11/7/11

 

Presnell to compete in NASCAR K&N Pro Series West ‘Casino Arizona 125’ at Phoenix

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 7) — Dylan Presnell, of Sevierville, ran a partial rookie campaign competing in six events with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011, which produced four top-10 finishes.

Presnell has his six-shooter strapped to his side headed to the Valley of the Sun, ready for a gunfight in what’s expected to be a Wild West Shootout at the newly repaved and reconfigured Phoenix International Raceway. Not only are the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series in action, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Casino Arizona 125 season finale on Saturday, Nov. 12 will see a mixture of Pro Series East drivers mix it up with Pro Series West competitors at the 1-mile oval.

The race, which will be televised live Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. MT on Speed Channel, has attracted 47 entries – with drivers representing 10 states – as well as Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Qualifying will determine the first 36 starting positions, with the final four spots in the 40-car field being provisional starting berths.

The 16-year-old Presnell, a Sevier County High School honors student, is looking forward to the opportunity to compete against the West Coast racers.

“I can’t wait to get out to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend, it’s going to be a great experience getting to compete against the guys from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and see how we (Pro Series East drivers) stack up with them,” said Presnell, from his East Tennessee Smoky Mountains home Monday evening. “Several guys I raced with this season in the Pro Series East plan on running this weekend at PIR, so it’s going to be interesting. I reckon this season finale for the Pro Series West is supposed to have close to 50 cars entered, and that will by far be the largest field assembled at any race this season.”

Even though a stellar field of racing talent will be assembled trying to get into the 40-car starting lineup, Presnell has confidence in the performance of his No. 50 AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) X Team Racing Toyota Camry.

“It’s going to be extremely important to get your car dialed-in during our practice session Friday morning, because that will be our only track time before we come back on Saturday morning to qualify before we race later that afternoon. Come qualifying time, it will be ‘go or go home’ for me since I’m not a Pro Series West competitor and not eligible for a provisional starting berth. So yeah, there’s pressure in knowing you’ve got to go out and lay down two good laps in qualifying if you want to be in the race.

“I know new pavement is down at PIR, the track has been reconfigured and the Pro Series West guys run two races each year in the desert, but it’s still a 1-mile track. Also, with the track being repaved and reconfigured, it will be the first time the Pro Series West guys have run on this new layout. So I don’t really think they will have a great advantage related to track experience. We ran very well this season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which is a flat 1-mile track. We also had a strong run on the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway the end of September in the season finale for the Pro Series East. I feel really confident that my crew chief (Mark McFarland) will put a good car underneath me this weekend at Phoenix and the rest will just be up to me. I’ve got to get the job done behind the wheel.”

Brazilian driver Carlos Iaconelli, with racing experience in open wheel cars in Europe and Brazil, will make his NASCAR debut in the Casino Arizona 125. Iaconelli, along with Mexico’s Daniel Suarez, will be X Team Racing teammates with Presnell Saturday, Nov. 12 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586. You may keep up with Dylan’s racing by following him on Twitter at twitter.com/#!/DylanPresnell

 

 

 

9/30/11

 

Stellar run for Presnell in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East 2011 finale at Dover

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 30) — Dylan Presnell of Sevierville made the move to further advance his racing career by competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East during the 2011 season, and the 16-year-old Sevier County High School student caught the attention of many racing insiders at each of the six events he ran by showing “he had what it takes” to be successful in a NASCAR touring series.

Presnell’s first race at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., produced an eighth-place finish. Two starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway resulted in finishes of 11th and 15th. He recorded an eighth-place run in the Buckeye State at Columbus Motor Speedway, and wheeled the No. 14 X Team Racing Toyota Camry to his best finish of the season, a seventh-place effort, at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway.

Presnell arguably had his best run of the season this weekend at Dover International Speedway, as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East competed alongside the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide teams on the famed Monster Mile in the Dover 150 on Friday.

Having never laid eyes on the high-banked, 1-mile concrete track until his arrival for practice day on Thursday, Presnell immediately knew Dover International Speedway’s nickname of the Monster Mile was appropriate.

Following a day of practice to try and get acclimated to the intimidating track, Presnell qualified 19th out of 33 cars with a speed of 148.982 mph.

