Todd Gilliland Wins in Spokane for Fourth K&N Pro Series West Race in a Row
- May 17, 2017
Todd Gilliland won his fourth NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race in a row and his Bill McAnally Racing teammates swept the podium at Spokane County Raceway in Washington. Gilliland won the pole and led every lap in the Toyota NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by DAA Auto Body Center. “When we unloaded, we were not very good to start,” Gilliland said. “Everyone really put their heads down and kept digging and didn’t worry about speed or whatever anyone else was doing. We really just focused on our NAPA Toyota and the feel of it. We got it driving quite a bit better.” The start of the race was delayed nearly two hours because of rain. The cars turned 102 laps on the track to try to dry it before the race started. Gilliland won his fifth pole in a row and it was the second race in a row he led from green to checkered flag. He won the K&N Pro Series West race at Irwindale Speedway from pole to finish.
“We were fastest in qualifying and that set us up great for the race,” Gilliland said after the race in Spokane. “We were able to get out to the lead and manage it from there.” Derek Kruas, Gilliland’s 15-year-old teammate at Bill McAnally Racing, was second. Kraus started on the front row with Gilliland and kept pace through three caution periods and restarts. “They were telling me about him on the radio,” Gilliland said. “Derek did an amazing job today. I’m sure he’ll get a win before the season is over. I’m just happy we could hold him off this time.”
Kraus, who is third in the K&N Pro Series West rookie of the year standings, posted his third top-five finish in five races. “We got to second and rode a little bit until the break,” Kraus said. “After the break we got going, but caught lapped traffic.” Chris Eggleston, the 2015 K&N Pro Series West champion, was third in the race at Spokane. Gilliland, the reigning K&N Pro Series West champion, extended his lead in the K&N Pro Series West standings. He has a 20-point lead over Eggleston after five races. Gilliland has 11 wins in 20 career K&N Pro Series West starts. The next K&N Pro Series West race is at The Orange Show in California. |
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