Zack Novak dominates at Kansas for second win of 2019 season

Zack Novak found redemption on Tuesday night at Kansas Speedway.

Almost exactly one year ago, Novak came short of victory after leading the most laps.

This time, Novak was able to hold off Garrett Lowe in the closing laps to win his second race of the 2019 eNASCAR Peak Antifreeze iRacing Series campaign.

“Clean air was huge,” Novak told RaceSpot TV during post race availability. “I felt really comfortable in clean air, through practice, and we were able to work our way to the front really quick with those cautions and everybody being on old tires in front of us.

“We worked our way to the front, and man, it was just a rocket ship.”

Lowe used strategy to initially pass Novak during the final round of green flag pit stops, but couldn’t hold on through the cycle.

In the closing laps, Lowe was able to close the gap to about a full second, but it was too little too late, as Novak went on to take the checkered flag.

Blake Reynolds, Michael Guest, and Nick Ottinger rounded out the Top 5.

Series leader Ryan Michael Luza suffered extensive damage in an incident on lap 14, and wound up coming home 36th.

Keegan Leahy, who sits second in the points standings, didn’t have much better of a night. Leahy was involved in an incident on lap 9 and the damage relegated him to a 29th place effort.

Lowe posted his second straight Top 5 finish after losing a Top 5 finish at Richmond Raceway on the final lap. Lowe now sits fifth in the standings, one point behind Reynold for fourth.

With Kansas in the books, Luza takes his point lead of 40 over Leahy into Charlotte Motor Speedway in two weeks. Novak moves into third in the standings, only one point behind Leahy for second.

Zack Novak has the right stuff in Kansas 💪🏁

Retweet to congratulate the @roushfenway driver on his second win of the season in the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series! #ReachThePEAK pic.twitter.com/6hfUzC44xt

— iRacing.com (@iRacing) May 8, 2019

 

RACE RESULTS:

1. 6 – Zack Novak – Roush Fenway Racing
2. 28 – Garrett Lowe – Renegades
3. 30 – Blake Reynolds – Team Dillon eSports
4. 17 – Michael Guest – Roush Fenway Racing
5. 47 – Nick Ottinger – JTG Daugherty Racing
6. 79 – Nickolas Shelton – Clint Bowyer Racing
7. 66 – Jarl Teien – G2 eSports
8. 36 – Chris Shearburn – Letarte eSports
9. 21 – Ray Alfalla – Wood Brothers Racing
10. 90 – Malik Ray – Richmond Raceway eSports
11. 55 – Brian Schoenburg – Williams eSports
12. 99 – Logan Clampitt – Burton Kligerman eSports
13. 77 – Ashton Crowder – Burton Kligerman eSports
14. 20 – Jake Nichols – Joe Gibbs Racing
15. 88 – Brad Davies – JR Motorsports
16. 37 – Christian Challiner – JTG Daugherty Racing
17. 18 – Bobby Zalenski – Joe Gibbs Racing
18. 42 – Dylan Duval – Independent
19. 75 – Philip Diaz – Mode Motorsports
20. 3 – Michael Guariglia – Independent
21. 14 – Casey Kirwan – Clint Bowyer Racing
22. 16 – Chris Overland – Wood Brothers Racing
23. 24 – Cody Byus – Mode Motorsports
24. 8 – Michael Conti – JR Motorsports
25. 7 – Ryan Lowe – Independent
26. 19 – Casey Tucker – Independent
27. 5 – Matt Bussa – Williams eSports
28. 83 – Adam Benefiel – Independent
29. 62 – Keegan Leahy – G2 eSports
30. 31 – Logan Kress – Independent
31. 63 – Timmy Hill – FlipSid3 Tactics
32. 2 – Caine Cook – Independent
33. 80 – Brandon Hayse Kettelle – Independent
34. 33 – Benjamin W. Nelson – Team Dillon eSports
35. 46 – Jimmy Mullis – Richmond Raceway eSports
36. 53 – Ryan Michael Luza – FlipSid3 Tactics
37. 4 – Nathan Lyon – Letarte eSports
38. 74 – Taylor Hurst – Independent
39. 27 – Corey Vincent – Renegades
40. 51 – Eric J. Smith – Independent

SOURCES
RaceSpot TV
iRacing.com
Twitter