Havens revs up for second start on NASCAR K&N Pro Series
With one start at Spokane County Raceway under his belt on the series, Spokane's Braeden Havens is confident that his No. 09 Hilliard Enterprises Chevrolet has the speed in it to secure a starting position in Saturday night's NASCAR Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 to be held at All-American Speedway just outside of Sacramento, California.
For Immediate Release: Braeden Havens Motorsports Media Relations
AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. (October 13, 2011)-Braeden Havens, the 2011 Inland Northwest Super Stock Association champion, heads to Roseville, Calif. this weekend with high hopes of a solid qualifying effort to secure a starting position in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.
The race will be held at All-American Speedway located just outside of Sacramento. It is the final short-track race of the 2011 season for the series.
Running for the first time in the state of California is a new experience for Havens.
Tackling All-American Speedway, a tricky 3/8ths short track sight unseen will be daunting but Havens is unfazed, he explained.
“I have heard a lot about All-American. It’s a short track which is pretty much all I have run in my late model career. I should adapt quickly but you can bet I’ve been on the Internet to see what (All-American) is like, study the facility and looking at the lines a driver runs.”
With one start at Spokane County Raceway under his belt on the series, Havens is confident that his No. 09 Hilliard Enterprises Chevrolet has the speed in it to secure a starting position, he noted.
“Qualifying is everything this weekend. With 31 cars entered for 24 starting positions I know the Dick Midgley-led crew will give me a good car and I fully intend on making the show. We have limited practice on Saturday so we’ll concentrate on making the race first then go towards a race set-up.”
One unknown for Havens, the race car he’s going to drive this weekend.
For Roseville, Midgley’s team will use the same car Gary Lewis wheeled to a top-5 finish in the April 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series event at Roseville. Havens believes the car will be capable of running strong once again.
“I know Gary made the show in this car last year and ran very well, however, I haven’t sat in it yet. I am very confident in Dick Midgley and what he’ll give me for the weekend and am thankful he asked me to again drive for his team. The last time out we ran 11thin my first start so I know he’ll give something just as good for All-American Speedway,” Havens said.
A strong Midgley-led crew will be a benefit, Havens added.
“Dick is bringing the same crew he had for the Spokane race and we’ll have two of our team members, Jim Dodson and Evan Babin, so I know the pit crew will be a big asset to our success.”
To be in the position to make his second career NASCAR start comes from a tremendous amount of support from sponsors and on the home front. For that Havens is grateful, he said.
“I truly could not be doing this without the support of my dad, Todd Havens. He got me here and now he and my sponsors including Hilliard Enterprises, Power Systems International, Western Rail and Diesel Supply Company have made this race possible and hopefully with a good run we’ll be off to Phoenix and make that dream a reality.”
The Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 is scheduled to take the green flag on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 8:45 p.m. For more information log onto hometracks.nascar.com and choose the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West section.
