The store will not work correctly when cookies are disabled.
We use cookies to make your experience better.To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
Brett Moffitt at NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Dover International Speedway
Brett Moffitt won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Dover International Speedway in Delaware for the second year in a row, taking advantage of an engine failure that took out pole winner Max Gresham in the season finale.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racer Brett Moffitt
Moffitt, a developmental driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, won his second East Series race of the year and his first since the June 6 race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. It was also the fourth East Series win of his career.
Moffitt took the lead from Gresham on lap 149 and held it for the final seven laps of the race. Moffitt started the race in third and ran with the leaders for most of the race.
Darrell Wallace Jr., Moffitt's teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, crashed on lap 36 and brought out the second caution period of the race. When Wallace crashed, it opened the door for Moffitt to pass him and finish second in the East Series standings.
Brett Moffitt wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Dover International Speedway in Delaware
"This is phenomenonal. The win really hasn't set in yet," the 18-year-old Moffitt said following the race on Sept. 24. "When we saw the 6 car (Wallace) up in the wall, we knew that gave us second in points, which is one position higher from last year. When that happened, then that was just time for me to go, dig hard and have fun. Once that happened we just let loose."
Gresham won the pole, but Cole Whitt, who started on the front row next to Gresham, led the first 25 laps of the race. Whitt crashed in the turn 2 wall on lap 25 and fell out of contention. He finished 26th.
Gresham took over the lead in the race and held it for the next 42 laps. He led a race-high 84 laps, but had engine trouble at the end of the race.
During a green-white-checker flag finish, Gresham's engine blew. He was leading, but had to withdraw from the race. Moffitt took the lead and went on to win.
Moffitt became the first driver with multiple East Series wins at Dover in 10 visits to the track.
Corey LaJoie finished second, his best career East Series finish. He was third at Dover in last year's East Series race.
"The second is almost a win - besides being the first loser," said the 18-year-old LaJoie. "We made lemonade out of lemons I guess you could say. Overall it was a great day because we didn't have the car and we came home second."
Ryan Truex, a developmental driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, finished third and won the East Series championship for the second year in a row. The East Series championship was decided when Truex took the green flag. He started sixth and made up ground when cars dropped out at the end of the race.
"When you win one, it's pretty tough. To go out and win two in a row with the level of competition this year with the Cup-affiliated teams and all the awesome drivers that have been coming into the series, it's been a lot tougher this year than it was last year," the 18-year-old Truex said. "It was a lot harder-fought battle through the year. Every race was a struggle. You had to be on top of your game every lap, all race, all year."
Truex won two races and finished 134 points ahead of Moffitt in the final East Series standings. He had eight top-five finishes in 10 East Series races in 2010.
Mike Greci, the crew chief for Truex, won his fourth East Series championship. He won the past two with Truex and won two with Mike Stefanik in 1997 and 1998.
"The amount of top-three finishes and top-five finishes - with no DNFs - I think is pretty remarkable," Greci said of Truex's performance in 2010. "To win one championship is incredible, and to win one race is incredible, but to come out and win five out of 20 races and I think 14 or 15 top fives is pretty remarkable."
IZOD IndyCar Series Danica Patrick, who is driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in select NASCAR Nationwide Series races, led three laps and finished sixth in her East Series debut.
Eddie McDonald finished fourth, followed by Dale Quarterly in fifth. It was Quarterly's first East Series race of the year and his first top-five finish since 2006.
Bryan Smith has always been a great mile racer according to Werner. Photo by: Yve Assad for TheFastandDirty.com
Before the start of the K&N Filters Grand National Championship race on the legendary Indiana State Fairground mile oval, bets were being taken on which manufacturer would take the coveted Indy Mile prize, when the checked waved race history had been made, when Werner-Springsteen
Indy and Springfield the Kawasaki's simply out powered the competition. Photo by: Yve Assad for TheFastandDirty.com
Racing's number 42 Bryan Smith captured the first AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship aboard a Kawasaki. And, to further punctuate Kawasaki's arrival on the big dirt-track racing stage, Smith repeated his historic performance by winning the following week at Illinois State Fairgrounds.
In both events the second place Harley Davidson's were simply out powered and out ridden, and for Kawasaki's fabled AMA Hall of Fame mechanic Bill Werner, that just has to be extraordinarily satisfying. For nearly 40 years Werner was the wrench on the Harley Davidson's that carried Gary Scott, Scott Parker, and Jay Springsteen to a total of 13 AMA Grand National Championships and 150 total wins.
Smith gave Kawasaki their first K&N Grand National Championship victory and notched a piece of racing history. Photo by: Yve Assad for TheFastandDirty.com
Werner has a vision of two-wheel nirvana that persistently redefines itself through him, it's a vision he continues to share with longtime friend and partner Jay Springsteen.
"Obviously, we had things working very well at Indy and the following week at Springfield. That doesn't mean we don't have more questions to be answered. Every time we race the bike, Bryan, Jay and I learn more about its unique characteristics and apply them to the racetrack. It's still a work in progress," said Werner.
The two wins are huge for the team and for Kawasaki as they prove that there is a viable and inexpensive addition to the lists of brands capable of winning on big stage. Photo by: Yve Assad for TheFastandDirty.com
In regards to Bryan Smiths stellar back-to-back races Werner says, "Bryan has always been a great mile racer having won previously. His real strength is his communication skills, and being able to turn those feelings that happen in a micro second, into intelligible dialog that both Jay and I understand. We then try and come up with solutions to whatever he may be trying to communicate to us to help him succeed. Jay is a great communication link because he has also raced at a high level for many years, and I am very familiar with his terminology, having worked with him in the past."
"Winning Indy was huge for the team for many reasons," commented Werner. "It was viewed by many in the international press because they were there to report on the GP road race the next day. It helped to prove that there was a viable and inexpensive addition to motorcycles capable of winning on the Grand National twins circuit."
Even greater than his ridding skills are Smith’s talent for sharing intelligible feedback regarding the motorcycles nuances on the track. Photo by: Yve Assad for TheFastandDirty.com
Since Werner's first attempt at retirement didn't take, we wondered if he had anything new in the works that he'd care to discuss. "After proving that another alternative to dirt track racing can be built, the next challenge would be to satisfy any demand that those successes may have created. I have plans this winter to try to do just exactly that."
Brian Deegan and Ricky James at the 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series
Rockstar Energy/Metal Mulisha Driver Brian Deegan and So-Cal Super Truck Super Lite #24 Driver Ricky James discuss their dirt racing efforts at Glen Helen Raceway.
Brian Deegan and Ricky James at the 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series
NHRA Pro Stock Drivers Jeg Coughlin, Greg Anderson, Roger Brogdon and Jason Line
NHRA Pro Stock Drivers Jeg Coughlin (Jegs Chevy Cobalt), Greg Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GXP), Rodger Brogdon (PISTONATOR Pontiac GXP) and Jason Line (Summit Racing Equipment 2009 Pontiac GXP) prepare for the 2010 K&N Horsepower Challenge in Norwalk, Ohio.
NHRA Pro Stock Drivers Jeg Coughlin, Greg Anderson, Roger Brogdon and Jason Line
Interviews with NHRA Pro Stock Drivers Ron Krisher, Mike Edwards, Allen Johnson and Warren Johnson
The 2010 K&N Horsepower Challenge was held at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. K&N caught up with NHRA Pro Stock Racers Ron Krisher, Mike Edwards, Allen Johnson and Warren Johnson as they prepared for the race.
Interviews with NHRA Pro Stock Drivers Ron Krisher, Mike Edwards, Allen Johnson and Warren Johnson
