BRISTOL, Tenn. - At 17 years old, making only his seventh K&N Pro Series East start, Kyle Benjamin, driver of the No. 27 Eibach Ford, raced side-by-side with William Byron, driver of the No. 9 Liberty University Chevrolet, with less than 30 laps remaining. But the pressure didn’t break him.
Benjamin was able to hold off Byron on the last restart and went to score his first career win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East taking the checkered flag in the PittLite 125 Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The win was the first in seven career starts in the series and also the third different winner in as many races this season.
Benjamin, who is a Roush Fenway development driver, won by 0.910-seconds over Byron who entered the race as the most recent winner in the series at Greenville Pickens Speedway last month.
Scott Heckert followed in third with Kaz Grala and Atlanta, GA’s Brandon Jones completing the top five.
Eddie MacDonald, last year’s winner of this race, rebounded from a spin early in the race to finish sixth with Winston, GA’s Austin Hill, Daniel Hemric, J.J. Haley and Rico Abreu completing the top 10.
Bryon takes over the points lead by three points over Hill (128-125) with Benjamin third with 119 points. Gray Gaulding and Grala complete the top five in the standings.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Bristol Motor Speedway – Bristol, TN
PittLite 125 – April 18, 2015
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | B/Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 27 | Kyle Benjamin * | Eibach Ford | 125 | 48 | 5 | Running |
| 2 | 4 | 9 | William Byron * | Liberty University Chevrolet | 125 | 43 | 1 | Running |
| 3 | 6 | 34 | Scott Heckert | Project Lifesaver Chevrolet | 125 | 41 | Running | |
| 4 | 12 | 3 | Kaz Grala | Kiklos Toyota | 125 | 40 | Running | |
| 5 | 2 | 33 | Brandon Jones | MasterForce Tool Storage Chevrolet | 125 | 39 | Running | |
| 6 | 16 | 71 | Eddie MacDonald | Grimm Contracting Chevrolet | 125 | 38 | Running | |
| 7 | 11 | 22 | Austin Hill | A&D Welding / Don Rich Ford Ford | 125 | 37 | Running | |
| 8 | 3 | 20 | Daniel Hemric | California Clean Power Chevrolet | 125 | 36 | Running | |
| 9 | 5 | 5 | J.J. Haley * | Braun Auto Chevrolet | 125 | 35 | Running | |
| 10 | 7 | 98 | Rico Abreu * | Accudoc Solutions/Go-Pro Motorplex/Curb Records | 125 | 34 | Running | |
| 11 | 19 | 12 | Gray Gaulding | Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Toyota | 125 | 33 | Running | |
| 12 | 20 | 31 | David Garbo, Jr. * | Whelen Engineering Chevrolet | 125 | 32 | Running | |
| 13 | 10 | 15 | Nick Drake | NAPA Auto Parts Toyota | 125 | 31 | Running | |
| 14 | 15 | 40 | Travis Miller | Linkbelt Chevrolet | 125 | 30 | Running | |
| 15 | 14 | 4 | Ronnie Bassett, Jr. | Bassett Gutters Ford | 125 | 29 | Running | |
| 16 | 13 | 14 | Trey Hutchens | Wix Filters Chevrolet | 125 | 28 | Running | |
| 17 | 23 | 17 | Chad Finchum | Texas Roadhouse/A-1 Finchum Heating & Cooling | 125 | 27 | Running | |
| 18 | 28 | 44 | Dillon Bassett * | Citrus Pest Management | 125 | 26 | Running | |
| 19 | 24 | 49 | John Holleman, IV * | Midway Mobile Storage Chevrolet | 125 | 25 | Running | |
| 20 | 26 | 18 | Sarah Cornett-Ching * | Drive Technology Toyota | 124 | 24 | Running | |
| 21 | 21 | 42 | Jay Beasley | Special Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Toyota | 122 | 23 | Running | |
| 22 | 9 | 7 | Codie Rohrbaugh * | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet | 122 | 22 | Running | |
| 23 | 27 | 19 | Chuck Buchanan, Jr. | Spring Drug Chevrolet | 117 | 21 | Running | |
| 24 | 22 | 2 | Collin Cabre * | UTI/NTI Toyota | 100 | 20 | Accident | |
| 25 | 1 | 97 | Jesse Little | NASCAR Technical Institute/PFC Brakes Toyota | 63 | 19 | Electrical | |
| 26 | 17 | 51 | Dalton Sargeant * | GALT Chevrolet | 61 | 18 | Accident | |
| 27 | 18 | 4 | Kenzie Ruston | Rev Racing Toyota | 52 | 17 | Engine | |
| 28 | 25 | 6 | Devon Amos * | Max Siegel, Inc. Toyota | 36 | 16 | Accident |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Jesse Little Time: 15.891 Seconds Speed: 120.748 mph
Failed to Qualify: (1) Brandon Glover * (#63).
Time of Race: 57 mins, 8 secs Average Speed: 69.968 mph Margin of Victory: .910 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 37-44 (# 6 Sping Turn 4 – FP #44); 49-53 (#71 Frontstretch – FP #14); 62-67 (#51 Turn 1 Spin + Break – FP #71); 76-80 (#2 – Backstretch – FP #49); 91-96 (Debris on Frontstretch – FP #2); 102-107 (#2 Turn 4 – FP #44). 6 for 36 laps.
Lap Leaders: William Byron * 1-44, Kyle Benjamin * 45-125.
Total Laps Led: Kyle Benjamin * 81, William Byron * 44. 1 changes involving 2 drivers.
* Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender
