Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois is bringing more NASCAR racing to the St. Louis-Metro East region with the addition of an exclusive K&N Pro Series East-West combo race the night before the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline Verizon IndyCar Series event on August 25.
This rare East-versus-West combo race – the Monaco Cocktails Gateway Classic presented by the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame on Friday, August 24 — will be only one of two combination races held in the United States in 2018.
The K&N Pro Series has been a launching pad for young racers to showcase their talent in front of large audiences, important team owners and sponsors. Now in its 31st year, the K&N Pro Series evolved from the NASCAR North Series that competed in New England and Canada in the 1980s and the famed Winston West Series that ruled the western states for decades.
The K&N Pro Series features America’s best short track drivers as well as racers from Mexico and from as far away as Japan. Some of the drivers who recently graduated from the K&N Pro Series into NASCAR’s major ranks include: Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson, Kaz Grala and Cole Custer.
Please note: An official entry list for this combination event has not been released yet but these are the top drivers from both divisions:
Top K&N Pro Series East drivers
04 Ronnie Bassett Jr. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
2 Ryan Vargas La Mirada, California
4 Chase Cabre Tampa, Florida
6 Ruben Garcia Jr. Mexico City, Mexico
17 Tyler Ankrum San Bernardino, California
18 Colin Garrett Elmo, Virginia
30 Tyler Dippel Wallkill, New York
40 Anthony Alfredo Ridgefield, Connecticut
44 Dillon Bassett Winston-Salem, North Carolina
82 Spencer Davis Dawsonville, Georgia
Top K&N Pro Series West drivers
6 Derek Thorn Lakeport, California
7 Will Rodgers Solvang, California
9 Ryan Partridge Rancho Cucamonga, California
10 Matt Levin Tucson, Arizona
11 Takuma Koga Nagoya, Japan
16 Derek Kraus Stratford, Wisconsin
19 Hailie Deegan Temecula, California
22 Trevor Huddleston Agoura Hills, California
34 Cody Vanderwal LaSalle. Colorado
99 Cole Rouse Fort Smith, Arkansas
About the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame
The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame was conceived in 2001 as a means of recognizing significant contributors and contributions to the sport of stock car racing.
The mission of the WCSCHoF is founded to preserve history and heritage of the important role west coast stock car competitors have played in the sport’s development and continuation and to recognize, through annual enshrinement, of outstanding individuals and groups within the sport such as, but not limited to, designers, engineers, mechanics, drivers, race track owners, promoters, publicists and members of the motorsports media.
The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame exists as a digital form of recognition: http://westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com. Annual induction ceremonies have been held in conjunction with Sonoma Raceway’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West events in late June. The induction was moved to northern California in 2012 and has been hosted by Meritage Hotel & Spa for six consecutive years. The event is presented by Gateway Motorsports Park.
The current class of inductees is comprised of Freddie Agabashian, Larry Albedi, George Bignotti, Bill Cheesbourg, Joe Garone, Clyde Prickett, Oren Prosser, Greg Pursley, Bryan R. Sperber, Richard (Dick) Woodland and Mickey Thompson. Nominations for the organization’s Class of 2019 will be announced in November.
Over the past three years, the induction has helped raise more than quarter million dollars for charitable causes. The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which hopes to see charitable giving reach the $500,000 mark in the next year and a half.
The group’s current list of charities and foundations – expected to increase – counts 25 different groups. They include charities dedicated to health, including autism research, children’s cancer, breast cancer and Parkinson’s; education; history; animal rescue; homelessness and military and veterans’ assistance.
INDYCAR truly is an international event. In addition to America’s best drivers, the second annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline also draws competitors from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
Tickets for the second annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline may be purchased online at www.gatewaymsp.com or by calling the GMP ticket office at (618) 215-8888. Tickets start at just $35. Kids 15 and under are free (general admission) with a paid adult. Support races include Indy Lights and the Pro Mazda Series. New this year is the addition of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West Gateway Classic 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame on Friday.
Friday, August 24
8 a.m. — Parking lots open.
9a.m. — Spectator gates open.
9:15 a.m. — INDYCAR garage open; Kartplex open.
9-10 a.m. – Vintage Indy Registry Open Wheel Icons practice.
10:15-11:15 a.m. — NASCAR K&N Pro Series practice.
11:30 a.m.-Noon — Pro Mazda practice.
12:15-1:15 p.m. — Verizon IndyCar Series practice.
1:30-3 p.m. — NASCAR K&N Pro Series final practice.
3:15-4 p.m. — Indy Lights practice.
4 p.m. — Coors Light Pole Night opening ceremonies.
4:15-5:15 p.m. — INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 qualifying.
5:30-6 p.m. — NASCAR K&N Pro Series qualifying.
6:15-7 p.m. — Pro Mazda qualifying.
7:15-7:45 p.m. — Indy Lights qualifying.
8-9 p.m. — Final INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 practice.
9 p.m. — NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver introductions.
9:15 p.m. — NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West Monaco Cocktails Gateway Classic presented by West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.
Midnight — INDYCAR garage closed; Kartplex closed.
Saturday, August 25
10 a.m. — Parking lots open.
11 a.m. — Spectator gates open; Kartplex open.
Noon-1 p.m. – Vintage Indy Registry Open Wheel Icons.
2 p.m. — Verizon IndyCar Series garage opens.
2:45-3:30 p.m. — Vintage Indy Registry Open Wheel Icons.
3-7 p.m. — Rumble Before the Roar pre-race party.
3-4 p.m. — INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 driver autograph session.
3:45 p.m. — Pro Mazda Championship Presented By Cooper Tires race (55 laps).
4:45 p.m. — Indy Lights Presented By Cooper Tires Series race (60 laps).
6 p.m. — INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 warm-ups.
7 p.m. — INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 pre-race activities.
7:35 p.m. — Command to start engines.
7:40 p.m. — Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (248 laps, 310 miles, 500k)
9:40 p.m. — Post-race fan invasion and track scavenger hunt.
Schedule is subject to change.
For more information on Gateway Motorsports Park, please call (618) 215-8888 or visit www.gatewaymsp.com. Follow GMP on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
Gateway Motorsports Park PR
