Davis Wins First NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race of His Career

Kyle Benjamin won the pole for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Dominion Raceway, in Virginia.

Spencer Davis won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Dominion Raceway, in Virginia, by the narrowest of margins. Track officials needed to review a photo finish to determine the winner. Davis crossed the finish line 0.005 seconds ahead of Justin Haley.

Spencer Davis won the first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race of his career at Dominion Raceway.

For Davis, one of the drivers selected to the NASCAR Next program, it was the first win of his career. It came in his 10th career K&N Pro Series East start. He was the runner-up in the first two races of the 2016 K&N Pro Series East season.

“That long dramatic pause was about to push me over the edge,” Davis said. “When I heard my name over the intercom, everyone started screaming over the radio. And it was the best burnout I’ve ever done.”

Davis led the last 13 laps of the ComServe Wireless 150. He took the lead on a restart following a multicar crash on lap 138. Kyle Benjamin, the pole winner, was collected in the four-car crash and was knocked out of contention. Benjamin, who entered the race as the leader in the K&N Pro Series East standings and another driver selected for the NASCAR Next program, led the first 137 laps of the race. After the crash, he fell to last place and finished in 23rd place.

Davis and Haley battled for the lead over the last 12 laps of the race. Davis didn’t forfeit the lead, but the two drivers were neck-and-neck on the final lap around the .4-mile track. The two cars crossed the finish line simultaneously, but Davis edged Haley by a fraction of a second.

Spencer Davis, one of the drivers selected to the NASCAR Next program, led the last 13 laps and won the K&N Pro Series East race at Dominion Raceway, in Virginia.

“He shoved me off into the corner, just like I would do it if I were in that position,” Davis said. “Everyone is going for the win. That was old-style short track racing right there, beating and banging coming to the checkered. I don’t think you could have scripted something better.”

The end of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Dominion Raceway in Virginia was a photo finish between Spencer Davis and Justin Haley. Davis, in the No. 41 car, won the race by 0.005 seconds over Haley.

Noah Gragson was third, his first top-five finish in six K&N Pro Series East races. Kaz Grala was fourth, followed by Austin Theriault in fifth.

Haley moved into first place in the K&N Pro Series East standings. He has a 19-point lead over Benjamin after six races. Haley has five top-five finishes and one win in six races. Benjamin finished outside the top 10 for the first time this season.

Davis moved into third place in the K&N Pro Series East standings after winning his first race of the season. The 17-year-old rookie is 23 points behind Haley for the lead in the K&N Pro Series East standings.

The next K&N Pro Series East race is the Stafford 150 at Stafford Motor Speedway, in Connecticut, on June 17.