FL(November 6, 2012) – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West wraps up its 2012 season at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, Nov. 10. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of the series and selected drivers at Phoenix, as well as some other statistical trends:
Phoenix Race Setup
• Dylan Kwasniewski holds just a two-point edge over Greg Pursley in the championship battle, as the series heads to Phoenix International Raceway.
• This is the closest championship battle going into the final race that the series has experienced in 20 years. Under the previous points system that was in place in 1992, Bill Schmitt led Bill Sedgwick by four points going to the final event. Sedgwick won that title by six points. The closest championship margin, meanwhile, was in 1990 when Schmitt edged Sedgwick by one point in the final standings.
• In addition to two points between the top two drivers, several other top 10 positions in points are being tightly contested. Cameron Hayley and Austin Dyne, who are also locked in a challenge for the Sunoco rookie title, are only separated by 10 points in the overall standings – with Hayley in seventh and Dyne in eighth. Meanwhile, Ryan Philpott is clinging to the 10th spot by just one point ahead of Carl Harr.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West At Phoenix
• This race will be the 30th stand-alone series race at Phoenix International Raceway. In addition, the series visited PIR for nine combination races with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series from 1988 to1996.
• With four victories, Ken Schrader has the most series wins at Phoenix (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006). Richard Petty had three wins (1978, 1980 and 1981). Greg Pursley (2010, 2011) and Scott Lynch (2003, 2004), with two wins each, are the only others with multiple wins at PIR.
• Two-time series champion Mike Duncan has four pole awards at PIR, to lead that category. Richard Petty and Greg Pursley each won three poles at Phoenix. Others with more than one pole at PIR include Neil Bonnett and Scott Lynch, with two each.
• Greg Pursley, Bobby Allison, Mike David are tied for the most top-five finishes in series action at Phoenix, with six each.
• Austin Cameron holds the mark for the most top-10 finishes in the series at PIR, placing 10th or better in nine of his 12 starts there.
• Richard Petty holds the mark for leading the most laps (361) in series competition at Phoenix.
• Of drivers who have competed in four or more races at Phoenix, Neil Bonnett had the best average finish of 2.2 – making five starts between 1977 and 1982.
• Six of the past 16 series races at Phoenix were extended by a late-race caution for a green-white-checker finish.
• With 18 starts each, Johnny Borneman and Brett Thompson share the mark for competing in the most NASCAR K&N Pro Series West stand-alone events at Phoenix. Jack Sellers has the most PIR starts overall – racing in 17 stand-alone events and five combination races.
• Among manufacturers, Chevrolet has the most wins in series action at PIR with 14 wins.
• Seven of the 29 series races at Phoenix were won by the pole winner, including earlier this year. Three race winners started outside the top 10. Rich Woodland Jr. started the furthest back and won, coming from 21st on the grid in 1998
• At Phoenix, 330 drivers have competed in series competition.
Phoenix Data
Race: #15 of 15 (11/10/12)
Track Layout: 1-mile, paved oval
Race Length: 50 laps (50 miles)
Records
1-lap Qualifying: Greg Pursley, 27.700 seconds, 129.964 mph, Nov. 13, 2010
50-lap Race: David Mayhew, 27 minutes 24 seconds, 109.489 mph, March 3, 2012
Series Race Winners at Phoenix
Ken Schrader, 4
Richard Petty, 3
Scott Lynch, 2
Greg Pursley, 2
(18 different drivers) 1
Bobby Allison, Ryan Blaney, Neil Bonnett, Jason Bowles, Austin Cameron, Mike David, Ron Eaton, David Gilliland, Eric Holmes, Burney Lamar, Joey Logano, David Mayhew, Andrew Myers, Kevin Richards, Bill Schmitt, Rich Woodland Jr., Cale Yarborough, Mike Wallace
Series Pole Winners at Phoenix
Mike Duncan, 4
Richard Petty, 3
Greg Pursley, 3
Neil Bonnett, 2
Scott Lynch, 2
(14 different drivers) 1
Jim Bown, Spencer Clark, Ron Eaton, Ryan Foster, David Gilliland, Kevin Harvick, David Mayhew, Andrew Myers, Brennan Newberry, Eric Norris, Steve Portenga, Mark Reed, Joe Ruttman, Mike Wallace
Selected Driver Information:
Johnny Borneman (No. 8 Twisted X Boots/Red Line Oil Chevrolet)
• Three wins, one pole, 27 top fives, 53 top 10s in 101 career series starts
• Making third series start this season
• One top five, five top 10s in 18 starts at Phoenix
• Best PIR finish of third in 2004
• Has led 32 laps at PIR
• Average finish at PIR of 17.83
Austin Dyne (No. 9 William Rast/Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil Ford)
• Two top fives, eight top 10s in 13 career series starts
• Best career series finish of third, at Tooele in April
