NASCAR Next Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer It all made sense for NASCAR NEXT Class of 2018-19 member Ryan Vargas to make his Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway. JD Motorsports with Gary Keller announced Wednesday that the 18-year-old Californian will make his national touring debut in the U.S. Cellular 250 July 27, piloting the No. 15 Cranio Care Bears Chevrolet Camaro. Last year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series combo race, Vargas, who ran for the East championship, finished seventh in Max Siegel’s Rev Racing team. Vargas commented it was his bestRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer MERIDIAN, Idaho — “God, this is the happiest day of my life,” said the trailblazing 17-year-old Hailie Deegan of Temecula, California, who made NASCAR history Saturday in the NAPA Auto Parts Idaho 208 at Meridian Speedway, becoming the first female to win a NASCAR K&N Pro Series race. Not only did she accomplish that feat, Deegan also becomes the first female to win a major NASCAR touring race since three-time Dash Series winner Shawna Robinson last won at Myrtle Beach in 1989. The historic winning passRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer MERIDIAN, Idaho – The fastest man of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour continues to be Bill McAnally Racing’s Derek Kraus, who scored his fifth pole Saturday at Meridian Speedway, setting a blistering time of 12.243 seconds. Not only he accomplished this feat, but it’ll be his fourth straight KNPSW front row start as he’ll look to gain ground on points leader Derek Thorn, who will start fifth in the NAPA Auto Parts Idaho 208. Kraus told Motorsports Tribune that running 208 laps on theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer From the rugged dust bowl that was the Las Vegas Motor Speedway dirt circuit to the narrow, flat quarter-mile bullring known as Meridian Speedway in Idaho will be the 12th stop for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour as the championship battle has narrowed down to just a few contenders with three rounds remaining. History was made in the last round on Sept. 13 when rookie Hailie Deegan became the first female driver to win a NASCAR K&N Pro Series pole, where she led 13Read More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West returns to action Saturday for the running of the NAPA Auto Parts 175 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington, and its championship battle has heated up with only six races remaining. Bob Bruncati Racing drivers Derek Thorn and Ryan Partridge are tied in first. Both drivers have a win to their name, but Thorn owns the tiebreaker because of his four runner-up finishes to Partridge’s two. The 2013 series champion captured his latest runner-up effort in the combination raceRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer NEWTON, Iowa — The NASCAR K&N Pro Series competes at Iowa Speedway on Friday night for the first of two races in 2018 where the stars and cars of the East and West Series will go head-to-head in the same event. One of those stars quickly making a name for herself is 17-year-old Hailie Deegan. In a post-Danica Patrick world, NASCAR is seeking the next female to take the reins. Deegan has begun to gain national attention not because she’s the only female driver competing full-timeRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer MADISON, Ill. — On Tuesday morning, Zane Smith had no idea that he would be running a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race any time in the near future. But a text from DGR-Crosley kicked off a whirlwind week for Smith, who had to get his NASCAR licence, a concussion test and fitted in his seat before boarding the plane to Gateway Motorsports Park. Smith has a series-leading three wins in the ARCA Racing Series in 2018 driving the No. 41 Toyota for MDM Motorsports.Read More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer A quick Google search on the name Spencer Davis yields results primarily for the musician who founded the 1960s rock band The Spencer Davis Group. The 18-year-old race car driver of the same name looks to change that and this season will compete in several series, including seven ARCA Racing Series events with Venturini Motorsports. “I had wanted to run some ARCA stuff this year. Billy (Venturini) got wind of it and he gave me a call. I was actually Go-Kart racing down in DaytonaRead More