It’s been quite the year for Noah Gragson in each of NASCAR’s K&N East and West Series. The 18-year-old has competed on both ends of the spectrum, and finds himself in the top-five in both of the series’ respectively.
Heading into the East-West Challenge at Iowa Speedway on Friday, putting all the drivers from each series on the same track at the same time, NASCAR will force Gragson to decide which series he will run in for points.
“I just came into the year figuring that NASCAR was going to make us choose at Iowa,” Gragson said. “Which I thought was kind of a pointless rule, but I understand where they are coming from. I knew that we were going to have to choose east or west, I had it in the back of my mind, the whole team knew it.”
“We had been trying to work NASCAR over, trying to get them to let us get points for both series, unfortunately they didn’t change their minds we’re kind of stuck having to choose one,” Gragson said. “But if they changed their minds then it would just be a bonus.”
Noah Gragson will run K&N West Series at Iowa
Gragson announced on Monday Afternoon with Speed51.com that he would be selecting the West Series.
“I’m fourth in points in the west, but I’m only 17 points out of the lead,” Gragson said. “In the East I’m third in points, but I’m 48 points out. So that was a big factor.”
Another thing Gragson looked at was the tracks each series would be visiting. Both have two road courses left on the season.
“I feel like I’m the best road course racer in the West, [but] I feel like I’m the second best road course racer there [in the East] with Justin Haley being the best guy.”
Gragson added that racing the full season on the West side of the K&N Series last year helped him get familiar with the tracks on that tour.
“We are really familiar with the tracks out on the west, [last year at] Meridian and Roseville. I ran really well (he won at Meridian),” Gragson said. “[Another factor in the East Series was that] we have five races left there after Iowa. So Justin Haley would have to have two bad races, and I feel like we have a better shot of winning the championship out West.”
The news confirms that Gragson will be racing the #7 Jefferson Pitts Racing Ford in Newton, Iowa this weekend.
“I really like running the top side around Iowa. I feel like that is where I’m really good at. I’m not very good at qualifying there, unfortunately. I qualified 17th and 26th,” Gragson said. “I jumped straight to the top side during that 2nd race at Iowa and I was running 3rd at the halfway break.”
Fans can follow LWOS’ Connor Ferguson on twitter for live updates of Friday’s K&N Race at @cfchangs9.
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