2015 Nascar K&N Pro and Whelen Modifieds

[NaBUru38]

NBCSN will broadcast 39 Nascar K&N Pro and Whelen Modifieds races.

Most are on Thursdays, except three on mid-week, six on Friday and three on weekends.

Feb 19 – K&N East at New Smyrna
Apr 3 – K&N West at Kern County
Apr 7 – K&N East at Greenville Pickens
Apr 16 – K&N West at Irwindale
Apr 17 – Modifieds at Thompson
Apr 23 – K&N East at Bristol
May 7 – K&N West at Tucson
May 21 – K&N East/West at Iowa
June 4 – K&N East at Bowman-Gray; K&N West at Shasta
June 18 – Modifieds at Thompson
June 25 – K&N East at Langley
July 2 – K&N West and Modifieds at Sonoma
July 10 – K&N East at Columbus
July 16 – K&N West at Stateline
July 23 – Modifieds and K&N Eastat New Hampshire
July 30 – Modifieds at Monadnock
Aug 6 – K&N East/West at Iowa
Aug 7 – Southern Modifieds at Bowman-Gray
Aug 13 – K&N East at Watkins Glen
Aug 20 – K&N East at Motordrome
Aug 21 – K&N West at Evergreen
Aug 27 – K&N West at Colorado
Aug 28 – Modifieds at Bristol
Sept 3 – K&N East at Virginia
Sept 10 – K&N West at Meridian
Sept 11 – Southern Modifieds at Langley
Sept 16 – K&N East at Richmond
Sept 24 – Southern Modifieds at South Boston
Oct 1 – Modifieds at New Hampshire
Oct 6 – K&N East at Dover
Oct 10 – Modifieds at Stafford
Oct 15 – Southern Modifieds at Charlotte
Oct 22 – K&N West at All American; Modifieds at Thompson
Nov 19 – K&N West at Phoenix

[canamman]

Thanks for the heads up. You can also
try here for some live stream action if you
cant wait on the NBCSN replays.

http://speed51.com/

Curious to see what Rico Abreu will do in the East.
I have never heard of him till he won the Chillibowl.

[broadrun96]

I might have to catch the K&N guys, they put on a great race at Road Atlanta a few years back. They ran fast and clean enough I think everyone was caught out on how fast the race went. I think it was supposed to be around 90 minutes and they got done closer to an hour. Watching them through the Esses and into 5 was great fun from Spectator Hill, they were sliding and fighting through but stayed clean so the road courses will be a good watch at least.

[R.Lee]

K&N Filters announces that it will be sponsoring the NASCAR East and West Pro Series for the next 12 years. This was posted on Jayski's yesterday:

K&N Filters renews sponsorship of Pro Series: NASCAR announced it has reached a five-year agreement with K&N Filters to continue as the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series through 2021. The renewed deal ensures that K&N Filters will own exclusive rights as the title sponsor for a total of 12-consecutive years. Additionally, K&N Filters acquires the designation as the "Official Automotive Filters of NASCAR." The NASCAR K&N Pro Series is universally recognized in the racing industry as the top rung in NASCAR's developmental ladder - notable alumni include Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick, both finalists in last year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, as well as rising stars like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Darrell Wallace Jr. The series introduces NASCAR fans and industry stakeholders to the next generation of stars, and the diverse mix of short tracks, road courses and national series speedways appeals to a broad range of motorsports fans. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will kick off the 2015 season at Kern County Raceway Park with the running of the NAPA Auto Parts 150 on March 28.(NASCAR)(3-21-2015)

[R.Lee]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

I might have to catch the K&N guys, they put on a great race at Road Atlanta a few years back. They ran fast and clean enough I think everyone was caught out on how fast the race went. I think it was supposed to be around 90 minutes and they got done closer to an hour. Watching them through the Esses and into 5 was great fun from Spectator Hill, they were sliding and fighting through but stayed clean so the road courses will be a good watch at least.