"I ran the United Speed Alliance Racing (USAR) Pro Cup Series race last year at Bristol Motor Speedway – which is concrete and has a lot of banking and is a very fast track,” said Presnell while making comparisons to each concrete-surfaced layout. “But let me tell you, Bristol is definitely not Dover. When we got to the track for practice, before we went down into the pits I just looked at the surroundings and was like ‘Wow, this place is unreal.’ Many people around the racing industry, they say Dover is kind of like Bristol’s big brother."

With crew chief Coleman Pressley atop the pit box, the game plan was for Presnell to just get settled into a comfortable rhythm early in the race. Once he got laps under his belt to build up confidence, then during the last half of the race they would begin to race their way towards the front of the field.

The event’s first caution waved on lap 16 when Corey LaJoie rolled to a stop on the inside of turn one, and Presnell had advanced four positions into 15th from his 19th starting spot.

According to series rules, for the Dover 150 teams had four tires available that they could change during the race. But they were only allowed to change two tires per pit stop, and they weren’t allowed to change tires and also take on fuel during the same stop.

Using good pit strategy during the first 100 laps, then getting up on the wheel and hustling the No. 14 Smoky Mountain Cheese Toyota Camry around the track under green flag racing conditions, Presnell found himself riding in the seventh position on lap 104. Looking at a window to go all-out for the final 25 laps, Presnell had worked his way inside the top-five into the fourth spot when a late race caution set the field up for a green-white-checkered finish.

While circling the high banks under caution, there’s always concern regarding whether the engine will be able pick up fuel for the restart. And those concerns became reality for Presnell when he accelerated when the green flag waved, yet the engine sputtered as it attempted to pick up gas from the fuel cell.

Once Presnell shook the car back-and-forth along the front straightaway into the first turn, enough fuel was picked up in the carburetor that he was able to get back up to speed. But what looked to be a definite top-five finish for Presnell turned into a ninth-place run once the checkered flag waved. Fourteen cars finished the race on the lead lap.

“Oh man, what a disappointing way to end the race after we’d had such a great car throughout the race,” Presnell said, reflecting on his finishing position chauffeuring the No. 14 Smoky Mountain Cheese Toyota Camry. “Our plan was to just run laps and keep our nose clean until around 50 laps remained, and everything was playing out just fine and we were running in seventh. But I knew the car was strong enough that we would be able to gain a few more spots before the finish, which we did. We just didn’t need that final caution there at the end, because it hurt us when the engine couldn’t pick up fuel when we went back green.

“I guess overall we’re pleased with how we ran, because we were very competitive. And for our first time ever running at Dover and to finish in ninth-place, I don’t guess you can really ask for much more. But as a racer, you just hate knowing you let one (top-five finish) slip from your grasp at the end. As people told me following the race, I wasn’t the first one and I won’t be the last one (racer) that will experience fuel pickup problems going back green at Dover. This track is unlike any other track I have ever raced at before, it’s just unbelievably fast at the end of the straightaway diving off down in the corner. And it’s not just straightaway speed, it’s corner speed also. The sensation of speed and the G-forces your body feels through the corners, it definitely catches your attention.”

The Dover 150 will air at 7 p.m. on Speed Channel on Thursday, Oct. 6.

The racing season’s not over for Presnell, as he will head out West to the desert at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 12 to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Casino Arizona 125. The event will be a companion race along with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586. You may keep up with Dylan’s racing by following him on Twitter at twitter.com/#!/DylanPresnell

 

 

 

9/23/11

 

Mother Nature disrupts Presnell’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East run at New Hampshire

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 23) — Coming off a seventh-place finish at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway, Dylan Presnell of Sevierville headed Northeast from his East Tennessee Smoky Mountains home for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East New Hampshire 125 on Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon for the series’ second visit to the Granite State in 2011 to compete on the 1.058-mile oval.

During practice prior to qualifying on Thursday, Presnell was 12th-quickest on the time charts. He slightly improved on his practice run by touring “The Magic Mile” in 30.240 seconds (125.952 mph) to earn the tenth starting spot for the New Hampshire 125.

