Chase Cabre is our guest on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk Review at 8:40 pm ET on Monday, June 3, 2019. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.
One has to wonder if there’s something about Memphis International Raceway that suits the Drive for Diversity drivers at Rev Racing after earning back-to-back victories with both NASCAR Next drivers Chase Cabre this weekend and with Ruben Garcia Jr last season. This is Chase Cabre’s first career victory in 33 starts with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
“I’m so damn pumped up,” Cabre said with a huge smile in Victory Lane. “It’s been a long time coming. Three years and coming up second a handful of times, it’s so good to come out on top. My crew gave me a good car, I’m really thankful for the opportunity. God’s a good man and finally brought us home a win today.”
Cabre’s race-winning move came on the restart after the second scheduled break. Cabre dove inside of Sam Mayer, making contact and moving the No. 21 car up the track and into polesitter Max McLaughlin. That put Cabre in front to survive one more restart and some hard racing from Ty Gibbs to win the Memphis 150 at Memphis International Raceway.
Polesitter Max Mclaughin dominated the first 50 laps, leading by as much as 15 car lengths at one point. The No. 22 of Brandon Oakley brought out an early caution for a flat left rear tire. At the first scheduled break, the top-three drivers, McLaughlin, last years winner Ruben Garcia Jr, and Sam Mayer stayed out, choosing to not to pit at all while all others came in to make some adjustments. On the restart, it was Ty Gibbs and Derek Kraus rounding out the top-five.
The second 50 laps was a little more exciting up front as about lap 80 Mayer started putting some pressure on the leader Mclaughlin. Meanwhile, the No. 4 of Chase Cabre was closing in on both of them. On lap 87, Mayer did get by to take the lead and stretched it out until the lap 100 break. McLaughlin and Cabre followed, along with the Kraus and Garcia Jr in the top-five.
Shortly after the second break with everyone taking on new tires, the fight was on. It was on lap 104 that fans watched a three-wide battle for the lead when Cabre took the point as a caution came out. Mayer was smoking due to a fender rub and was forced to pit.
“They ran a great race,” said Cabre about his competitors at Memphis. “Hard racing is hard racing and I was able to sneak home a win. Anytime I get an opportunity, I see a hole like that, I’m not gonna back out of it”
A caution on lap 111 came when Garcia was racing hard with the No. 17 of Ty Gibbs, whose car was coming to him. With Cabre in the lead and Gibbs challenging hard, they separated themselves from third on back, for the rest of the race.
The finish saw Rev Racing return to Victory Lane in Memphis as the No. 4 of Chase Cabre was triumphant over Ty Gibbs and the No. 15 of Tanner Gray. Sam Mayer recovered to come home fourth and points leader Derek Kraus was fifth.
Fans can watch the Memphis 150 on the NBCSN broadcast this Wednesday, June 5th at 6 pm ET.
Next up for the K&N Pro Series East is their race on Saturday, June 15th at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.