That race was the demise of and probably the cause of the end of the K&N East Series in Georgia. The previous years, the race had been run, just up the road, at Gresham Motorsports Park, in Jefferson, GA. I went to the K&N races there and they were OUTSTANDING races! Then, NASCAR bought Road Atlanta and scheduled/moved the K&N race from GMP to Road Atlanta and worse, scheduled it as a support race for sportscar racing and on a Friday morning/early afternoon, to boot. STUPID move, to say the least! Schedule a stock car race, at a track and in front of fans, of a different form of racing, that care absolutely nothing about, in most cases, literally hating, stock car racing and run it at a time when most people, that would attend it are at work. The results were at the very least, absolutely predictable -- very poor attendance by NASCAR fans and practically ZERO interest, from the fans that were at the track.

VERY poor handling of the K&N race, by NASCAR! What they should have done, was to not ever have taken the race from Gresham Motorsports Park to start with! Or, if they had to insist on moving it to the Road Atlanta area, they should have purchased Lanier Speedway, directly across Hwy 53, from Road Atlanta, at the same time that they bought Road Atlanta. That would have given them a track, more suitable for the K&N cars to race on and one that NASCAR fans would have far more likely attended. The K&N Series is largely a Friday/Saturday night, short track series. It would have made allot more sense to have run it on Friday night, plus the land across the street, that Lanier is on, would have been readily available for additional parking for events at Road Atlanta. Seems like a complete no brainer to me.

In lieu of this, if NASCAR just had to have this race on the road-course, since they own Road Atlanta, they should have scheduled a (now called)Xfinity Series/Camping World Truck Series event on a separate weekend, with the K&K East Series as a support series for those series races for the weekend. Again, VERY poor handling of this series, by NASCAR, that killed the K&N East Racing Series in Georgia.

Although I do not like road-racing, I almost went to the K&N race that you attended broadrun96. I was going to attend it, with a friend that was/is an avid sportscar/road-racing fan. He had not ever seen stock cars race and had talked me into meeting him at the track on that Friday to watch the K&N race and whatever else was going on there, that day. I had to call him and back out at the last moment. The company that I was working for, at the time, called me, the night before the race and told me that I would have to work, even though I had been promised that I would be off, for the month prior the that Friday. That is the reason that I no longer work for that company -- that was one of the numerous times that they had promised that I could be off, well in advanced of the day that I asked off for, only to tell me, at the last moment that I would have to cancel my plans and work on the day that I was promised off! Anyway, my friend understood and went on to the races, that Friday, he had originally planned to go to Saturday/Sunday races of that weekend. He told me that he enjoyed the K&N Race, said much the same that you did. He wandered around the various areas, to get different vantages of the cars going around the track and was impressed with the performance of both the drivers and the cars. He made the point about the fans, that I mentioned above. He said that from everything that he observed, the overall majority of the sportscar fans were totally disinterested in the K&N race. He said that only a very few paid any attention, at all to the race. They either ignored or were unaware that there was even a race going on. Most were busy partying, eating, going to and from vendors, concession stands, etc. They could have, in his words, "cared less that there was a race going on". I'm guessing that you and he, broadrun96, were about the only ones that paid any attention to the K&N race and with that much disinterest and lack of attendance, I'm not at all surprised that NASCAR pulled the plug on the K&N Series in Georgia.

[toledo47]

I'm a huge K&N fan, go to tons of their races each year. I went to 2 of the K&N races at Gresham and the 1 at Road Atlanta. Enjoyed all of them. Anyway, I doubt it was NASCAR's fault that they quit going to Gresham. The track has been closed and for sale for a year or 2 now. The track obviously wasn't making a profit so they probably didn't want K&N (or anything else) there. Its a shame since that is one of the nicest short tracks anywhere. I'm sure NASCAR would be more than happy to return to Georgia if another track wants to pay what it costs to host a K&N Pro Series east race. Greenville Pickens in SC is a great track, not very far from there, if you have not gone there I highly recommend it. They have for a few years had 2 races per year, although they are back to 1 for 2015.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by R.Lee

they should have scheduled a (now called)Xfinity Series/Camping World Truck Series event on a separate weekend, with the K&K East Series as a support series for those series races for the weekend.

