Photo – BMR
Bill McAnally Racing is mounting a triple-threat as they launch their 2014 season with three entries in the opening event for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway on Sunday.
BMR entries in the New Smyrna 150 feature series rookie Nick Drake in the No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Brandon McReynolds in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry and Patrick Staropoli in the No. 99 PEAK Toyota Camry.
“We are ready to get the 2014 season rolling,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “We are headed to Florida with a very talented lineup of drivers for the K&N East season opener. We did some pre-season testing and look forward to great results this year for NAPA AUTO PARTS and Toyota and also for our fans.”
Drake – an 18-year-old from Mooresville, N.C. – is making his series début as he begins his quest for this year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the K&N Pro Series East. He is transitioning to stock cars from open-wheel racing, where he competed in the USAC National Sprint Car Series last year.
McReynolds, is slated to run the full schedule for BMR in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West this season, and is making the first of two starts planned for him in the K&N East in 2014. The 22-year-old driver, who also hails from Mooresville, had one top-five and two top-ten finishes in two starts for BMR in the K&N West last year. In addition, he has registered two top-five and seven top-ten finishes in 12 starts in the K&N East. He has also competed in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, where he scored a victory at Talladega Superspeedway in 2012.
Staropoli of Plantation, Fla., is making his début in the K&N East after competing in two races for BMR in the K&N West last season. The 24-year-old netted one top-five and two top-ten finishes in those events, after winning the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge.
BMR has a long history of success in the K&N West with five series championships and a combined record of 50 series wins. Last month BMR announced that it is expanding into the K&N East this year. While Drake is racing the full slate of 16 events, he is teamed with Cole Custer at select events. Custer of Ladera Ranch, Calif., will drive the No. 00 NAPA/Haas Automation entry. He raced in the K&N East last year as a 15-year-old rookie – capturing two wins, two poles and finishing eighth in the overall championship standings. He also had one pole in two starts in 2013 in the K&N West.
It will be a busy start to the season for the three BMR teams, with the New Smyrna event being the first of a doubleheader to start the K&N East season. Drake, McReynolds and Staropoli will immediately head with the series to Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday, Feb. 18, for the second annual UNOH Battle At The Beach.