Turner Scott Motorsports NASCAR K&N Pro Series East News & Notes: Bristol Motor Speedway
Welcome to the Series…Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM), which currently houses three full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) and three full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) teams, will expand their operation to include three full-time and two part-time entries in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) ranks for the 2013 season.
First NKNPSE Starts…Turner Scott Motorsports and Austin Dyne, Ben Rhodes and Kenzie Ruston will all be making their first start in the NKNPSE at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) this coming weekend.
Austin Dyne…In 2012, Dyne earned two top-fives and eight top-10s in his rookie season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (NKNPSW). With one less start than his closest competitor, Dyne’s strong effort allowed him to capture the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award by one point.
“I am really thrilled to be racing for a championship-caliber organization like Turner Scott Motorsports,” said Dyne. “I’m looking forward to kicking off the season at Bristol; I’ve only seen it on TV, but I am confident that we can get a good handle on the track and come out with a strong showing.”
Ben Rhodes… After his first full season of Late Model racing, 16-year-old Louisville, Kentucky, native Ben Rhodes will compete in seven events for TSM in the NKNPSE in 2013 with plans to run for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year and the championship in 2014.
“The 2013 season will be a learning season for me in the series,” said Rhodes. “We are only racing seven events so I can maintain my rookie status for 2014, when we will race the entire series and see if we can get Rookie of the Year honors. I am excited for my debut with the team at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is close to my home state, and it is one of the most-exciting places to race in the country.”
Brandon Jones… Fifteen year old Brandon Jones, a sophomore at Mooresville (NC) High School, who drove in the UARA and PASS series in 2012 as well as having made his inaugural NKNPSE start will drive in four different series for TSM in 2013, including the full UARA season, seven NKNPSE races, two NCWTS events and selected NASCAR Late Model Stock races.
“I feel like we have a great chance to contend for a solid finish in the series’ first points race,” said Jones. “Cale [Gale] and the rest of the Rheem crew has worked really hard this off season to put together some great equipment and I would love to reward them with a solid start to the season.”
Dylan Kwasniewski…Dylan Kwasniewski, the 2012 NKNPSW Champion, will compete for a championship in the NKNPSE with TSM in 2013.Kwasniewski tallied two wins, two poles, eight top-fives and nine top-10s in the NKNPSW in 2011. Not to be outdone by his performance from the previous season, 2012 was one for the record books. Kwasniewski went on to record three wins, six poles, 12 top-fives and 15 top-10s en route to becoming the youngest champion in NKNPSW history.
“I am really ready to hit the track at Bristol,” said Kwasniewski. “My Turner Scott Motorsports team is strong, and I know we have what it takes to have a very successful year together. Hopefully we got all of our bad luck out of the way in Daytona, and we can go out and contend for the win in our first points race of the season.”
Kenzie Ruston…A Super Late Model stand out, Ruston will move up to compete full time in the NKNPSE with TSM in 2013. In the 19 events in which she competed in 2012, Ruston scored six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes and was voted Speed51.com’s National Short Track Most Popular Driver, the first female to win the award since its establishment six years ago.
“I’m just glad the season is finally here,” said Ruston. “I’ve been looking forward to turning some laps at Bristol’s high-banks. My goal for this weekend is to keep the car clean for all 125 laps and be in contention at the end of the race.”