That would be much more interesting than Talladega.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by toledo47

I'm a huge K&N fan, go to tons of their races each year. I went to 2 of the K&N races at Gresham and the 1 at Road Atlanta. Enjoyed all of them. Anyway, I doubt it was NASCAR's fault that they quit going to Gresham. The track has been closed and for sale for a year or 2 now. The track obviously wasn't making a profit so they probably didn't want K&N (or anything else) there. Its a shame since that is one of the nicest short tracks anywhere. I'm sure NASCAR would be more than happy to return to Georgia if another track wants to pay what it costs to host a K&N Pro Series east race. Greenville Pickens in SC is a great track, not very far from there, if you have not gone there I highly recommend it. They have for a few years had 2 races per year, although they are back to 1 for 2015.

Wait, Gresham is closed/for sale?
http://www.greshammotorsportspark.co...ested-0-0.html
Aww man! I am so slack, I never went to an actual race there.

[toledo47]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Wait, Gresham is closed/for sale?
http://www.greshammotorsportspark.co...ested-0-0.html
Aww man! I am so slack, I never went to an actual race there.

Unfortunately you missed a really good one. I never went there when it was still the old Peach State Speedway, but they put a lot of money into the renovation of that place. One of the nicest short track facilities anywhere for sure. Great racing there too. TBH, I thought the crowds they had there for the K&N races were kinda crap, lot of empty seats. And that was their biggest race of the year, so I can see why the place closed. Its a shame, if the place did better, seems like it would've have been a good candidate for a truck series race, all they would have needed to do was bring in more grandstands. Hopefully that place comes back at some point, it shouldn't be sitting there unused.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by toledo47

Unfortunately you missed a really good one. I never went there when it was still the old Peach State Speedway, but they put a lot of money into the renovation of that place. One of the nicest short track facilities anywhere for sure. Great racing there too. TBH, I thought the crowds they had there for the K&N races were kinda crap, lot of empty seats. And that was their biggest race of the year, so I can see why the place closed. Its a shame, if the place did better, seems like it would've have been a good candidate for a truck series race, all they would have needed to do was bring in more grandstands. Hopefully that place comes back at some point, it shouldn't be sitting there unused.

I never went there when it was Peach State but have heard many say the facilities were very nice since the renovation. I did see some of the Late Model races on TV. The place is fast and lends to excellent side by side racing. Every time I had the thought of getting there, something else was happening or the weather was very suspect.

Thanks to HJJ, who convinced me to go there one random Monday, I saw Kimi's first Nascar test from a distance and chatted with Dan Elliott for a bit. Awesome day!

Side note, I loved watching them at Road ATL a couple of years ago

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Wait, Gresham is closed/for sale?
http://www.greshammotorsportspark.co...ested-0-0.html
Aww man! I am so slack, I never went to an actual race there.

everyone on the east side is racing in Anderson now. Hopefully Downing can get Lanier back open.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

everyone on the east side is racing in Anderson now. Hopefully Downing can get Lanier back open.

Lanier was certainly a cool place to drag a bottle and an icebag into.

Really would like both to get back going again so I can take the boys to both.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Lanier was certainly a cool place to drag a bottle and an icebag into.

Really would like both to get back going again so I can take the boys to both.

Redneck heaven: http://www.dixiespeedway.com/

[canamman]

You ever tried this place with the kids?
http://www.dixiespeedway.com/schedule/

My son who has been to both Lanier and Dixie
back in his youth thinks Dixie was more exciting.

However the best all time greatest night was at Lanier
when they had the "Night of Destruction". Still will
never forget the trailor races, and yes, those trailors had
boats or campers on them.

In my life I am sure I have been to Dixie over 50 times.
Hmm, I am not sure I am proud of that. Eh, yeah I am.

"""" I see we are on the same page """""" from the post below.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

You ever tried this place with the kids?
http://www.dixiespeedway.com/schedule/

My son who has been to both Lanier and Dixie
back in his youth thinks Dixie was more exciting.

However the best all time greatest night was at Lanier
when they had the "Night of Destruction". Still will
never forget the trailor races, and yes, those trailors had
boats or campers on them.

In my life I am sure I have been to Dixie over 50 times.
Hmm, I am not sure I am proud of that. Eh, yeah I am.

"""" I see we are on the same page """""" from the post below.

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Redneck heaven: http://www.dixiespeedway.com/

It's a date, boys! When we going? I passed by there avoiding ATL traffic on the way to Tennessee a while ago, and apparently the next race is always Saturday at 7 pm.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by canamman

"""" I see we are on the same page """""" from the post below.

