NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - Third-generation racer Todd Gilliland could not have scripted a better start to his own NASCAR career.
After the fifteen-year-old reached victory lane in his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West debut last fall at Phoenix International Raceway, Gilliland made it 2-for-2 in the series with a win in Sunday’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East opener at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. in the Jet Tools 150.
Gilliland, the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran David Gilliland, ended up the winner Sunday evening after some late-race drama. Gilliland’s No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota led at the start-finish line at the completion of lap 150, the scheduled distance of the event, but racing continued for a subsequent lap due to a delay in displaying the proper flags from the flag stand.
In the ensuing circuit, Ronnie Bassett, Jr. crossed the finish line first after contact with race leaders Spencer Davis and Gilliland. However, per the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rule Book, the official finish of the race reverts to the completion of lap 150, the advertised distance of the event.
Davis, from Dawsonville, Georgia, was scored as the race runner-up with Bassett in third. Kyle Benjamin and Justin Haley brought home the top five followed by Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Tyler Dippel, Riley Herbst and Dominique Van Wieringen.
A native of Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, Gilliland recorded the 21 Means 21 Pole Award by Coors Brewing earlier in the evening while the Canadian Van Wieringen qualified third, the highest mark for a female driver in the series’ 30 years of competition.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to action on Saturday, March 12 with the inaugural Mobile 150 at Alabama’s Mobile International Speedway.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
New Smyrna Speedway – New Smyrna Beach, FL
Jet Tools 150 – Feb. 14, 2016
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | B/Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 16 | Todd Gilliland * | NAPA Auto Parts Toyota | 150 | 48 | 5 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 41 | Spencer Davis * | Ranier Racing with MDM Chevrolet | 150 | 43 | 1 | Running |
| 3 | 13 | 04 | Ronnie Bassett, Jr. | Bassett Gutters Ford | 150 | 41 | Running | |
| 4 | 12 | 40 | Kyle Benjamin | Ranier Racing with MDM Chevrolet | 150 | 40 | Running | |
| 5 | 11 | 5 | Justin Haley | Braun Auto Chevrolet | 150 | 39 | Running | |
| 6 | 8 | 55 | Noah Gragson | AlertID/Speed Vegas/Colliers Int’l Ford | 150 | 38 | Running | |
| 7 | 21 | 31 | Ryan Preece | Whelen Engineering Chevrolet | 150 | 37 | Running | |
| 8 | 5 | 38 | Tyler Dippel * | East West Marine/TV Car Chevrolet | 150 | 36 | Running | |
| 9 | 17 | 19 | Riley Herbst * | NOS Energy Drink Toyota | 150 | 35 | Running | |
| 10 | 3 | 30 | Dominique Van Wieringen * | Durobyte Ford | 150 | 34 | Running | |
| 11 | 10 | 2 | Collin Cabre | UTI/NTI Toyota | 150 | 33 | Running | |
| 12 | 16 | 27 | Gracin Raz | Montana Tech/Trinity Energy Ford | 150 | 32 | Running | |
| 13 | 9 | 12 | Harrison Burton * | DEX Imaging/Konica Minolta Toyota | 150 | 31 | Running | |
| 14 | 24 | 14 | Trey Hutchens | Hutchens Motorsports Chevrolet | 150 | 30 | Running | |
| 15 | 6 | 3 | Kaz Grala | Kiklos Olive Oil Toyota | 150 | 30 | 1 | Running |
| 16 | 29 | 43 | David Calabrese * | Diamondback Towing Ford | 150 | 28 | Running | |
| 17 | 18 | 66 | Reid Wilson * | Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet | 150 | 27 | Running | |
| 18 | 28 | 49 | John Holleman, IV * | Midway Mobile Storage Ford | 150 | 26 | Running | |
| 19 | 26 | 7 | Codie Rohrbaugh | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet | 150 | 25 | Running | |
| 20 | 25 | 4 | Ali Kern * | Max Siegel, Inc. Toyota | 150 | 24 | Running | |
| 21 | 20 | 6 | Ruben Garcia Jr. * | Special Smiles Toyota | 150 | 23 | Running | |
| 22 | 23 | 2 | Sarah Cornett-Ching * | RACE 101 Chevrolet | 149 | 22 | Running | |
| 23 | 7 | 42 | Jairo Avila Jr. * | Rev Racing Toyota | 149 | 21 | Running | |
| 24 | 4 | 1 | Austin Theriault | Don Valley North Toyota | 148 | 20 | Running | |
| 25 | 22 | 77 | Clayton Green * | Clayton Green Motorsports Toyota | 147 | 19 | Running | |
| 26 | 27 | 09 | Christian Celaya | Alle Health Toyota | 147 | 18 | Running | |
| 27 | 15 | 44 | Dillon Bassett | Bassett Gutters Ford | 147 | 17 | Running | |
| 28 | 19 | 46 | Ulysse Delsaux * | Nexteer Automotive Toyota | 144 | 16 | Running | |
| 29 | 14 | 13 | Hunter Baize * | Bicycle Playing Cards/Pine Mountain Firewood | 97 | 15 | Accident |
Race Statistics
Fastest Qualifier: Todd Gilliland *, Time: 18.318 Seconds, Speed: 94.333 mph
Caution Flags: Laps 49-56 (#46 – FP#4); 99-106 (#13 – Backstretch – FP#42); 108-113 (#03, #02, #09 – Turn 2 – FP#4); 144-147 (#1 – Turn 2 – FP#6). 4 for 26 laps.
Lap Leaders: Spencer Davis * 1-15, Kaz Grala 16-24, Todd Gilliland * 25-114, Spencer Davis * 115-149, Todd Gilliland * 150.
Total Laps Led: Todd Gilliland * 91, Spencer Davis * 50, Kaz Grala 9. 4 changes involving 3 drivers.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/2/370183/todd-gilliland-gets-kn-pro-east-victory-at-new-smyrna