Gilliland, Herbst Finish 9th, 10th In K&N East Action At Bristol

• Pair Maintain String Of Top-10 Finishes

BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 16, 2016) – A hard charge by Bill McAnally Racing drivers Todd Gilliland and Riley Herbst paid off with top-10 finishes for both competitors in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East PittLite 125 at Bristol (Tennessee) Motor Speedway on Saturday.

Gilliland grabbed ninth in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, followed by Herbst in the No. 19 NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry.

While Gilliland’s remarkable win streak ended with four victories in his first four K&N Pro Series races, another mark by the two drivers was maintained Saturday – with the talented teenagers both finishing in the top 10 in all four races they have entered this year. The two rookies are racing the full schedule in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West this season, while also competing in select K&N East races.

Gilliland, 15, of Sherrills Ford, North Carolina and 17-year-old Herbst of Las Vegas have raced in two K&N East races, at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway, and two K&N West races, at Irwindale (California) Speedway and Kern County Raceway Park near Bakersfield, California.

The two BMR drivers charged around Bristol’s high-banked, half-mile track on Saturday; making up ground after Herbst took the green from 20th on the grid and Gilliland dropped to the back for the start. Both drivers quickly worked their way toward the front, with Gilliland grabbing 10th-place by Lap 35, while Herbst was a couple spots behind him.

Despite getting shuffled back several positions on the restart just after a competition caution on Lap 73, both drivers rebounded to gain positions in the later portion of the 125-lap race. Gilliland was back in the top 10 with 10 laps to go, with Herbst on his heels. They moved up one more spot in the closing laps.

Chad Finchum took the victory in his first career series.

Gilliland now has a record of one win and two top 10s in two K&N East starts this year, to go with his two wins in the K&N West.

Herbst has two top 10s in the K&N East, with a ninth-place finish in his series debut at New Smyrna to go with his Bristol finish. He has one top five and two top 10s in two K&N West starts.

The PittLite 125 will be televised on NBCSN at 10 p.m. PT on April 21.