ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Recap by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Audio courtesy NASCAR media — Noah Graham/Getty Images for NASCAR photo — Saturday night at All American Speedway, Christian PaHud’s first-ever NASCAR start became a memory he will cherish for the rest of his life.
PaHud snatched the lead from Bill McAnally Racing teammate Brandon McReynolds on a lap 126 restart and led the rest of the way, converting his opportunity in the No. 99 PEAK Toyota after winning the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge into his first-career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory. PaHud led twice for a race-high 59 laps after also winning the Coors Light Pole Award.
“I mean, it’s just amazing,” PaHud said after the event. “I don’t even know what to say right now. This is incredible.”
In a race that featured six total lead changes, PaHud held off a challenge from Sunoco Rookie of the Year James Bickford in the final laps — Bickford led the early stages of the event and 49 laps overall, but could not catch PaHud through late-race lap traffic after he got around McReynolds with eight laps to go and had to settle for second.
McReynolds came across the line in third, with championship leader Greg Pursley and four-time season winner David Mayhew completing the top five.
A trio of rookies — Joey Licata, Gracin Raz and Nicole Behar — finished sixth through eighth, with Raz’s effort giving Bill McAnally Racing three cars inside the top seven.
Dylan Lupton rallied back to finish ninth after a spin on lap 89 sent him to the tail of the lead lap. He now has a 21-point deficit to Pursley with one race remaining on the schedule, while McReynolds is 25 points back.
Two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip rounded out the top ten. Waltrip was penalized following a lap 120 red flag for Jacob Gomes’ engine expiring after he sent a tweet from his race car under the delay. Cell phones are not permitted inside the race car at NASCAR’s national or touring levels.
The race was slowed by nine cautions and the late-race red flag for a total of 54 laps.
The Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 will air on FOX Sports 1 on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West will conclude the season in the Casino Arizona 100 at Phoenix International Raceway on Thursday, Nov. 6.
Audio with race winner Christian PaHud:
Audio with runner-up James Bickford:
Audio with 3rd-place Brandon McReynolds:
