BMR Drivers Set For K&N East Opener At New Smyrna

Bill McAnally Racing’s trio of drivers are set to compete in NASCAR Speedweeks in Florida as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East kicks off its season at New Smyrna Speedway on Sunday.

Each of the three competitors has a slightly different perspective on the event, but all share the same goal – to run up front and contend for the win.

Derek Kraus, driving the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, will be embarking on his second year of competition with BMR in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Cole Rouse – in the No. 99 NAPA Filters Toyota Camry – will be making his first race with BMR as he returns to the K&N Pro Series, where he competed in the West division in 2016. Hailie Deegan, meanwhile, will be making her series debut in the No. 19 Mobil 1 / NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota Camry as she tackles the ranks of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.

All three drivers are slated to run the full 15-race schedule in the West division of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series this year – while also racing in select events in the East division, such as New Smyrna.

Kraus finished third a year ago at New Smyrna Speedway, in making his debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. He went on to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, where he won the rookie title and finished third in the overall championship standings.

For 2018, the 16-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin is in the seat of the NAPA Toyota vacated by his BMR teammate, Todd Gilliland, who won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.

Rouse – a 20-year-old from Fort Smith, Arkansas – will be making his first start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He notched four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes while finishing eighth in the championship standings as a rookie in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in 2016.

This past year, he raced for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the CARS Super Late Model Tour, where he captured a championship. He also made starts last year in a variety of other touring series.

Deegan, a member of the NASCAR Next program that spotlights rising stars, will be making her first start in NASCAR’s top developmental series. The 16-year-old from Temecula, California has won multiple championships in off-road racing – where she began her racing career at the age of 8.

She also competed this past season in stock cars – racing in super late model and late model divisions. Deegan participated in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity combine in 2016 and was awarded the 2017 NASCAR Diversity Young Racer award. She is a member of Toyota’s driver development program.

A group of NAPA guests – from the NAPA store in Daytona Beach and the NAPA store in Deltona – will be attending the New Smyrna race, courtesy of Chris Wall, general manager of NAPA’s Jacksonville Distribution Center. A VIP experience is planned for the group that includes going behind the scenes with a special pit tour, attending the drivers’ meeting, and being guests at a VIP Hospitality. The guests will also have the opportunity to attend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Clash at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s 175-lap race is part of the 52nd Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing on the half-mile New Smyrna track. It will be televised on NBCSN, and is scheduled to air on Feb. 20. (Check local listings for your time zone.)

Kraus will have a busy schedule at New Smyrna. In addition to racing in the K&N East event, he will be competing in super late model races there.

BMR PR