NEW SMYRNA, Fla. – In a strange turn of events during Sunday night’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway, pole sitter Todd Gilliland was declared the winner when the race was accidently run an extra lap.
Gilliland in the No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry and Spencer Davis were battling side-by-side for the lead as they crossed the start / finish line for what should have been the white flag lap, except the flagman never waved the flag until half of the field already raced by.
The Bill McNally Racing driver was leading of what should have been the 150th – and last – lap, but the checkered flag didn’t fly and the field continued to race.
On the last lap, Ronnie Bassett shoved Gilliland out of the lead and into Davis, who slammed into the Turn 4 wall hard, while Bassett emerged unscathed and captured the checkered flag.
All of the chaos ensued on Lap 151 – one more than the scheduled race distance for the JET Tools 150.
While Bassett celebrated on the frontstretch, NASCAR soon thereafter declared the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran David Gilliland the winner, as the sanctioning body declared the race over at Lap 150, which was led by the third generation driver.
NASCAR issued a statement after the event citing a delay in the appropriate flags being displayed.
“As tonight’s K&N Pro Series East race neared the conclusion of the advertised distance, there was a delay in the appropriate flags being displayed to the field. As a result, the race continued for an additional lap beyond the scheduled 150 laps, during which a wreck occurred involving cars at the front of the field. Per the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rule Book Section 10-2.11.B, the official results of the race reverted to the running order at the completion of lap 150, the advertised distance. NASCAR will review the circumstances surrounding the finish and take steps to avoid a recurrence.”
The 15-year-old has now won in his debut in four different series – Late Model CARS Tour, ARCA, K&N West and now K&N East. He’ll run a full NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule this season, in addition to a limited effort in K&N East.
Unofficially, Davis was scored as the race runner-up with Bassett in third. Kyle Benjamin and Justin Hayley completed the top five. Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Tyler Dippel, Riley Herbst and Dominique Van Wieringen comprised the top-10.
Van Wieringen in her series debut made history by qualifying third, the highest mark for a female competitor in the series’ 30th year of competition.
The season-opening JET Tools 150 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, February 25 at 11:30 p.m.
NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST-Jet Tools 150 Results
Sunday At New Smyrna Speedway
New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Lap length: 0.48 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (1) Todd Gilliland, Sherrills Ford, N.C., Toyota, 150 laps.
2. (2) Spencer Davis, Dawsonville, Ga., Chevrolet, 150.
3. (13) Ronnie Bassett, Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C., Ford, 150.
4. (12) Kyle Benjamin, Easley, S.C., Chevrolet, 150.
5. (11) Justin Haley, Winamac, Ind., Chevrolet, 150.
6. (8) Noah Gragson, Las Vegas, Nev., Ford, 150.
7. (21) Ryan Preece, Berlin, Conn., Chevrolet, 150.
8. (5) Tyler Dippel, Wallkill, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150.
9. (17) Riley Herbst, Las Vegas, Nev., Toyota, 150.
10. (3) Dominique Van Wieringen, Amherstburg, Ont., Ford, 150.
11. (10) Collin Cabre, Tampa, Fla., Toyota, 150.
12. (16) Gracin Raz, Lake Oswego, Ore., Ford, 150.
13. (9) Harrison Burton, Huntersville, N.C., Toyota, 150.
14. (24) Trey Hutchens, Lexington, N.C., Chevrolet, 150.
15. (6) Kaz Grala, Westborough, Mass., Toyota, 150.
16. (29) David Calabrese, Toms River, N.J., Ford, 150.
17. (18) Reid Wilson, Huntersville, N.C., Chevrolet, 150.
18. (28) John Holleman, IV, Winston-Salem, N.C., Ford, 150.
19. (26) Codie Rohrbaugh, Petersburg, W.Va., Chevrolet, 150.
20. (25) Ali Kern, Fremont, Ohio, Toyota, 150.
21. (20) Ruben Garcia Jr., Mexico City, Mexico, Toyota, 150.
22. (23) Sarah Cornett-Ching, Summerland, B.C., Chevrolet, 149.
23. (7) Jairo Avila Jr., Alhambra, Calif., Toyota, 149.
24. (4) Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine, Toyota, 148.
25. (22) Clayton Green, Marble Falls, Texas, Toyota, 147.
26. (27) Christian Celaya, Caborca, Mexico, Toyota, 147.
27. (15) Dillon Bassett, Winston-Salem, N.C., Ford, 147.
28. (19) Ulysse Delsaux, Troyes, France, Toyota, 144.
29. (14) Hunter Baize, Bremen, Ky., Chevrolet, 97, accident.
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