No. 20 NAPA Toyota team & No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley team at Brainerd International Raceway

Next up for Eric Holmes and the team from BMR is the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Antelope, CA (May 29, 2012) –NASCAR K&N Pro Series West teams went to Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) for the inaugural Brainerd “125”.  Three-time series champion Eric Holmes, who pilots the No. 20 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry for Bill McAnally Racing, goal of recording the first win was hampered by the weather conditions at the 2.5-mile road course.

Practice was cancelled as the skies opened up and the NAPA team from BMR experienced a torrential downpour that included lightening strikes and rolling thunder. Qualifying was also cancelled with the teams lining up according to the points standings as per the NASCAR rule book. As the scheduled race time was approaching, the rain stopped allowing a thirty-minute practice. Holmes put the No. 20 NAPA Toyota eighth on the time charts completing only five laps.

Holmes took the green flag on the inside of row three. The only caution of the race came out at lap seven as a competitor went off course in turn one. Holmes would take the lead at lap 21. At lap 22, Holmes brought the No. 20 NAPA Toyota Camry to pit road for a scheduled pit stop to take on two cans of fuel. Holmes reentered the race in eighth. AT lap 34, the NAPA entry was in the top-five. Holmes would finish the race in sixth.

The NAPA team from BMR would like to thank our ‘Crew Member for the Day” Fred Aschemembauer from Cuyuna Auto Center in Deerwood, Minnesota. Mr. Aschemembauer and his wife were there to support their NAPA team along with others from the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota area. Mr. Aschemembauer has owned a NAPA AutoCare Center for over 10 years.

Next up for the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota team will be the Las Vegas “200”. The race will be at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway just north of the city of Las Vegas. Great seats are still available for the Las Vegas “200”. For ticket information, please visit www.lvms.com/bullring/tickets/.  The race is scheduled to be televised on Thursday June 14th on SPEED Channel. Please check for air times in your local area.

An entry from BMR has won two of the series four visits to the .375-mile high banked oval of the Bullring. Holmes looks to add a third win for BMR after the No. 20 NAPA Toyota suffered an overheating issue last year.  Holmes is fifth in the chase for his fourth series championship and NAPA’s sixth. He is only 29 points out of the lead seven points out of the top-three.

“I’m excited to race at the Bullring,” said Holmes. “The NAPA team always does well on the short tracks and especially on this track. The series has only raced the Bullring four times but BMR recorded 2 wire-to-wire victories in the first three visits. We’ll do our best to follow suit and put the No. 20 NAPA Toyota Camry on the pole and into Victory Lane.”

No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley team at Brainerd International Raceway

Antelope, CA (May 30, 2012) – Rookie driver Cameron Hayley and the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota team recorded a twelfth place finish at the 2.5-mile road course in Brainerd, Minnesota as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series made their first visit to the racewa.

Rain plagued the team all of race day cancelling the practice session and qualifying. With a break in the weather, Hayley and the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota team were able to get on the track completing ten laps. Hayley was fourth quick on the timing chart. With minutes to go in the session, Hayley began experiencing a transmission problem.  With very little time before the car were to be gridded for the race, the team went to work to replace the transmission and the clutch. Hayley would have to start the 50-lap race at the back of the field.

Under threatening skies and cold temperatures, the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota Camry took the green flag to begin the Brainerd “125”. The young rookie gained a position in each of the first six laps before the only caution of the race came out as a competitor went off course in turn one. Green flag racing was back underway with Hayley continuing his march toward the front. He was in the top-ten at lap 13. At lap 18 and running now in 7th, Hayley radioed in that the car was “tight” in the center. He brought the car to pit road for fuel and adjustments. He reentered the race in 11th.

At the half-way point in the race, Hayley had moved back into the top-ten. At lap 36, he radioed in that the No. 24 Toyota Camry had become ‘really loose’.  Hayley would complete the Brainerd “125” in twelfth.

Hayley is leading in the 2012 Sunoco Rookie of the Year points for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He is also eighth in the chase for the Series championship.

The NACAR K&N Pro Series West next event will be on Saturday, June 2nd at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This will be Hayley’s first visit to the .375-mile track just north of the Las Vegas Strip. This will be the series fifth visit to the track. BMR recorded a win back in 2002 and holds the record for the most Pole Awards. Hayley looks to add his name the record book at the Bullring.

Great seats are still available for the Las Vegas “200”. For ticket information, please visit www.lvms.com/bullring/tickets/.  The race is scheduled to be televised on Thursday June 14th on SPEED Channel. Please check for air times in your local area.