Trouble Slows Drake At Five Flags Speedway

• Bad Luck Strikes Rookie Twice In K&N Pro Series East Race

PENSACOLA, Fla. (June 16, 2014) – Don’t blame Nick Drake if he does not want to race again under a full moon on Friday the 13th.

Bad luck came his way twice in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East action at Five Flags Speedway on Friday. Nonetheless, the 18-year-old series rookie was able to battle back and finish on the lead lap in the Pensacola 150.

Drake – who qualified fourth quickest in his first visit to the half-mile banked oval – brought the No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota home in 14th, despite having to make multiple pit stops after puncturing his right front tire on two occasions.

He was running 5th, about 30 laps into the 150-lap event, when he suffered his first flat. After restarting 17th, Drake worked his way back to the front. He was back in the top 10 when the second flat occurred about 25 laps from the finish. He made another charge in the closing laps to cross the line in 14th.

Drake of Mooresville, North Carolina slipped to third in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings and is seventh in the overall championship standings as the series hits the halfway mark of the season. He has won one pole, three top-five and four top-10 finishes in the first eight races this year.

The next event on the K&N East schedule is the Visit Hampton 175 at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., on Saturday, June 21.