Michael Self Wins the K&N Pro Series West Race at Brainerd Int'l Raceway in Minnesota

This car could not have been better. I'm glad to be a part of their first win. We've been fast all year long.
This car could not have been better. I'm glad to be a part of their first win. We've been fast all year long.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West's first trip to Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota produced a career first for Michael Self. He won the first K&N Pro Series West race of his career chasing down Dylan Kwasniewski in the final laps of the Brainerd 125 and passing him on the white-flag lap of the 50-lap race.

"We were ready. We ran a flawless race," said Self, a developmental driver for Richard Childress Racing. "This car could not have been better. I'm glad to be a part of their first win. We've been fast all year long. We've just had terrible, terrible luck. I feel like we've been due for this for five or six races. This is one we just finally put everything together."
Self won his first race in 33 career starts on the K&N Pro Series West. His previous best finish was a 4th place.
Self won his first race in 33 career starts on the K&N Pro Series West. His previous best finish was a 4th place.


Self won his first race in 33 career starts on the K&N Pro Series West. His previous best finish was a 4th place. Kwasniewski, the leader in the K&N Pro Series West standings, ran into transmission problems in the closing laps of the race after leading a race-high 39 laps. Self trailed Kwasniewski and Greg Pursley for most of the race, but was able to maneuver around both drivers for the win. "These guys are such a blast to race with," Self said. "They race so well. They race so hard. We've given everything for two years and finally it paid off."

Kwasniewski held on for second place and extended his lead in the K&N Pro Series West standings. It was his fifth podium finish in six K&N Pro Series West races. "For the last 10 laps, it kept popping out of gear, so I was driving those last laps with my hand on my shifter to try to keep it in place," Kwasniewski said. "And those last two laps when I went off over there [Turn 9], I completely lost it. I didn't have second gear, it kept popping out, and finally went away."

Pursley, the reigning K&N Pro Series West champion and Kwasniewski's teammate at Gene Price Motorsports, was third. Derek Thorn was fourth, followed by David Mayhew in fifth. Kwasniewski has a 17-point lead over Pursley in the K&N Pro Series West standings after six races. He has finished in the top-five in all six races.

The next K&N Pro Series West race is at the Bullring in Las Vegas on June 2.

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