BMR Drivers Anxious For Return To Iowa Speedway

• Hopeful Of More Success In K&N Pro Series East-West Combo Race

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (July 29, 2014) – Drivers from Bill McAnally Racing are anxiously awaiting their return this week to Iowa Speedway for this year’s second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West combination race, the Autolite Iridium XP 150, on Friday.

Sixteen-year-old Cole Custer led wire-to-wire to win the event a year ago and hopes to repeat and become the first driver with multiple victories in the prestigious East-West race.

Custer’s rookie teammate, Nick Drake, had a career-best second-place finish in this year’s first combination race in May and is looking for another podium finish in his return to the 7/8-mile Newton, Iowa track.

Brandon McReynolds, meanwhile, is hoping to share in BMR’s success at Iowa and come away with a better finish than he has experienced in his three previous visits there.

BMR’s fourth driver at Iowa will be Chris Eggleston, who scored his first career series win at Colorado National Speedway on Saturday in just his second race in the K&N West.

“We have been looking forward to returning to Iowa Speedway for the second combination race,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “It’s a beautiful facility, with great race fans.

“Cole and Nick want to add to their success there,” McAnally said. “Brandon hopes to join in the celebration and Chris is looking to carry over his success from Colorado last week as he competes in his first East-West combo race.”

All four BMR cars will display a special decal in remembrance of long-time crewman Jack Hudack, who passed away last week.

“Jack was one of those crewmen who quietly went about his work and was willing to help with anything,” said McAnally. “He was a great friend to all of us and he will be deeply missed.

Custer’s win at Iowa last year marked his first of two series victories in his rookie season. This year, the 16-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California is competing in select events in the East and West divisions of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. This will mark his sixth overall series start of 2014, driving BMR’s No. 00 NAPA AUTO PARTS/HAAS Automation entry.

Custer, a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights NASCAR’s rising stars, won the K&N West season opener at Phoenix International Raceway in February and scored a K&N East victory at Richmond (Virginia) International Raceway in April. He finished 13th in the combination race at Iowa in May, after being caught up in an early incident with another car.

Custer also competes this year in select events in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – where in June, he became the youngest driver on the circuit to win a pole. He finished eighth when the truck series visited Iowa Speedway earlier this month.

Drake, who followed Custer’s transition from open-wheel sprint cars to stock cars, drives the No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. He is coming off a seventh-place finish at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway on July 19.

Drake, 18, of Mooresville, North Carolina is tied for second in Sunoco Rookie of the Year points and seventh in the overall championship standings in the K&N East. He has one pole, three top fives and six top 10 finishes in 11 series starts this season.

McReynolds, also a member of the NASCAR Next program, is in his first full season of competing in the K&N West – driving the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. He has made three starts in East-West action at Iowa – with overall finishes of 13th, 34th and 36th.

The 23-year-old driver, who also hails from Mooresville, is coming off a fifth-place finish at Colorado last week. He is third in the championship standings, 35 points out of first. He has one pole, six top five finishes and seven top 10 finishes in eight series starts this year. McReynolds had a career-best series finish of third at Stateline Speedway in Post Falls, Idaho on July 12.

He also had a career-best finish of third in K&N East action, which was at Daytona International Speedway in February.

Eggleston piloted BMR’s No. 99 NAPA Filters/H2O Fire Protection Toyota to victory at his home track in just his second series start. The 25-year-old driver from Erie, Colorado has competed in Super Late Models and won a Legends division title at the Colorado short track. In addition, he has also made eight appearances in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – five in 2010, two in 2011 and one several weeks ago at Iowa; where he finished 19th.

The Autolite Iridium XP 150, which will be televised on FOX Sports 1 on Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. ET, is the 11th K&N Pro Series East-West combination race hosted by Iowa Speedway. It is part of a big NASCAR weekend at the track that also features the NASCAR Nationwide Series. It marks the 12th race of 16 this year for the K&N East and the ninth of 14 this year for the K&N West.