After a five years gone from the state racing scene, the K&N Pro Series East will return to Connecticut in 2016.
The division – which raced regularly at Stafford Motor Speedway for 20 years and was formerly known as the Busch North Series and Camping World East Series – will return to the half-mile oval in 2016 after a seven year hiatus from the track.
NASCAR and Stafford Motor Speedway announced Monday that the track will host the K&N Pro Series East on June 17.
The Stafford event was announced as one of 14 races on the K&N Pro Series East schedule for 2016.
It will mark the first K&N Pro Series East event at Stafford since Oct. 12, 2008. Peyton Sellers won the last event at the track.
“We’re looking forward to hosting the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series,” Stafford Speedway chief operating officer and general manager Mark Arute said in a release “The K&N Pro East Series has always provided a nice mix of up and coming drivers with local drivers and there have been a great deal of K&N drivers that have succeeded at the highest levels of NASCAR. Trevor Bayne and Joey Logano have both won the Daytona 500 and we’ve also had drivers like Martin Truex, Jr. and Austin Dillon, who have won championships in the premier divisions of NASCAR. This season’s K&N Pro Series East drivers could very well be future Daytona 500 or premier series champions.”
The June event at Stafford will mark the 30th K&N Pro Series East event at Stafford since 1987. Stafford Motor Speedway hosted the K&N Pro Series East for at least one event annually from 1993 to 2008.
“NASCAR and Stafford Motor Speedway have enjoyed a long partnership and we’re excited to bring the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East back to such an historic venue,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. “Many names have been made over the years because of their success at Stafford. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East represents a tremendous opportunity for the best and brightest young stars in the sport to compete, and I know many of them are already looking forward to testing their skills at Stafford.”
The last time the K&N Pro Series East competed at a Connecticut track was at Lime Rock Park on July 3, 2010 when Andrew Ranger won at the historic road course. The series last raced at Thompson Speedway in 2009 and at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl in 2006.
The event at Stafford will mark two New England stops for the series in 2016. The division will return to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 15 as part of the track’s first of two Sprint Cup Series weekends in 2016.
K&N Pro Series East 2016 Schedule
Feb: 14: New Smyrna Speedway, New Smyrna, Fla.
March 12: Mobile International Speedway, Mobile, Ala.
March 26: Greenville Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C.
April 16: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.
April 30: Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Va.
May 30: Dominion Raceway, Woodford, Va.
June 17: Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford, Conn.
July 2: Columbus Motor Speedway, Columbus, Ohio
July 15: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
July 29: Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa
Aug. 5: Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Sept. 5: Greenville Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C.
Sept.17: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, N.J.
Sept. 30: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del.
Stafford must be doing NASCAR a favor.
Napa flipping the bill$??
Two words, who cares.
Glad they are bringing in something different instead of 22 weeks of the same thing,I like the SKs but a little change is good
The last time this series was exciting at stafford was when TC raced in it. He is the only one that could pass on the outside. Hopefully he can find a ride for this one.
I’m happy for Stafford. Glad to see a big full-fendered event back in our area. But with Seekonk doing their Super Late Model race, and the ACT Tour now at Seeknonk, Waterford, and Thompson…this won’t get much fanfare. They’ll be lucky to get 20 Late Models…and Stafford isn’t exactly conducive to quality full-fendered racing. This is compared to Waterford which will get 25+ ACT Late Models…with locals competing…on a 2-groove track. Seekonk might hit a home run with their 200 lap SLM race if the purse is big enough and enough big names show to make a dent in the South’s late model monopoly. Hopefully someone has deep pockets and can give Preece, TC, or Pennick a ride.
Would love to see the Supermodifieds come back.
Would love to see the Supermodifieds come back.
I think that in 2015 the sk division at Stafford has some of the best races anywhere on most weeks always 4 or 5 cars minimum swapping leads and good battles, U THINK KIDS & NEPHEWS series will be better?
Mark, PLEASE BRING ISMA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looking forward to this! I DVR the series, and some of the 2015 races were a lot of fun to watch. It’s nice to see added value to the season ticket I’ve already purchased.
I’m able to enjoy different events along with my favorite division anywhere, the SK’s… It’s nice to have a different meal once in a while.
Supermodifieds would be great if the car counts didn’t stink… They’re cool cars!
I’m with Bob G.
Would love to see the Supermodifieds come back!
A welcome change to the upcoming season. Just hope there is a decent field of cars. Still remember Steafanik, Christopher, Marquis., McCabe. Dragon, Rowe, Santere, and so many more great drivers and the entertaining BUSCH races they ran at Stafford.
It surprised me to see them bringing in such a garbage division, they must be getting kickbacks from nascar cause no other tracks wants them.
1 and done for sure hope all in attendance bring a nap sack and pillow.
They should bring back isma but not a stupid stand alone Tuesday show. Run em on a Friday night
Jason, The K & N is a national series. These aren’t Saturday night racers. They will show up 35 strong, all running for points.
What a joke, let’s bring in a series that left New England some 5 years ago and fails to attract any talent who have raced locally in the NE.
35 strong?? Lmao yea right let us know when you wake up from fantasy land lol. 20-25 max with maybe 5 capable of winning unless passing is required
35 strong at NHMS, 20 strong elsewhere
This is great to see and wonderful for New England fans as well as drivers who are developing (or trying) careers in NASCAR or ARCA competition. I think this is the best schedule the Series has had in many years…though the budgets needed to compete for wins will hardly shrink…this is a start.
Just for you Justafan,
K&N drew 31 cars at Dover in September. 35 cars at Richmond which was also in September. They got 38 cars at Iowa last summer. NHMS actually drew one of the smaller fields at 28. Then again, not sure why people would think NHMS would draw a lot of cars. Most of these teams are based in North Carolina/Virgina area. Several are extensions of Cup teams. I apologize for throwing facts at the argument that they only draw 20 cars.
I’m with the masses on wanting to see ISMA at Stafford again in the near future.
You guys have all the answers when it’s not your track or money
lol NH Mark… you named all the big tracks the series goes to. That’s like saying the Whelen Tour draws 35 car fields because they do that at NHMS. A typical short track K&N race draws ~20 cars. Bowman Gray, the “backyard” for most teams, and one of the most supported (and hated) tracks in the US has barely drawn 20 K&N cars the past few years. And you’re right… New Hampshire is a haul for these guys…so is Stafford. Stafford doesn’t have the purse, prestige, spotlight, or fans that NHMS does. Mark my words… 18 cars, tops, will show up July whateverth at Stafford.
Just for record’s sake, they averaged 27.2 cars a race last year, with a low of 21.
Shawn – Don’t confuse the issue with facts…
“…nice mix of local racers” – what the hell has Mark Arute been smoking??? This series was a tough draw at Stafford when New England legends like Dion, McCabe, Fadden and Dragon ran the series, now it’s nothing but a bunch of rich brats that nobody has ever heard of (and most likely be out of the sport in 4 years).
Where is the draw for fans?
That NHMS only runs them once a year speaks volumes about the appeal of this series.