HUNTERSVILLE, Northcarolina — Drive for Diversity’s Paul Harraka continued his rookie charge in the NASCAR Camping World Series East-West combination race at Iowa Speedway. Harraka, driving the No. 12 NAPA AutoCare Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing, finished fifth in the Long John Silver’s 200.
"Iowa Speedway is a great place to race and I really enjoyed moving up through the field. I'd really like to thank all of the fans who stayed through the rain delay."— Paulie Harraka
“Duane and the entire NAPA Auto Care crew did an excellent job on pit road today, getting me a racecar that was good enough to run in the top five,” said Harraka. “Iowa Speedway is a great place to race and I really enjoyed moving up through the field. I'd really like to thank all of the fans who stayed through the rain delay.”
Harraka was the second-highest finishing NASCAR Camping World Series West driver. The Iowa event is the only race between the NASCAR Camping World Series East and West in which points are at stake.
Harraka started the race 23rd after battling a loose race car during qualifying. He navigated the No. 12 NAPA AutoCare Toyota through the field, finally breaking into the top 10 on lap 122. Once into the top 10, Harraka made quick work of the field, passing Jesus Hernandez and Mike David and moving into sixth by lap 138. Harraka moved into fourth on lap 195, after an intense battle with East series rookie Brett Moffitt.
Harraka had his sights set on a top-three finish, but Jeffrey Earnhardt was closing in and challenging for fourth-place. The two battled door-to-door, with Earnhardt beating Harraka to the finish by a nose.
Harraka’s fifth-place finish again earned him the NASCAR Camping World Series West Sunoco Rookie of the Race award. He also earned the Coca-Cola Move of the Race award.
Harraka is currently sixth in the NASCAR Camping World Series West standings, with three top fives and four top 10s. He will be back on track June 6 at Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Ore.
Kristin Bumbera and Jonathan Smith also competed in the Long John Silver’s 200. Bumbera finished 28th in the No. 94 Love’s Travel Stops Dodge for Hamilton Racing. Smith, driving the No. 76 Fadden Racing Chevrolet, finished 30th.
D4D NEWS AND NOTES:
Drive for Diversity’s Natalie Sather scored her second consecutive top-five finish on Saturday night at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. Sather, racing her first full super late model season on asphalt, finished fourth in the No. 94 Toyota for Total Velocity Motorsports.
Megan Reitenour, a first year Drive for Diversity participant, finished eighth at Tri-County Motor Speedway in Hudson, N.C., in the No. 92 Leicht Motorsports Chevrolet on Friday night. Reitenour is currently fifth in the Tri-County Motor Speedway late model standings.
Another first year D4D driver, Mackena Bell, finished 14th at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) on Saturday night. Bell, driving the No. 30 Position One Motorsports Chevrolet, is 11th in the AC Delco Super Late Model standings at Toyota Speedway.
Juan Pitta, piloting the No. 16 101.6 The Wolf Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing, finished eighth at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., on Saturday. Pitta is currently third in the All American Speedway Late Model division standings, 44 points out of first.
Emily Sue Steck was at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday night, driving the No. 6 DMT Motorsports Chevrolet. Steck finished 18th after being involved in an early race incident. She is eighth in the LaCrosse (Wisc.) Fairgrounds Speedway Late Model division standings.
About Drive for Diversity
Drive for Diversity, managed by The 909 Group, develops minority and female drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Since the creation of the Drive for Diversity program in 2004, 22 drivers have competed, winning 28 races. Last year, eight drivers combined for 14 wins, 90 top 10s and a first-ever track championship. Drive for Diversity also supports crew member candidates each year. The Drive for Diversity program is committed to supporting and enhancing diversity in all aspects of motorsports. Much of the success of the Drive for Diversity initiative is a result of support from key sponsors and involved team owners