• Average finish this year of 8.9
• Led one race for 23 laps this year
• In his rookie season, making his first start at Phoenix
Jonathon Gomez (No. 16 Telcel America/Acapulco Chevrolet)
• Eight top fives, 20 top 10s in 40 career series starts
• Average finish this year of 10.55
• Two top fives in six starts at Phoenix
• Best PIR finish of second in 2011, also best career mark
• Has led one lap at PIR
• Average finish at PIR of 16.33
Carl Harr (No. 2 WestWorld Computers Chevrolet)
• 15 top 10s in 60 career series starts
• Best career series finish of seventh, on three occasions
• Average finish this year of 14.0
• One top 10 in 14 starts at Phoenix
• Best PIR finish of 10th in 2004
• Average finish at PIR of 20.64
Daryl Harr (No. 71 iWorld Connect Chevrolet)
• Four top fives, 31 top 10s in 103 career series starts
• Best career series finish of fifth, on four occasions
• Average finish this year of 16.0
• Three top 10s in 17 starts at Phoenix
• Best PIR finish of sixth was in 2010
• Average finish at PIR of 15.64
Cameron Hayley (No. 24 Cabinets By Hayley Toyota)
• Six top fives, 10 top 10s in 18 career series starts
• Best career series finish of second, on two occasions
• Average finish this year of 11.83
• Best finish of 22nd in two starts at Phoenix
• Average finish at PIR of 31.0
Eric Holmes (No. 20 NAPA Toyota)
• 17 wins, 13 poles, 55 top fives, 71 top 10s in 89 career series starts
• One win this season
• Average finish this year of 6.75
• Led five races for 167 laps this year
• One win, four top fives, five top 10s in 10 PIR starts
• Phoenix win came in 2010
• Has led 104 laps at Phoenix
• Average finish at PIR of 11.9
Ben Kennedy (No. 96 NAPA Filters Toyota)
• Three top 10s in five career series starts
• One pole, four top fives and nine top 10s in 26 starts in K&N Pro Series East
• Best finish of 11th (2012) in two starts at Phoenix
Dylan Kwasniewski (No. 03 Rockstar/Royal Purple Ford)
• Five wins, seven poles, 19 top fives, 23 top 10s in 27 career series starts
• Three wins and five poles this season
• Average finish this year of 3.75
• Led seven races for 359 laps this year
• One top five in two PIR starts
• Best Phoenix finish of second in March of this year
• Average finish at PIR of 17.5
David Mayhew (No. 17 MMI Chevrolet)
• Four wins, eight poles, 31 top fives, 48 top 10s in 66 career series starts
• One win and two poles this season
• Average finish this year of 5.0
• Led four races for 60 laps this year
• One win, two top fives, five top 10s in eight PIR starts
• Phoenix victory was in March of this year
• Has led 212 laps at Phoenix
• Average finish at PIR of 13.25
Travis Milburn (No. 14 Cooks Collision Chevrolet)
• Six top 10s in 37 career series starts
• Best career series finish of sixth
• Nine starts this year
• Best finish of 14th in five starts at Phoenix
• Average finish at Phoenix of 25.4
Ryan Philpott (No. 52 Philpott Race Cars Ford)
• Seven top 10s in 31 career series starts
• Best career series finish of sixth
• Average finish this year of 17.0
• In four starts at Phoenix, best finish of 16th on two occasions
• Average finish at Phoenix of 21.0
Greg Pursley (No. 26 GPM/Star Nursery/Real Water Ford)
• 13 wins, 15 poles, 36 top fives, 48 top 10s in 69 career series starts
• Four wins and four poles this season
• Average finish this year of 4.5
• Led seven races for 469 laps this year
• Two wins, six top fives in eight PIR starts
• Phoenix wins came in 2010 and 2011
• Has led 152 laps at Phoenix
• Average finish at PIR of 8.25
Michael Self (No. 21 Rockwell/Golden Gate Meat Chevrolet)
• Two wins, 11 top fives, 20 top 10s in 42 career series starts
• Scored first career series win at Brainerd in May and credited with second win as top West driver at Iowa
• Average finish this year of 10.5
• Led two races for 50 laps this year
• Two top 10s in five starts at Phoenix
• Best finish at PIR of eighth in 2010
• Average finish at PIR of 16.6
Brett Thompson (No. 61 Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet)
• One win, one pole, 23 top fives, 63 top 10s in 117 career series starts
• Making fifth series start this season
• Three top fives, six top 10s in 18 starts at Phoenix
• Best PIR finish of fourth on two occasions, most recent in 2008
• Has led 52 laps at PIR
• Average finish at PIR of 15.5
Derek Thorn (No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil/Eibach Ford)
• Two wins, one pole, 14 top fives, 16 top 10s in 20 career series starts
• Scored first career series win at Havasu
• Average finish this year of 5.0
• Led three races for 239 laps this year
• Three top fives in three starts at Phoenix
• Best finish at PIR of third in 2011
• First full season in series
• Average finish at PIR of 4.33
John Wood (No. 36 Pegasus Transport & Towing Chevrolet)
• 20 career series starts
• Best career series finish of 13th, on two occasions
• Average finish this year of 18.33
• Best finish of 22nd in two starts at Phoenix
• Average finish at PIR of 24.0