With the race on Friday scheduled to start following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying, everybody was looking skyward at the dark, ominous clouds with rain in the forecast.

Through the first 25 laps of the event Presnell rode in tenth, just biding his time. The first caution appeared on lap 33 for debris on the track, and X Team Racing crew chief Coleman Pressley decided to roll the dice and bring Presnell’s SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com No. 14 Toyota Camry onto pit road for service, even though the remaining cars running among the top 15 elected to stay out for track position. But by pitting early, Presnell would be sitting in good shape later in the race when those cars ahead of him had to make their stops, and thus he would be positioned in front of them in the running order.

All the cars that didn’t pit earlier in the race were gambling, hoping their decision to not pit would pay off if rain began to fall. Once the New Hampshire 125 reached lap 63, just past the halfway mark, enough laps had been completed the race would be considered official.

Caution on lap 70 when Scott Bouley spun on the backstretch would prove to be the end of the race. With cars circling the track rain began to fall – and never let up. Thus leading NASCAR to make the call on lap 78 the race was official, by simultaneously waving the yellow and checkered flags due to precipitation and darkness.

Brett Moffitt captured the victory over Sergio Peña, Darrell Wallace Jr., Matt DiBenedetto (Presnell’s teammate at X Team Racing) and Eddie MacDonald.

With the race not going the full distance, Presnell never had the opportunity to drive his way back inside the top 10 after he pitted earlier in the race as he finished in 15th-place. Twenty-three of the 36 starters finished on the lead lap.

“Yeah, it’s really disappointing in the way the race ended because I know we had a top 10 car at least,” said Presnell following the event from the garage area. “With New Hampshire Motor Speedway being a flat track, handling through the corners is very important. You’ve got to have your car to where once you roll off into the corner you can pick the throttle up quickly to accelerate up off the turn, and our SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com No. 14 Toyota Camry was good, it was very good.

“There’s nothing anybody can do regarding the weather, it is what it is. We all knew before the race started that we’d be lucky to be able run all 125 laps. As a racer you sure hate not being able to go the distance, especially when you know you’ve got a car capable of bringing home to a top 10 finish. But considering the circumstances, when the rain brought a premature end to the race, we’ll take our 15th-place finish and go on to the next race and hope for a good run.”

The New Hampshire 125 will air at 7 p.m. on Speed Channel on Thursday, Sept. 29.

The 16-year-old Presnell is excited about the prospects of racing for the first time on “The Monster Mile” at Dover International Speedway on Friday, Sept. 30.

“I’ve raced at Bristol Motor Speedway on the concrete high banks, and I’m really looking forward to getting the opportunity to race at Dover Downs,” Presnell said. “All the guys I’ve talked with have told me it’s a real blast racing around Dover and the fast speeds you carry off down (racing) into the corners. Even though this has been a learning season for me competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, going to tracks I’ve never raced at before, it’s just good for your confidence when you know you’ve got a good team behind you. And with this X Team Racing group of guys, we show up expecting to run well at each event.”

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East 12-race 2011 schedule will wrap up on Friday, Sept. 30 at Dover International Speedway, part of a weekend featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series.

Practice and qualifying is slated for the Pro Series East teams on Thursday, Sept. 29. The 150-lap race is scheduled on Friday following Sprint Cup Series qualifying, with a tentative start time of 4:45 p.m. Between 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, all NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers will participate in an autograph session in the FunZone, located outside of Turn 4.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

 

9/14/11

 

Another top-10 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East finish for Presnell at Greenville-Pickens

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — With the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway originally scheduled to be run on Labor Day, Tropical Storm Irene decided instead to rain on the parade of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East competitors as it moved across the Southeast and up the East Coast, thus forcing the event to be postponed until Saturday, Sept. 10.

Beautiful sunny skies greeted the race teams upon their return to the Palmetto State on Saturday, and Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, a 16-year-old Sevier County High School honors student, was looking forward to his first time ever racing at the historic half-mile Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

Following practice during the daytime which saw Presnell sixth quickest at 21.389, he improved on that by recording a 21.124-second run in qualifying. However, that was only good for a 10th-place starting spot after Corey LaJoie (son of former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie) earned the pole position with a run of 20.903 seconds.