I've only been twice, but I love it! Have you been to Rome?

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

It's a date, boys! When we going? I passed by there avoiding ATL traffic on the way to Tennessee a while ago, and apparently the next race is always Saturday at 7 pm.

Here's the event to see fellas: http://www.dixiespeedway.com/events/...acing-program/

Dixie is a trioval and the sprint cars carry a tire all the way down the front stretch!

[canamman]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I've only been twice, but I love it! Have you been to Rome?




Here's the event to see fellas: http://www.dixiespeedway.com/events/...acing-program/

Dixie is a trioval and the sprint cars carry a tire all the way down the front stretch!

I think the sprints would be a fine idea.

No , I have not done Rome yet.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

I've only been twice, but I love it! Have you been to Rome?

Here's the event to see fellas: http://www.dixiespeedway.com/events/...acing-program/

Dixie is a trioval and the sprint cars carry a tire all the way down the front stretch!

Originally Posted by canamman

I think the sprints would be a fine idea.

No , I have not done Rome yet.

Added to my calendar.


Maybe we should hand this off back to K&N discussion.

[R.Lee]

Didn't know the Gresham was closed and up for sale. A shame, it was a great track. I attended both K&N East races there and really enjoyed both! I have a bad feeling that it won't open again. Always went to the Crown Royal 300, their Super Late Model race and it was always a great show. I saw quite a few races there, when it was to old Peach State Raceway, great racing back then too. Guess all of that is gone, forever, now.

As for Lanier, yes it was a great track, saw some great racing there, over the years. As for Lanier ever reopening, don't hold your breath. This Downing, that bought Lanier, made a statement, when he purchased Lanier, that he would not reopen it for stock car racing. He had and still has (as far as I know) no plans or interest in bringing Lanier back as a stock car racing short track. He said, at the time of the purchase, that the site has potential for "other" uses. Unless he has changed his mind, and/or said something different since the time of purchase, his decision to not reopen Lanier still stands. I guess Lanier is gone, forever now too.

Both Greenville-Pickens and Anderson are out of my driving range/budget, so scratch them. Dixie, I use to love, when it was a paved track. Not only attended allot of races there, but also drove there back in the early/mid-70s. Great track, back then. In 1975, I saw Richard Petty race there, in the debut of the old Dodge "kit car". The late Hal Hamrick, ran the track back then and was the promoter at (then called) Atlanta International Raceway. He was always able to get a Winston Cup star or two to run there during this time, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Darrell Waltrip and several others competed there. Petty was the big coop however. There were 47,000 in attendance that night, biggest crowd they ever drew, before or since that night! Since Dixie was plowed up and converted into a dirt track, I have been there a couple of times, for late model dirt races. While they're good, there just isn't the appeal that the place had, when it was a paved track. Same story with Rome, just not that big enough appeal for me to drive the 2+ hours it would take me to get there.

I guess what this all boils down to is, with the demise of both Gresham and Lanier, my days of attending races are pretty much over. Atlanta Motor Speedway, not only is a long drive from me, but smith and the failed economy have basically put attending races there far outside of my price range. Gresham and Lanier offered, at least, venues that were close enough and inexpensive enough for me to attend, but now, they are both gone. This pretty much means that now, my being a race fan/seeing races is limited to television. Within the next few years my guess, considering the greed that drives racing these days, is that televised racing will be moved to a pay for view channel. NASCAR has floated this idea for a couple of years now. I can, realistically see my days of being a race fan pretty much numbered and very likely could come to a close altogether. As a fan, there is little left of me now, if/when racing moves to pay for view channel, there will be nothing left for me. With distances, ticket prices (and other expenses) and now track closures, pretty much everything has been taken away from me. Just wonder how long I have left, until I have to say goodbye to racing forever? I guess 57 years, as a fan, is a pretty fair run, a shame it likely will come to a close. Never saw it ending like that, but what else is there to say?

[canamman]

You have a long career of being a race fan.
Cool you did some time at Dixie too. Did you ever see
a young Bill Elliott race or win there? I have only been to
the dirt Dixie , since '77.

