Derek Thorn Dominates NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Colorado National Speedway
- Jul 30, 2013
Rookie Jamie Krzysik was second followed by Camera Hayley in third. It was clean race with only two caution periods for 11 laps. But it took a while for the green flag to drop. "It was a long one with the rain delay," Hayley said. "We stood around for a long time. NASCAR persisted. The fans persisted."
Derek Thorn won the pole and led the first 90 laps of the race. Hayley took the lead for two laps. He led lap 91 and lap 139. Other than that, Derek Thorn dominated the race. "It's hard when you show up against guys like (Michael) Self, Hayley, (Greg) Pursley and Krysik," Derek Thorn said. "You just don't know how much they're saving. With 10 to go, my tires were worn out. I saw raindrops on my windshield. I'm thankful it all worked out." Self entered the race three points behind Derek Thorn for the lead in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings. Self spun out early in the race, but recovered for a sixth-place finish. Thorn increased his lead over Self to 13 points in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings. Pursley, the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion, was fifth at Colorado. Krzysik posted his best career finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West as the runner-up at Colorado.
"We knew it was a long race and we knew that the right rear was going to be crucial," Krzysik said. "We needed to keep on it, make sure the car didn't burn up in the first 100 laps, basically before the end. We were just running, logging laps and picking them off where we could." Derek Thorn has won three NASCAR K&N Pro Series races this season. He won the G-Oil 150 at Stockton 99 Speedway in May and the Carneros 200 at Sonoma Raceway in June. He has five wins in his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West career. "When it came down to the last 30 or so laps, we just started coming to the front," Kyzysik said. "A couple more laps I think we would have had something for the 6 car (Thorn's) up there. Just ran out of time. Next time." Hayley posted his sixth top-five finish in seven NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races this year. He has yet to win a race. "We had a good car, it went away at the end there," Hayley said. "There's a lot of bumping and banging. Who knows if we have a cut tire or what." The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series race is the Pork Be Inspired 150 at Iowa Speedway, an East and West Series combination race, on August 2. |
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Related K&N News Articles about NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Racer Derek Thorn Won the Carneros 200 at Sonoma Raceway; Michael Self Wins Third NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race in a Row at Lebanon I-44 Speedway; NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Racer Michael Self Wins NAPA Know How 125 at Brainerd International Raceway; NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Driver Derek Thorn Wins G-Oil 150 at Stockton 99 Speedway |
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