“My crew chief (Coleman Pressley) and I talked before qualifying about how important it was to get the car inside the top 10 for the start of the race,” said Presnell from his home in Sevierville on Tuesday night. “The caliber of competition in the K&N Pro Series East is very tough, and if you happen to make just the slightest mistake on your qualifying run it will mean you’re starting mid-pack or even further back in the field. When you qualify, you’ve just got to ‘get up on the wheel’ and drive the car to its very limits – but try to not overdrive the car. It’s just a very fine line.

“If you happen to mess the qualifying run up by trying to get just that little bit extra out of the car that just means you’re going to have drive the car hard in the race trying to work your way to the front. You’ll abuse the brakes and put excessive wear on your tires. To show just how competitive the Pro Series East fields are, from first-to-last on the 28-car starting grid at Greenville-Pickens was separated by half a second.”

Prior to start of the race, Presnell was presented the Coca-Cola Move of the Race Award and the $1,500 check for his performance at the series’ previous event at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway.

LaJoie grabbed the early lead and rode out front for the first 57 laps. Sergio Peña moved into the lead on lap 58 and never looked back en route to capturing his third NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory on the season. Peña was chased to the checkers by Brett Moffitt, Chase Elliott (son of 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott), Alex Bowman and Max Gresham..

After starting the race from the tenth spot, Presnell drove to a strong seventh-place finish, with the top 10 cars finishing on the lead lap.

“We had a really good X Team Racing No. 14 Toyota Camry during the race,” Presnell said reflecting on his finish. “After three caution periods during the first 43 laps of the race, from that point on the race went all-green. Under green flag racing conditions the rest of the way the field got separated on the big, flat half-mile layout. Even though we were able to get a good seventh-place finish, as a racer you always want to run a little better.

“We were catching the car running right ahead of us in sixth there towards the end, but we just didn’t have enough laps left to try get around him. We’ll take the good run we had and look ahead to our next race in a couple of weeks when we make our second stop of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. With my seventh-place run and my teammates Alex Bowman finishing fourth and Matt DiBenedetto coming home tenth, all in all the event at Greenville-Pickens was a good day for X Team Racing.”

In four starts in 2011 with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Presnell has recorded one seventh-place finish, two eighth-place runs and one 11th-place finish.

The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 from Greenville-Pickens Speedway will air on SPEED on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will make its second visit this season to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., on Friday, Sept. 23 for the New Hampshire 125 at the 1.058-mile track. The Pro Series East event will be part of a weekend featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Camping World Truck Series and Whelen Modified Tour.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

 

7/27/11

 

A successful summer of racing for Presnell with NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — It's been an interesting to say the least, learning, high-speed, successful summer of racing for Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, as the 16-year-old has been living in Charlotte, N.C., the hub of stock-car racing, to be closer to his X Team Racing operation in order be able to work alongside the guys who prepare the No. 14 Toyota Camry he chauffeurs in the NACAR K&N Pro Series East.

The Sevier County High School student launched his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racing career on Saturday, June 11, competing in the Slack Auto Parts 150 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. In his debut with the series, Presnell qualified 16th and finished eighth, one of 13 cars on the lead lap from the 30-car starting field.

The next event for Presnell was a trip to the Northeast and "The Granite State" of New Hampshire. He turned his first-ever laps on "The Magic Mile" at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the New England 125 on Friday, July 15 as the K&N Pro Series East competed over the weekend with the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Whelen Modified Series. Presnell started 18th and finished 11th when the checkered flag waved, one of 23 cars on the lead lap from the 36-car starting field. The event will air at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4 on Speed Channel.

The latest event for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East was on Saturday, July 23 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. Presnell was second-quickest in practice for the Jegs 150 and wheeled the No. 14 Toyota Camry home to an eighth-place finish, one of 14 cars on the lead lap from the starting field of 26 competitors . Presnell also earned the Coca-Cola Move Of The Race Award. The event will air on Saturday, Aug. 6 on Speed Channel at 6 p.m. EST.

