HISTORY: NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series, which includes the East and the West, is the last step in NASCAR’s developmental ladder before drivers progress to the three national series.
The series introduces NASCAR fans to the next generation of stars, and the diverse mix of short tracks, road courses, and national series speedways appeals to a broad range of motorsports fans. With identical series racing throughout the country, the K&N Pro Series provides an opportunity for young drivers to gain valuable experience and exposure to highly competitive racing.
Since 2007, NASCAR K&N Pro Series drivers have made a significant impact at the national level, including Joey Logano, was crowned the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion. Logano’s racing roots come from the K&N Pro Series, where he won his first race in his first career start at South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway. He also became the first driver in series history to win both the Rookie of the Year and championship in the same season — a feat that five other drivers have since also accomplished.
William Byron, who won the 2015 K&N Pro Series East championship, won in his second career start, and also won the title in his Rookie of the Year season. Byron moved to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and won the title there in his Rookie season in 2017, and since has moved to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, where he won the Rookie of the Year honors in 2018 driving for powerhouse operation Hendrick Motorsports.
NASCAR Next driver Harrison Burton, who competes in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series, eclipsed Logano as the youngest champion in series history when he won the championship in 2017. Burton clinched his first title at 16 years, 11 months and 20 days, a mark that was four months younger than Logano. Current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Austin and Ty Dillon, Kyle Larson, Daniel Hemric, Daniel Suarez, Darrell Wallace Jr., and others, all have past success in the K&N Pro Series.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East originated as the NASCAR Busch North Series in 1987, before becoming the NASCAR Busch East Series in 2006, and the Camping World East Series in 2008. NASCAR welcomed K&N Filters as the sponsor of the class in 2010.

K&N PRO SERIES EAST FIRSTS
First Race: Darlington Raceway, March 28, 1987
First Race Winner: Dale Earnhardt
First Pole Winner: Geoffrey Bodine
First Champion: Joey Kourafas
First Female To Start For A Race: Karen Schulz, Oxford Plains Speedway, July 1989
First Road Course Race: Fisher Snow Plows 125, Watkins Glen International, June 1993
First Sunoco Rookie of the Year: Joe Bessey (1988)
First Combo Race With K&N West: Minnesota 150, Elko Speedway, May 2007

YEAR-BY-YEAR: K&N Pro Series East Results & Point Standings
K&N PRO SERIES EAST STATS & RECORDS
Number of Series Races: 553 (Beginning of 2019)
Most Career Starts:
- Kelly Moore… 335
FULL LIST: K&N Pro Series East All-Time Wins Leaders
Most Career Wins:
- Kelly Moore... 27
- Brad Leighton… 24
- Andy Santerre… 23
Kelly Moore, who leads the all-time wins and poles list in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, poses with his championship trophy. (NASCAR)
Most Races Won in a Season:
- Ricky Craven… 10 (1991)
- Brad Leighton… 6 (1999) & Dylan Kwasniweski… 6 (2013)
- Drivers have won five races in one season six different times
Most Career Poles:
- Kelly Moore… 47
- Dave Dion… 22
- Andy Santerre… 15
Most Consecutive Races Won:
- 5 — Ricky Craven (1991)
- 4 — Ben Rhodes (2014)
- 3 — Three different drivers have won three straight races a total of three times
Most Top Five Finishes in a Season:
- Mike Stefanik… 14 (1997) & Brad Leighton… 14 (1999)
- A driver has scored 13 top five finishes in a season twice
- A driver has scored 12 top five finishes in a season three times
Most Poles Won in a Season:
- Kelly Moore… 10 (1988)
- Andy Santerre… 8 (1996)
- A driver has won six poles in a season five times
FULL LIST: K&N Pro Series East Poles Leaders
Most Laps Led in a Season:
- Ricky Craven… 1177 (1991)
- Brett Moffitt.. 783 (2012)
- Ben Rhodes… 778 (2014)
Drivers To Win a Race in Both K&N East & West:
- Ricky Craven
- Cole Custer
- Todd Gilliland
- Noah Gragson
- Brian Ickler
- Dylan Kwasneiwski
- Kyle Larson
- Joey Logano
- Andrew Ranger
- Ken Schrader
- Peyton Sellers
- Derek Kraus
- Will Rodgers
- Brandon McReynolds
Youngest Driver To Win A Race:
- Cole Custer — 15 years, six months, 10 days (August 2013)
- Cole Custer — 15 years, seven months, 29 days (September 2013)
- Todd Gilliland — 15 years, eight months, 30 days (February 2016)
Highest Race Finish by a Female in K&N Pro Series History: Hailie Deegan (1st, Idaho’s Meridian Speedway, 2018)
Highest Race Finish by a Female in K&N Pro Series East History: Kenzie Ruston (2nd, Iowa Speedway, August 2014)

