The K&N Pro Series East readies for action Sunday at New Smyrna Speedway (Photo: Jim DuPont)
—
Spencer Davis’ Danny Watts Racing owned K&N Pro Series East car at New Smyrna Speedway pays tribute to the late Ted Christopher (Photo: Jim DuPont)
By Denise DuPont
NEW SMYRNA, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East is set to kick off its 2018 season with the running of the New Smyrna 175 as part of the annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.
Below are quotes from competitors prior to the running of the K&N Pro Series East New Smyrna 175 at New Smyrna Speedway Sunday night.
—
Thoughts on competing in the K&N Pro Series East – New Smyrna 175 series opening race?
—
Todd Gilliland (Photo: Denise DuPont)
Starting second in the K&N Pro Series East New Smyrna 175 is seventeen year old Todd Gilliland in the David Gilliland Racing Team #54.
“I am really excited. I have my whole crew from Kyle Busch Motorsports helping me tonight working on the car. I think that I have a really great race car under me and hopefully we will put me in victory lane.”
—
Harrison Burton (Photo: Denise DuPont)
Starting on the pole in the K&N Pro Series East New Smyrna 175 is seventeen year old Harrison Burton in the #12 Toyota Camry for MDM Motorsports car.
“It feels good to be starting on the pole. We came out here and we were first in practice and then on to the pole. Now we have to finish it off. I think that we have a good strategy worked out. It should be a lot of fun and we will see how it goes.”
—
Spencer Davis (Photo: Denise DuPont)
Spencer Davis will be starting eighth in the New Smyrna 175 feature race. He has wrapped his car in Richie Evans Orange and has placed Ted Christopher on the doors and the #13 everywhere he can.
“First off let’s hope it is the New Smyrna 175 not the 177. Overall things have been confusing. This time yesterday we were sitting in Ben Kennedy’s shop totally going through this car. We kind of got the car ill repaired. We finally got the setup right about 2:30 in the morning today. The morning came early and after a night like that you still want some sleep. I think that I have a really good car. There are a couple of rookies up front that will try to blast off to the lead. But 175 laps on these soft tires should be interesting. The veterans will move to the front. Hopefully we will get a good finish.”
—
Jimmy Zacharias (Photo: Denise DuPont)
Jimmy Zacharais will be behind the wheel of the Marsh #31 Whelen Chevrolet for the New Smyrna 175.
“It will be a learning experience and hopefully we finish the race with the fenders on. We got pretty comfortable in the car yesterday. Today we made some bad adjustments on the car for qualifying so it hurt us a little bit running a slower car. I am looking forward to the race an hopefully we will have a decent finish”
Nothing about Joe Graf Jr? A kid that drives sk lites in CT. Makes you wonder how he even got that ride. Must have a fat check book. Can’t be experience or talent.
Why do you say he has no talent? He went from legends, to sklites, to pro latemodel, I felt the kid was a pretty versatile driver, I’ve had the Opportunity to work with some great talents, and he ranks up there, believe me.
Anyone with deep pockets can start in legends and climb the ladder of racing. But where along these steps did he show better than average talent or ability? or is he just showing his fat wallet? did he even finish a late model race?
Nice to see the tribute to TC on Spencer’s car aftrer all he was the king of speedweeks
Sorry, I must have missed all those lite and late model wins.