"Most definitely, I've had a blast this summer getting to go NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racing with X Team Racing," said Presnell from the North Carolina race shop. "X Team Racing is an awesome operation, and getting to come to the race shop daily and work on the car and hang out with all the guys - having the opportunity to learn from Robert Huffman (Operations Manager at X Team Racing) and my racing teammates - Matt DiBenedetto, Coleman Pressley and Alex Bowman, overall it's just been a great experience for me as I've taken the next step in my racing career. Driving these K&N cars doesn't even really compare to the asphalt late models or anything else I've ever raced up to this point, and for me to be associated with the talented people at X Team Racing and the resources we have, it's just been a great deal.

"Hey, I guess at times I'm maybe my own worst critic and I think I should have done better in the starts I've had. I'm a racer, and most any racer will tell you they show up for each race and want to win. But looking at the situation realistically, in running only six K&N races this year the main goal was to get me acclimated to driving these cars, just getting a good feel behind the wheel to get comfortable. We've had two eighth-place finishes and the 11th-place run so far, and when you look at how competitive these K&N Pro Series East fields are, a top-10 finish is really pretty good. But still yet, especially the Columbus this past Saturday, I feel I left a top-five finish on the table there towards the end."

There's nothing quite like a summetime visit to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for some great seafood, fun times and relaxation. Presnell will be present on The Grand Strand for three days, July 31 and Aug. 1-2, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Presnell will have an X Team Racing No. 14 Toyota Camry show-car in attendance for the meet-and-greet, where he will sign autographs for Goulds Pumps and D&S Pump & Supply.

The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event for Presnell will be on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5) at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

 

7/12/11

 

Presnell feels confident heading to New Hampshire for NASCAR K&N Pro Series East New England 125

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Before making his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut last month at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, Tenn., knew the path ahead of him for next journey in his racing career would be the toughest challenge he’d faced yet. But the 16-year-old Presnell, making his first start for X Team Racing behind the wheel of No. 14 Toyota Camry, looked like a seasoned-veteran when he qualified 16th and finished eighth-place in the Slack Auto Parts 150.

“To start 16th and finish eighth at our first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park, most definitely if you had told me beforehand that we’d finish that well I’d have gladly taken it,” said Presnell on Monday from the X Team Racing shop. “As I’ve advanced each step along the way in my racing background to this point, at each level of racing you have to get acclimated to the new type of car you’re racing. So naturally getting behind the wheel of the K&N car for our first race, without a doubt we kind of thought it might be a tough deal due to the fact that we’d face somewhat of a learning curve in getting comfortable driving these cars.

“But to be quite honest, getting to work with such an accomplished racing veteran at X Team Racing as Robert Huffman, he and all the guys on our team really helped me out tremendously. I really feel that having such an experienced group behind me, it made all the difference in the world. We just worked on getting me comfortable running laps during practice, and worked on getting us a good setup for the race. We went out and qualified pretty well, and during the race we had a really good car and recorded a solid top-10 finish. As a racer you always want to win, but I know experience is what I need to gain in learning to not only drive these K&N cars, but to get used to racing against the very strong caliber of competition in these events. We ran all 150 laps, and I know the seat-time I got will be invaluable as we prepare to move ahead and run the final five series races in 2011.”

With Presnell not competing in the series’ next stop on the schedule at Langley (Va.) Speedway due to family commitments when his brother got married that weekend, Presnell feels confident heading to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon for this Friday’s (July 15) New England 125 at the 1.058-mile banked asphalt oval

A season-high 43 entries will attempt to nail down at starting berth for what will be a 36-car field at “The Magic Mile.” Qualifying is set for 3:15 p.m. on Thursday (July 14), and the race on Friday will be 125 laps (132.25 miles) and will be televised (tape-delay) at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4 on Speed Channel.

Presnell will be part of a four-driver X Team Racing contingent looking to visit victory lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with teammates Matt DiBenedetto, Alex Bowman and Daniel Suárez. DiBenedetto is second in the K&N Pro Series East point standings, while Bowman ranks seventh and rookie Suárez is 25th.

