Drake Overcomes Problems For Top-10 Finish At VIR

• Collects Best Career Road Course Finish In K&N Pro Series East

ALTON, Va. (Aug. 30, 2015) – Nick Drake notched his best career road course finish in the Biscuitville 125 at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, despite being down on horsepower.

Drake coaxed his ailing Bill McAnally Racing No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota to a seventh-place finish on the 2.25-mile road course.

The second-year driver in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East had a previous best finish on a road course of 10th last year at Watkins Glen (New York) International.

Drake had set the fast pace in practice earlier in the day on Saturday, lapping the winding road course quicker than the track record. He was second fast in qualifying and lined up on the outside of the front row on the grid.

The 19-year-old from Mooresville, North Carolina slipped back early on and it soon became apparent his engine was not firing on all eight cylinders. Despite the mechanical issue, his Toyota still had enough horsepower to keep him in the top 10 – running eighth at the midway break. With his crew unable to resolve the issue, Drake soldiered on – determined to make the best of the situation. He managed to stay on the lead lap and when some of the front runners encountered trouble of their own late in the race, he seized the opportunity to score a top-10 finish.

Drake moved to eighth in the championship standings, with two events remaining on the 14-race series schedule. He has one top-five and six top-10 finishes in 12 races this season.

The Virginia race was the second of two road course races this year. Drake finished 12th a year ago at VIR.

The Biscuitville 125, won by Sergio Pena, will be televised on NBCSN on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. ET.

The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule will be at Richmond (Virginia) International Raceway on Sept. 10.