Highest Points Finish by a Female in K&N Pro Series History: Hailie Deegan (5th in 2018)
Highest Points Finish by a Female in K&N Pro Series East History: Kenzie Ruston (6th in 2013)
Smallest Margin in Championship Standings:
- 5 — Joey Kourafas over Chuck Brown (1987)
- 6 — Dick McCabe over Joe Bessey (1992)
- 8 — Harrison Burton over Todd Gilliland (2017)
Closest Finishes in History:
- .005 seconds — Spencer Davis over Justin Haley (Dominion 2016)
- .011 seconds — Brett Moffitt over Chase Elliott (Richmond 2012)
- .021 seconds — Brad Leighton over Andy Santerre (NHMS 2002)
- .022 seconds — Andy Santerre over Ryan Moore (Dover 2005)
- .039 seconds — Max Gresham over Ty Dillon (Iowa 2010)

Most Lead Changes in a Single Race:
- 22 — Daytona International Speedway (1989)
- 21 — North Carolina Motor Speedway (1989)
- 19 — Daytona International Speedway (1995)
Most Cautions in a Single Race:
- 18 — Oxford Plains Speedway (1992)
- 17 — New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1990)
- Two different races had 15 cautions
Largest Numbers of Cars To Start A Race:
- 50 — New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1994)
- 48 cars started a race on two separate occasions
- 47 — Oxford Plains Speedway (1988)
Worst Starting Position For A Winner:
- 42nd — Twice — (Chad Little, Daytona 1995) & (Jimmy Spencer, Dover 1998)
- 36th — Butch Leitzinger, Lime Rock Park 1995
- 29th — Bobby Hamilton, Richmond 1989
Drivers To Win Rookie of the Year & Championship in Same Season:
- Joey Logano (2007)
- Ryan Truex (2009)
- Kyle Larson (2012)
- Ben Rhodes (2014)
- William Byron (2015)
- Tyler Ankrum (2018)
Number of Different Race Winners (Season): 13 — 1987
Car Owners To Win More Than One Title:
- Allen Avery (1988-1990)
- Don Crisman (1992 & 1993)
- Mike Greci (1997 & 1998)
- Steve & Peg Griswold (1999-2000 & 2005)
- Joe Bessey (2003 & 2004)
- J.D. Gibbs (2007 & 2011)
- Harry Scott Jr. (2014 & 2016)
QUALIFYING RECORDS — 2019 TRACKS
New Smyrna Speedway (New Smyrna, Fla.)
1-lap qualifying record: 94.333 mph, 18.318 seconds (Todd Gilliland, February 2016)
Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tenn.)
1-lap qualifying record: 126.578 mph, 15.159 seconds (Noah Gragson, April 2018)
South Boston Speedway (South Boston, Va.)
1-lap qualifying record: 98.039 mph, 14.688 seconds (Grant Quinlan, May 2018)
Memphis International Raceway (Memphis, Tenn.)
1-lap qualifying record: 117.493 mph, 22.980 seconds (Tyler Ankrum, June 2018)
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (Thompson, Conn.)
1-lap qualifying record: 112.793 mph, 19.948 seconds (Spencer Davis, July 2018)
New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, N.H.)
1-lap qualifying record: 130.376 mph, 29.214 seconds (Derek Kraus, July 2018)
1-lap qualifying record: 135.484 mph, 23.250 seconds (Kyle Busch, May 2009)
Watkins Glen International (Watkins Glen, N.Y.)
1-lap qualifying record: 121.039 mph, 72.869 seconds (Brodie Kostecki, August 2014)
Gateway Motorsports Park (Madison, Ill.)
1-lap qualifying record: 109.047 mph (Spencer Davis, August 2018)
1-lap qualifying record: 157.143 mph, 22.909 seconds (Harrison Burton, October 2018)
