Weaver: NASCAR K&N East Greenville Observations

GREENVILLE, S.C. :: Even to the most die-hard short track devotee, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event from Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina was hard to watch.
Unfortunately for those in attendance, the Kevin Whitaker 150 was the worst kind of tire management race.

As opposed to the ‘PASS South Daniel Hemric charges from outside the top-10 to win a race during the final 15 laps’ style of race, Saturday was the ‘field gets strung out while everyone conserves until the end’ variant.

Not that this is a significant problem, because these races happen from time-to-time, especially on an abrasive surface like Greenville but Saturday was tough on the eyes. It’s worth questioning if the field should have been given two fresh tires as opposed to four during the halftime break on Lap 75.

Would two tires have encouraged more conservation in the first half but increased action the closing laps once all the different strategies played themselves out?

Maybe — especially given how PASS races have played out in Greenville over the years.

In any case, it’s a question worth asking because the tour will return to GPS on Labor Day Monday in September. Sure the temperatures will be up and that should increase tire wear and fall-off and therefore help the racing but Saturday was so strung out that a two-tire halftime break might have been the better course for a race in March.

Winner Justin Haley didn’t entirely agree though.

“A two-tire halftime rule would play to playing it safe but not necessarily better racing because we would be strung out so much,” Haley said. “I feel like it would be single-file so I feel like four tires is a good rule. Single-file comes from the lack of grip and the roughness of the track more than anything else.”

READ MORE → Recap and results

Speaking of Haley, it was honestly rewarding to see his first career victory in person on Saturday night. Those who have spent any time around him also knows just how personally he took some of his toughest defeats in 2015.

It’s been well-documented just how much bad luck he endured, but now, having won his first race and being paired with Shannon Rursch, expect the flood gates to open completely.

It’s really a shame that Kyle Benjamin isn’t sticking around for the full K&N East schedule because there is a great championship battle brewing through the first three events. Spencer Davis leads the countdown by three points over Benjamin, four over Haley and five over Mobile winner Tyler Dippel.

Don’t count out Ronnie Bassett in fifth either as he is just nine points behind Davis.

STANDINGS → Ranier Racing with MDM Leads the Way

Meanwhile, Harrison Burton and his No. 12 HScott Motorsport team endured an awful day in South Carolina, qualifying 15th, starting at the rear of the field and rebounding to finish where they would have started if not for the unapproved changes.

The start of their debut K&N season has been a challenge but they are absolutely better than this. Knowing the Burtons, HScott and crew chief Rich Lushes, expect them to work out all the bugs prior to Bristol and for them to contend the rest of the way.

They are too talented of a combination to turn out any other way.