[toledo47]

Dixie and Rome always have their biggest races of the year during the Petit Le Mans weekend. Last year Dixie had their Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race on the Saturday of Petit and Rome had their Lucas Oil race on Sunday (the day after Petit). When I do big 10+ hour trips like I do for Petit I like to try to get a extra races in if possible. So I checked out the race at Rome, really cool facility, great racing. Highly recommended if you are in the area. Its not that far of a drive from Road Atlanta, I believe Romes big race is again the day after Petit Le Mans this year as well.

[R.Lee]

Originally Posted by canamman

You have a long career of being a race fan.
Cool you did some time at Dixie too. Did you ever see
a young Bill Elliott race or win there? I have only been to
the dirt Dixie , since '77.

Yes, I saw him and got to race with him a few times. You could tell, even at the young age, that he was going to be something special, that he had "it". Some others that raced there during that time, Jody Ridley, Billy McGinnes (probably spelled wrong). Names escape me now, that was a good while back, but there were allot of good drivers that ran there, that given the right breaks (read that funding) could have competed at the (then called) Grand National/Winston Cup Grand National level.

Yes, it has been a long career as a fan. I was fortunate, just born in the right place and at the right time to see most of NASCAR's history as it was happening/being made. Considering that NASCAR started sanctioned racing in 1949 and my dad started me out following it in 1958 (saw my first race at the old Lakewood Speedway, in 1959, at the age of 6) I followed/saw all but the first 10 years of NASCAR's run. A shame that it looks like that will now come to an end. But I guess, as they say, "Such is life." Not much else to say, except that I wish it wouldn't end. Afraid that the day is nearing, when I'll have nothing to do on weekends, racing related. Oh well, guess I'll be riding my Harley even more that I do now. That isn't a bad thing, just never thought it would end like this, for me, as a racing fan.

[fieldodreams79]

I happened to ride past Lanier yesterday and the place looks better than it has in years. I don't have a clue what's going on, just saying that the grass is mowed, the weeds have been brought under control and the place is all cleaned up, compared to what it has been.

[R.Lee]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I happened to ride past Lanier yesterday and the place looks better than it has in years. I don't have a clue what's going on, just saying that the grass is mowed, the weeds have been brought under control and the place is all cleaned up, compared to what it has been.

I haven't been down Hwy 53 in a few weeks, will have ride by and see. I hope Downing changes his mind and reopens the track. It's 8 miles from my house, I would be there, allot, if he started running Late Models (perhaps becomes part of the NASCAR Home Tracks local series) on Friday or Saturday nights! With NASCAR located directly across the street, I doubt, very seriously that he would have trouble getting the track taken into that program.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by R.Lee

Yes, I saw him and got to race with him a few times. You could tell, even at the young age, that he was going to be something special, that he had "it". Some others that raced there during that time, Jody Ridley, Billy McGinnes (probably spelled wrong). Names escape me now, that was a good while back, but there were allot of good drivers that ran there, that given the right breaks (read that funding) could have competed at the (then called) Grand National/Winston Cup Grand National level.

Yes, it has been a long career as a fan. I was fortunate, just born in the right place and at the right time to see most of NASCAR's history as it was happening/being made. Considering that NASCAR started sanctioned racing in 1949 and my dad started me out following it in 1958 (saw my first race at the old Lakewood Speedway, in 1959, at the age of 6) I followed/saw all but the first 10 years of NASCAR's run. A shame that it looks like that will now come to an end. But I guess, as they say, "Such is life." Not much else to say, except that I wish it wouldn't end. Afraid that the day is nearing, when I'll have nothing to do on weekends, racing related. Oh well, guess I'll be riding my Harley even more that I do now. That isn't a bad thing, just never thought it would end like this, for me, as a racing fan.

You got me by a few years but my dad took me down a similar path.
1966 - Peachbowl - my hero was T.C. Hunt
!968-!970 - Lakewood
!972- Road Atl. and seeing my avatar and sportscars
race for the first time.
!976- I could drive myself to Dixie and Road Atl and the
rest is history. Probably got in 5-10 races a year ever since.

The only thing constant is change, and as the song goes,
you gotta roll with the changes. Its a choice.

K&N in Greenville is tempting but I need to save that budget for
IRL weekend at Barber which will also be my first Pirelli race.