Lewis Named To Drive BMR’s NAPA Chevy

• 16-Year-Old’s First Start With Team Set For Irwindale

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (June 29, 2022) – Landen Lewis has been named to drive the Bill McAnally Racing No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS in the remaining six races on the ARCA Menards Series West 2022 schedule.

The 16-year-old from Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina will make his first start with BMR on Saturday at Southern California’s Irwindale Speedway in the NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame.

“We’re very excited to have Landen join BMR,” said team President Bill McAnally. “Ron Hornaday (Jr.) brought him to our attention and we have been very impressed with what we’ve seen. We will work hard to help Landen reach his full potential. I’m confident that he will put the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevy in Victory Lane.”

Hornaday, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and former NAPA driver, considers BMR a great team for Lewis.

“This is a pretty cool opportunity for Landen,” Hornaday said. “I have known Bill for a long time and I think this is a perfect fit for Landen. I look forward to seeing him carrying my old colors and number with NAPA. Landen is a type of driver when put to the test he always exceeds our expectations. I am excited to see what Landen can do with this team and these new tracks he will be going to.”

Lewis joins BMR with an ARCA West win among two series starts he has already made this year. He won at Kern County Raceway Park near Bakersfield, California on April 23. In addition, he qualified second and finished 14th in the ARCA West event on the road course at Sonoma Raceway on June 11. His racing resume also includes a win and two top fives in three starts last year in the ARCA Menards Series.

“I am extremely excited for this amazing opportunity to run the number 16 NAPA Chevy for BMR and to be able to work with Charlie Wilson and the guys,” Lewis said. “I have always watched the McAnally cars and it has been a dream of mine to be able to drive for Bill.

“I also find it pretty awesome that my biggest mentor, Ron Hornaday, drove the number 16 NAPA truck. So it’s pretty neat to have NAPA on the car and it being the number 16 is icing on top of the cake,” Lewis said. “I am looking forward to getting out to the West Coast and working with the team.”

Lewis will team at Irwindale with Cole Moore, driver of BMR’s No. 99 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet SS. The Granite Bay, California driver – who won last year’s ARCA West Rookie of the Year Award – is currently fourth in this year’s championship battle.

Lewis began racing at the age of 4 and during the next eight years he accumulated multiple national titles and more than 150 career wins. In moving him up the racing ladder, his family turned to Ron Hornaday Jr. to build a dirt modified. Hornaday was so impressed with the young driver that he took him under his wing. Hornaday’s daughter, Candice, also works with Lewis, through the Team Hornaday Development, a driver development program that she created.

Lewis experienced continued success in 2018, becoming the youngest driver to win a Mid-East Modified Series race and winning the Most Popular Driver Award. He expanded his racing in 2019, gaining more experience on asphalt and road courses – winning on multiple surfaces in both Legend Cars and the ARCA Menards Series.

He captured even more national attention in 2021, winning the Legend Car “Trifecta” of Dirt, Asphalt and Road Course Nationals and the North Carolina State Championship. He also made his ARCA Menards Series debut and won in his second start at the Du Quoin State Fair 100.

Lewis replaces Austin Herzog, who drove for BMR in the first five ARCA West races this season.

The spotlight will be on the NAPA brand at Irwindale on Saturday. In addition to serving as the entitlement sponsor of the ARCA West event, NAPA will be well represented – with Derek Sasabuchi, District Manager from the NAPA Distribution Center in Los Angeles, bringing a special group of 200 NAPA customers to the event. Several guests have earned the opportunity to be treated to a VIP NAPA Experience. They will have dinner with the team at the NAPA transporter, get a special pit tour, have a meet-and-greet with the BMR drivers and also will have the opportunity to view the exciting racing action from a VIP suite.

The annual Fourth of July event at Irwindale Speedway is a favorite at the state-of-the-art track, with fans packing the stands to view the great side-by-side racing around the half-mile oval and see the fireworks show that concludes the evening.

ARCA Menards Series West Event:
Race: NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 presented by the West Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame (Race 6 of 11) July 2, 2022
Location: Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif. (1/2-mile oval)
Television: Streamed live on FloRacing on July 2, 7 p.m. PT/ USA Network on July 10, 10 a.m. PT

BMR Series Record at Irwindale:
17 Victories: Brendan Gaughan (three in 2001), Austin Cameron (2002, 2003 All-Star Showdown, two in 2004), Steve Portenga (2005), Brian Ickler (2007), Patrick Staropoli (2014), Chris Eggleston (2015), Todd Gilliland (2016 and two in 2017), Jesse Love (2020 and two in 2021)

BMR Drivers:
Landen Lewis
No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS
Age: 16
Hometown: Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.
Career series stats: 2 starts, 1 win
Most recent series finish: 14th – Sonoma (6/11/22)
Best career series finish: 1st – Kern (4/23/22)
Irwindale stats: First series start at Irwindale
2022 series stats: 2 starts, 1 win

Cole Moore
No. 99 Adaptive One Chevrolet SS
Age: 25
Hometown: Granite Bay, Calif.
Career series stats: 22 starts, 6 top 5, 12 top 10
Most recent series finish: 12th – Sonoma (6/11/22)
Best career series finish: 2nd – Irwindale (3/26/22)
Irwindale stats: 3 starts, 2 top fives, 3 top 10s (Best finish – 2nd on 3/26/22)
2022 series stats: 5 starts, 2 top fives