AVONDALE, Arizona — When you are good, you're good and David Mayhew of Atascadero, CA proved it as he raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, first scoring a 26.945 second, 133.605 mph run to score fast time in qualifying, then he backed it up, driving the #17 MIMI Service/Ron's Rear Ends Chevrolet from his earned lead start, scoring all laps in the lead to win the Talking Stick Resort 50 on the fast one mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, AZ. This was Mayhew's first victory at P.I.R.
"The race went really well today. I got through the first lap, then the second was awesome. Getting the pole start, I think was what gave me the edge. I love racing here at Phoenix but I haven't always had good things come my way. I have raced with K&N Pro Series East a couple of times, plus I raced events that included both the East and the West Pro Series. I think racing with the East makes us all more competitive." said Mayhew.
Mayhew has four career wins, two in the K&N Pro Series West and two in the combined East/West. events. Mayhew, will be the first ever drivers in the K&N Pro Series West to be able to participate in the Battle of the Beaches, at Daytona, FL.
Racing to a second place finish was Dylan Kwasniewski of Las Vegas, NV, who raced the #03 Rockstar/Royal Purple Ford, from a fourth place start. This was Kwasniewski's only second race on the P.I.R. mile with his first race in the November 2011 K&N event. Kwasniewski missed the opening season race because he was only fifteen at the time and too young to compete, at this facility, at the time.
"It was a great race. Our Ford was great. I'm going to be working to win this championship. In lap traffic I had a little problem but was able to drive around them without scratches or dents. The track definitely had rubber down which made it better to run." said Kwasniewski.
David Suarez of Monterey, Mexico, drove the #76 Telcel/Finsa/Rocaacero Toyota to the line to score in the third place finish.
"I'm really happy with our race. We came back and finished in third. We had a strong run. I'm happy with everyone on the team. I want to thank all of my sponsors." said Suarez, who will be racing the season with the K&N Pro Series East.
It really was a good race with only one caution during the race which was a fender bender for Billy Kann on the twenty-seventh lap. Kann who is a local driver from Tempe, AZ, had some of the loose metal taken off of his #18 car and returned to the race, tagging the end.
The green flag flew back out on the thirty-first lap and the checkered flag,would be the only flag that would fly next as the race stayed green until the checkered.
Out of the thirty car field only sixteen cars were left on the lead lap, as the last lap scored.
Fourth place went to the K&N Pro Series West defending champion, Greg Pursley of Newhall, CA. Purlsey did not have the start he was hoping for, having qualified twelfth fast. Which of course was where he would start as the green flag brought the field to action.
With having to contend with the eleven cars in front of him, plus the lap cars, it was a hard journey forward. Pursley worked his way through the traffic and crossed the line in fourth.
Fifth place went to Derek Thorn (CA), followed by Carlos Iaconelli (Brazil), Chad Boat (AZ), Eric Holmes (CA), David Gilliland (CA), DJ Kennington (ONT), Ben Kennedy (FL), Brett Thompson (ID), Daryl Harr (CAN), Travis Milburn (FL), Brennan Newberry (CA), Ryan Philpott (CA), Chase Elliott (GA), Michael Self (UT), Isaac Sherman (NM), Carl Harr (CAN), Brady Flaherty (CA), Cameron Hayley (CAN), Dylan Hutchison (CA), Jonathon Gomez (ID), Trevor Cristiani (CA), John Wood (ID), Kann, Justin Funkhouser, (CA), Jack Sellers (CA) and Johnny Borneman (CA).
The average speed was 112.532 mph and the margin of victory was 1.198.
(Five cars had been sent to the rear of the field at the start of this race, because of not attending the drivers meeting and/or missing the meeting due to mechanical problems. The five drivers are, Holmes, Newberry, Hutchison, Gomez, Funkhouser and Wood.)