Coleman Pressley (son of former NASCAR racer Robert Pressley), who ranks fifth in points with four top-10 finishes after competing in first seven events this season for X Team Racing, will move from behind the wheel to crew chief of Presnell’s No. 14 Toyota at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“One thing very important in racing is team chemistry, you’ve got to have that good vibe amongst all team members,” stated Presnell. “At X Team Racing, we’re all a team and get along well with one another. After I completed my sophomore year in high school back the end of May, I’ve been living in Charlotte, N.C., this summer and coming to work daily at the race shop. I want to learn all I can about the race car, plus I want to build a bond with the guys on the team.

“Coleman’s a racer and I’m sure he’d rather be racing this weekend at New Hampshire, but he and I get along really well and I feel we’ll work great together with him serving as crew chief for the New England 125. I feel with the confidence I gained from the good finish at Gresham Motorsports Park, it will benefit me when we arrive at the track this Thursday for practice and qualifying day. I’m sure Coleman and the guys on the team will put a good race car under me. Most definitely a win would be good, but really if we can get another top-10 finish – that will be great for us.”

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the New England 125 will be AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

6/13/2011

 

Dylan gets a stellar Top 10 in his NASCAR K&N Pro East Series debut with an 8th place finish. Full story coming soon.

 

The race will air on the SPEED channel Thursday June 16 @ 6pm.

2011 NASCAR K & N Series Pro East Pics

 

 

 

 

Dylan will be running in select races in the NASCAR K&N Pro series this season with Sponsor American Mountain Rentals and new Sponsor Smoky Mountain Cheese LLC

 

 

 

5/24/11

 

Presnell signs NASCAR K&N Pro Series East deal with X Team Racing

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (May 24) — For most boys once they become a teenager, they can’t wait until they turn 16 years old and get their driver’s license. Being able to drive yourself wherever you need to go and not have to rely on mom and dad to transport you means you’ve got freedom, you’re in control behind the wheel.

But Dylan Presnell of Sevierville has been in control behind the wheel at racetracks across the United States since he was seven years old, when he first began racing Quarter Midgets in 2003. And from that point until now he’s raced Bandolero, Mini Cup, Legends and Late Model cars. He’s competed with the Allison Legacy Series, United Auto Racing Association - Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series, Pro All Stars Series, Champion Racing Association Super Series, and United Speed Alliance Racing Pro Cup Series.

For Presnell, who just finished his sophomore year at Sevier County High School and is an honors student, two important dates have arrived in his life. Turning 16 years old on Sunday, May 22, Dylan was finally ready to visit the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles to take the driving exam. He took the test Tuesday, May 24, and now proudly possesses a valid Tennessee driver's license.

Also, with hopes and dreams of someday reaching the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a race car driver, Presnell’s now ready to take that next step up the racing ladder. As of last week, he and his father (Ken Presnell) have signed a contract with X Team Racing for Dylan to drive Toyotas for the operation and run six NASCAR K&N Pro Series East events this season, and then compete full-time with the series in 2012.

The Sprint Cup Series is the pinnacle of NASCAR racing, followed by the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, and just in their shadows is the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Some might call the K&N Pro Series the minor league of big-time NASCAR racing.

“We’re excited and looking forward to working with Dylan,” said Robert Huffman with X Team Racing, an accomplished veteran racer and five-time NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series champion and former Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series competitor who is credited as being the driver that first brought Toyota into NASCAR racing, who will be closely working with Presnell. “We’ve currently got three drivers with the team that we’re developing – Matt DiBenedetto, Coleman Pressley and Alex Bowman. They all work together very well bouncing ideas off one another at the race shop and at the track sharing information. I’m sure Dylan will fit right in with these guys and they’ll take him right under their wings and give him support.

“I guess our main thing initially with Dylan will be to take him to the track for testing, to help get him acclimated for the feel of driving these K&N Pro Series cars. With the resources we have at X Team Racing we’ll have Dylan in good equipment, and what we just need to do is get him prepared for his upcoming debut at Gresham Motorsports Park. I’ve got complete confidence in our racing operation and I’m sure that Dylan’s going to fit right in and run very well in our Toyotas. Seat-time, that’s what it’s going to take for him is just letting him run laps and gain experience in this type of car. From when he first began racing up to this point, he’s always been a winner. And with time I believe he’ll be a front-runner with X Team Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.”

