Rookie of the Year, Johnson Jr., Returns to Kern County
Venue: Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway
Event: NAPA Auto Parts 150
Date: Saturday, October 26th
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Track Description: 0.5-mile tri oval
Distance: 150 laps, 75 miles (11:15 p.m. ET, www.FloRacing.com)
The Rookie … Eric Johnson Jr. returns to Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway for the second time this season in the 2024 ARCA Menards Series West (AMSW). Driving the No. 19 Pacific Office Automation Chevrolet SS, Johnson Jr. previously competed at Kern Raceway in April, where he secured his first top-10 finish of the season with a 10th-place result. Heading into Bakersfield, Calif., he’s coming off a strong eighth-place performance at BMR’s home track All-American Speedway on October 5th.
Previously at Kern … Johnson Jr. made his first career appearance at KCRP earlier this season in April. After starting in the 16th position due to a flat tire during qualifying, the La Center, Wash. native was able to gain six spots to finish in 10th-place. This marked the first time Johnson Jr. was able to score a top-10 result in his full-time season with the AMSW.
Season to Date … Since earning his first top-10 finish at Kern Raceway in April, the newly-crowned AMSW Rookie of the Year has added four more top-10s to his record. His season-high and career-best performance came at Madera Speedway, where he secured a fourth-place finish, marking his first-career top-five result. With 426 points this season, Johnson Jr. currently holds sixth place in the AMSW standings, trailing the leader by 87 points.
Tune In … The second to last event of the AMSW season can be streamed live on FloRacing (www.floracing.com) at 11:15 p.m. ET on Saturday night. Audio coverage is also available on www.ARCARacing.com. Stay connected with the No. 19 Pacific Office Automation team by following @BMR_NASCAR on Twitter, @bmrnascar on Instagram, and Bill McAnally Racing on Facebook.
Eric Johnson Jr. Quote:
On his return to Kern Raceway this season:
“As a team, we recognized the importance of reevaluating and approaching with a fresh strategy for Kern after our spring race. With nearly a full season of experience under my belt, I’m truly excited to see how all the knowledge I’ve gained will come into play this weekend. We’ve made significant progress since the spring, and I’m optimistic about our chances. I can’t wait to see our No. 19 Pacific Office Automation Chevrolet on the podium Saturday night.”