Ryan Partridge and Derek Thorn are our guests on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk, Monday, March 12, 2018, at 8:40 and 9 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite or @Sal_Sigala with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.
One team with one goal in mind, Bob Bruncati with Sunrise Ford is beefing up his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West team this season to compete with the series powerhouse of Bill McAnally Racing. Bruncati is bringing a former K&N West champion, Derek Thorn, along with Ryan Partridge together as veterans of the series and as a dynamic duo force for competitors. Adding a third part-time team at Sunrise Ford, Trevor Huddleston will run a limited K&N West schedule this season.
According to Partridge, his team owner’s focus is on competing against Bill McAnally Racing who has won the last three K&N West titles.
“He wants to prove a point,” says Partridge
That effort begins with Thorn, the 2013 K&N West champion while driving for Bruncati and with Bill Sedgwick as his crew chief. They are together again beginning in the season opener this Thursday at Kern County Raceway. Thorn has five series’ wins and 26 top-fives in 37 K&N West starts.
“I feel the older I get the more time flies by. It doesn’t feel like five years,” says Thorn. “But it’s crazy to think five years ago we won the championship in 2013. Bob gave me an amazing opportunity back then.”
“I was really honored and appreciated all the opportunities. I never thought five years later I would be back behind the wheel doing it again. We’re hoping to pick up where we left off five years ago.”
Thorn is returning to his No. 6 for Sunrise Ford while Partridge is driving the No. 9 and Huddleston the No. 22 car.
“It’s time for him to step-up,” says Partridge about Huddleston. “Bill McAnally puts together some pretty good teams. He’s hard to compete with. Bob is looking to do whatever it takes to compete with Bill.”
Teaming up the veterans with the up-and-coming young Huddleston is a healthy mix for Sunrise Ford. Huddleston has 22 victories in 35 starts mostly at Kern County Raceway and Irwindale Speedway. He finished runner-up in the Super Late Model NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship.
Partridge has four K&N West wins, finishing third in 2015 and second in 2016 before taking time off last season.
“I’m a broke kid,” says Partridge. “I’ve never been really able to afford to be in this level, this tier of racing. “For Bob and Maureen Bruncati and Sunrise Ford to give me another chance, I think he is just looking forward to putting together a powerhouse.”
And, oh by the way – Also included on this week’s K&N West entry list is Kevin Harvick who has won three-straight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. Harvick also won his most recent Xfinity Series race at Atlanta.
Will Harvick make it five consecutive NASCAR race victories in a row on Thursday night?
The K&N Pro Series West opens their season this Thursday, March 15th at Kern County Raceway in the Bakersfield 175 presented by NAPA Auto Parts. Follow the action at NASCAR Hometracks and Race Central. Set your DVR now for the delayed broadcast on NBCSN for Tuesday, March 20th at 11 pm ET.