Gilliland Sidelined Early in K&N East Finale at Dover
A flat tire and contact with the wall at Dover International Speedway on Friday sidelined Todd Gilliland and ended his bid for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship.
Gilliland, who had an eight-point lead in the championship standings going into the season finale at the Delaware track known as the Monster Mile, was running third in the Bill McAnally Racing No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry when he blew a right front tire and hit the wall on Lap 56.
It left him with a 13th-place finish and dropped him to second in the final series standings, eight points behind eventual race winner Harrison Burton. It also brought an end to Gilliland’s late season dominance. The 17-year-old from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina had reeled off four wins and three runner-up finishes in seven races, while taking command of the standings in the second half of the season.
Despite his disappointment, Gilliland remain philosophical about his year.
“It’s really tough, but I learned a lot,” said the NASCAR Next driver, who wrapped up his season with four wins, 10 top-five, and 13 top-10 finishes in 14 starts. “I’ve definitely learned a lot this season and I’m grateful to my BMR team for providing me with a fast NAPA Toyota at every race.”
Start / Finish: 4 / 13
Points Earned: 31
Points Standing / Total: 2 / 585
Todd Gilliland: @ToddGilliland_
NAPA Racing: @NAPARacing
Bill McAnally Racing: @BMR_NASCAR
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Bill McAnally Racing (BMR) holds the ARCA Menards Series West (AMSW) record with 11 championships and eclipsed the 100-win mark in 2022. The team has piled on six titles in the last eight seasons with four different drivers since 2015. Loomis, California, native Jack Wood takes control of the No. 16 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet for the 12-race campaign in 2024 and looks to add another title trophy to the BMR archive in his first full-time AMSW campaign.