Reddick gets win, Larson takes K&N title at The Rock

    The 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship came down to the last lap of the season and when the smoke cleared at Rockingham Speedway, rookie Kyle Larson won his first NASCAR title.

   Tyler Reddick, 16, earned the win in the Classic 3 Championship race in a wild finish. Reddick, who was making his series debut, got a run on race leader – and championship contender – Brett Moffitt coming out of Turn 2 toward the checkered flag. Moffitt came up on Reddick, made contact, and went spinning onto the grass. Reddick then came around to take the yellow and checkered flags.

   A sixth-place finish by Larson was enough to give him the title by 15 points over Corey LaJoie. It marks the first NASCAR championship for Rev Racing and NASCAR Drive for Diversity.

   The 20-year-old Larson, from Elk Grove, Calif., also won the series’ Sunoco Rookie of the Year, joining only Joey Logano and Ryan Truex in the 26-year history of the series to accomplish that feat of earning the championship in their rookie years.

   LaJoie was also finished second to Reddick in Saturday’s race.

    Moffitt, who was in position to clinch the title if he would have held on the final lap for the win, finished the race 21st and third in points, 24 points back.

    Following Reddick and LaJoie across the line were Darrell Wallace Jr., Coleman Pressley and Jesse Little in the top five. The remainder of the top 10: Larson, Ryan Gifford, Sergio Pena, Ben Kennedy and Eddie MacDonald.

 

   With his victory Reddick earned a secured starting position in the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach on the short track at Daytona International Speedway in February 2013.

    Larson will be crowned the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion at the NASCAR Touring Awards on Dec. 10 at in the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

 

 Unofficial race results from Rockingham Speedway:

 (Start position in parentheses)

1. (6) Tyler Reddick, Corning, CA, Dodge, 100 laps, 90.817 mph.

2. (4) Corey LaJoie, Concord, NC, Ford, 100.

3. (2) Darrell Wallace, Jr., Concord, NC, Toyota, 100.

4. (3) Coleman Pressley, Asheville, NC, Toyota, 100.

5. (7) Jesse Little, Sherrils Ford, NC, Chevrolet, 100.

6. (11) Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA, Toyota, 100.

7. (21) Ryan Gifford, Winchester, TN, Toyota, 100.

8. (27) Sergio Pena, Winchester, VA, Toyota, 100.

9. (8) Ben Kennedy, Daytona Beach, FL, Chevrolet, 100.

10. (22) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, MA, Chevrolet, 100.

11. (1) CJ Faison, Seaford, Del, Chevrolet, 100.

12. (15) Chase Elliott, Dawsonville, GA, Chevrolet, 100.

13. (10) Bryan Ortiz, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Toyota, 100.

14. (12) Jimmy Weller, Hubbard, OH, Toyota, 100.

15. (19) Brandon Gdovic, Yorktown, VA, Toyota, 100.

16. (13) Steven Legendre, Danville, VT, Chevrolet, 100.

17. (23) Tim George, Jr., New York, NY, Chevrolet, 100.

18. (24) Frank Deiny, Mechanicsville, VA, Chevrolet, 100.

19. (14) Jack Clarke, Effingham, England, Toyota, 100.

20. (29) Noel Dowler, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Chevrolet, 100.

21. (5) Brett Moffitt, Grimes, IA, Toyota, 99, accident.

22. (18) Harrison Rhodes, High Point, NC, Dodge, 99.

23. (28) Beto Monteiro, Recife, Brazil, Toyota, 99.

24. (16) Larry Barford, Jr., Denton, MD, Chevrolet, 99.

25. (9) Cale Conley, Vienna, WV, Toyota, 97.

26. (25) Sam Hunt, Midlothian, VA, Toyota, 96.

27. (20) Jorge Arteaga, Aguascalientes, Mexico, Toyota, 77, accident.

28. (17) Dylan Presnell, Sevierville, TN, Toyota, 77, accident.

29. (26) Rafael Vallina, Chihuahua, Mexico, Toyota, 42, accident.

30. (30) Chuck Buchanan, Hildebrand, NC, Chevrolet, 9, accident.