Kleyn Makes It Two Straight At Stateline

From NWSLM & NWMNS

Stateline, Idaho – Kasey Kleyn entered the May 18 “Northwest Super Late Model 125 presented by Les Schwab” at Stateline Speedway on a streak – four second place finishes in-a-row in the NWSLMS.

Quincey’s Kleyn left Findlay Stadium on another streak, as he scored his second victory in-a-row at the ¼-mile oval. Kleyn is the third winner in as many 2024 races.

Kleyn grabbed the lead on lap 66 and held off multiple challengers to score a $3,600 win. He finished ahead of Zach Riehl from Corbett, Ore., Spokane’s Jason O’Neil, with Scott Walker (Prosser) and Dave Garber(Spokane) rounding out the top-5.

“It feels really good,” Kleyn said regarding his ability to finally break into the win column again. “Second is a good finish, but it doesn’t feel like a good finish, because you are so close.

Kleyn set Fast Time for the evening earning the AFCO Racing / Longacre Racing Products Fast Time Award for the second event in-a-row. For the second event in-a-row he also drew the unlucky number eight in the redraw.

The same could be said for Spokane’s Haeden Plybon, as he drew the number one pill. Plybon parlayed his good fortune into an immediate lead, as he pulled away from fellow front row started Jason O’Neil to start.

Plybon pulled out to a 10-car lead, but O’Neil closed in heavy traffic, bringing Kleyn and Goetz with him. As Plybon worked lapped traffic, with O’Neil in tow, the 2023 series champion made sight contact with former “Idaho 200” winner Cory Allard, as he looked to the outside.

That contact changed the complexion of the race as the caution came out on lap 63 and Plybon retired to the pits with a flat left front tire after leading all previous laps.

Kleyn grabbed the win at what he would consider his home track.

“I started out racing Bando’s here”, Kleyn explained. “It makes it a lot easier when you like the track, to be really good there

Riehl ran in the top group the entire race, cracking the top-five before lap 50. He progressed patiently to the runner-up position, avoiding any issues, to score a career best finish of second.

“It was kinda’ my strategy (to be patient)”, “I knew the top was gonna’ come in, or hopefully come in. But it did for a little bit, so I was just riding and riding. I just started picking up cars one by one until the end.”

The next event for the Northwest Super Late Model Series will be at Hermiston Raceway on June 15.

A happy Kasey Kleyn exits his car following the win May 18 in the “Northwest Super Late Model 125 presented by Les Schwab” at Stateline Speedway. Kleyn has won the last two series races at Stateline. NWSLM photo

Logano Dominates All-Star Race At North Wilkesboro

From Racing America

North Wilkesboro, N.C. — Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at the newly-resurfaced North Wilkesboro Speedway was pretty straightforward for Joey Logano.

A two-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series, the 33-year-old driver started from the pole, placed his No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at the front of the pack, and pretty much left it there, leading 199 of 200 laps.

It’s the second victory in the $1-million-to-win exhibition event for Logano, who becomes just the second driver in the race’s 40-year history to win at two different racetracks — Charlotte and North Wilkesboro.

“A lot of fun when you’ve got a car this fast,” said Logano after the race. “The Shell/Pennzoil Mustang, it’s just so great to get in Victory Lane. All of our sponsors and everyone who stuck with us to get a win, it feels nice. It’s been a while. I wish it was for points, but a million bucks is still a lot of money and I feel great about that.”

While the talk of All-Star Weekend was surrounding the multiple tire compounds that Goodyear was bringing to the racetrack — the usual ‘prime’ tire, and a softer ‘option’ tire – the impact it had on Sunday’s race was minimal.

“Well, we did the first 100, so why wouldn’t it last the second 100,” Logano quipped when asked about the choice to run the soft tire for the final 100 laps. “That was our thought, so it was definitely an aggressive strategy, but it worked out good.”

Following a short battle with Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin managed to hold onto second place, with Chris Buescher continuing a strong run of finishes in third place.

Kyle Larson, who hours before the start of the All-Star Race managed to qualify inside the top five for the Indianapolis 500, started at the rear of the field and drove to a fourth-place finish. Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five. 

Joey Logano after winning a NASCAR All-Star race at North Wilkesboro, N.C. Will Bellamy, Racing America photo

Testing Their Endurance

The Mad Greeks (46) from Spokane compete against the Fat and Furious entry from Calgary, Alberta in the Qlispé Classic 2024 May 18-19 at Qlispe Raceway Park. The Mad Greeks eventually won the race.

The Qlispé Classic was founded in 2022 to bring drivers and race enthusiasts back to the long track in Spokane now known as the Qlispé Raceway Park (QRP). This 24- hour endurance race is inclusive and operated independently of other clubs or series. The cars are divided into three classes based on how much fuel per pit stop they can add: Sipper (10 gallons per stop), Gulper (15 gallons), and Chugger (20 gallons). For teams who don’t have enough drivers to complete all 24 hours, there’s an option to run the first 12 hours as it’s own mini-enduro to boost car counts.

For more information visit qlispeclassic.com or the Qlispé Classic Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/ qlispeclassic?mibextid=ZbWKwL

HyDefinitionDesign photo

Kyle Larson Starts Fifth in First Indy 500

From Racing America

Indianapolis, Ind. — The expectations continue to grow for generational driving talent Kyle Larson. The Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series driver, who is competing in his first Indianapolis 500 this season, locked his spot in the field for the prestigious race in qualifying on Saturday. Incredibly, Larson didn’t just lock himself into the field, but he advanced to the Fast 12.

Sunday, Larson ratcheted up things even further by advancing to the Fast Six, and after running a four-lap average of 232.846 mph in the Fast Six round of qualifying, Larson officially secured a top-five starting spot in his first Indianapolis 500 attempt.

After climbing from his No. 17 Arrow McLaren race car, Larson credited his IndyCar team and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for allowing him to check this off his bucket list, and for the incredible effort to make the car as fast as it has been.

“Qualifying went a lot better than I ever could have hoped or anticipated,” Larson explained when pressed about how he is running so well in his first Indy 500 qualifying attempt. “(I’m) just proud of everyone at Arrow McLaren, and proud of everybody at Hendrick Motorsports that has been involved in this. Huge thank you to Rick Hendrick, Linda, the Jeffs -- Jeff Gordon and Jeff Andrews -- Cliff Daniels, Chad Knaus. Everybody involved to make this possible.”

There’s no time to rest or celebrate the run for Larson, as he is immediately taking off to North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he finished fourth in a NASCAR All-Star Race.

Kyle Larson first raced his way into the Indy 500 next week and then finished fourth in a NASCAR All-Star race nearly 600 miles away in North Wilkesboro, N.C. Penske Entertainment: Joe Skibinski