Kraus Finishes Top 5 In K&N East At Memphis
• Retains Lead In Championship Standings
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (June 1, 2019) – Derek Kraus came away with a top-five finish at Memphis International Raceway on Saturday to retain his lead in the championship standings of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
The 17-year-old NASCAR Next driver from Stratford, Wisconsin turned in a solid performance in the 150-lap race on the3/4-mile Tennessee track – finishing fifth in the Bill McAnally Racing No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS/Curb Records Toyota Camry.
“We were struggling with our drive off at the end of the race, but other than that it was still a consistent top five for our BMR NAPA Toyota. So, that’s a good day,” said Kraus.
His BMR teammates at Memphis, Todd Gilliland and Brittney Zamora, also had a solid day. Gilliland started 11th and finished eighth in the No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus/NGK Toyota Camry, while Zamora started 14th and finished ninth in the No. 99 NAPA Filters/ENEOS Toyota Camry.
Gilliland – a two-time champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West who now drives for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series – was filling in for Hailie Deegan, who competed in an ARCA Series race Friday at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.
Zamora – a 20-year-old series rookie from Kennewick, Washington – was making just her third K&N East start and her first visit to Memphis.
With his fifth-place finish, Kraus leads the K&N East standings by two points – with two wins, three top-five and five top-10 finishes in five starts this season. He also leads in the chase for the championship in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
NAPA and BMR had a variety of activities leading up to the Memphis race – kicking off with an exciting go-kart event for a big group of NAPA customers on Thursday night, and featuring a special event with NAPA guests on Friday evening at the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in downtown Memphis. The NAPA Distribution Center in Memphis hosted a hospitality event at the track on Saturday, with BMR providing a VIP Experience, including a special pit tour and the opportunity to attend the drivers meeting.
The Memphis race, won by Chase Cabre, is slated to be televised on NBCSN on June 5 at 6 p.m. ET.
The next event on the K&N Pro Series East schedule will at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Connecticut on June 15.