After competing throughout his racing career driving for his family’s Presnell Motorsports team, winning races and championships along the way, Dylan realizes the past groundwork laid was in fertile soil. Because it’s helped lead to this golden opportunity to be associated with X Team Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

“To say I’m totally pumped about signing the deal to drive for X Team Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East is an understatement, “said Presnell from his home over the weekend. “Oh, this is huge, let me tell you. It’s a big step in advancing my racing career and hopefully over these next few years associated with X Team Racing, it’s going to be a win-win situation for all of us. This is just the realization of a dream come true, it really is. From the time I was a young boy watching NASCAR races on television, my dream has always been to someday race in NASCAR.

“I can’t wait until we get to go test for the first time, and getting to work with someone the caliber of Robert Huffman is just awesome. He’s assured me that in no time at all we’ll be up to speed in these cars, and I’ve got complete faith in what he’s telling me. When you reach this level of racing, the driver is just part of the equation. You’ve got to be associated with a good race team that has good equipment, and that’s what X Team Racing is all about. I’ve had such a tremendous group of super people surrounding me with my racing ever since I first began, and to now see where all of our hard work has brought us with this NASCAR K&N Pro Series East deal – it’s just great and I’m going to work hard and give it my best efforts. I’m so very thankful to God for all he’s blessed me with in my life, and my parents have given me such great opportunities that I will never be able to thank them enough.”

Presnell will make his series debut for X Team Racing on Saturday, June 11 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., in the Slack Auto Parts 150. The race will be televised tape-delayed on SPEED Channel on Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.

Besides the Gresham Motorsports Park event, other races Presnell will compete in for X Team Racing in 2011 include both races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (weekend companion events with the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series), Columbus (Ohio) Speedway, Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway, and on “The Monster Mile” at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this season will be AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586. To keep up with Dylan Presnell’s racing visit his Web site at www.DylanPresnell.com

 

 

 

May 6, 2011 - Don't miss Dylan in the Dollywood Parade tonight. Dylan will be riding behind his American Mountain Rentals.com Racing hauler. The parade starts at 6pm.

Dylan will be running in select races in the NASCAR K&N Pro series this season with Sponsor American Mountain Rentals and new Sponsor Smoky Mountain Cheese LLC

 

 

Watch Dylan's latest interview - Channel 10 News

 

10/04/10

 

Presnell records stellar top-10 Pro Cup Series finish at North Wilkesboro Speedway

 

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2010) — The Historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway was once a mainstay on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule, but with the series making the move from small-town venues in the late 1990s for the so-called glamour of big city racing in larger media markets around the country, the facility has weathered with time. But the rebirth of the track in 2010 was well received by fans and competitors alike the first weekend of October for the running of a triple-header featuring the United Speed Alliance Racing Pro Cup Series, NASCAR Whelen-style Modifieds and Street Stocks.

 

Famed legendary former NASCAR racers were in attendance such as Harry Gant and “Alabama Gang” members Bobby and Donnie Allison, with each taking place in pre- and post-race festivities for the Brushy Mountain 250.

 

In the span of three weeks, Dylan Presnell of Sevierville has gotten to race at two of the most-storied venues in motorsports, the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” – Bristol Motor Speedway – where he recorded an impressive eighth-place finish last month when the USARacing Pro Cup Series visited East Tennessee. And Sunday the 15-year-old Presnell bettered his previous series run as he raced his way to a stellar top-10 finish at North Wikesboro Speedway, coming home in seventh-place and completing all 250 laps. The top 14 cars in the Brushy Mountain 250 finished on the lead lap.

 

“Man, we had another awesome USARacing Pro Cup Series run at North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said the Sevier County High School freshman on Monday from his family’s race shop. “To be able race these last two Pro Cup events at Bristol and North Wilkesboro , with all the history those places have in motorsports, it’s just hard to put into words what a great opportunity this has been. From the time I was young and first began racing, and following NASCAR on television and seeing all of today’s top stars race, it was very cool getting to race at Bristol knowing that Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick and all the other guys race there – plus all the former greats of the sport also had.

 

“But with my age, I never got to watch a NASCAR race from North Wilkesboro . However, I know from reading and hearing others talk about the track, it was somewhere special to race and guys like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Harry Gant and all the others competed at North Wilkesboro. It was very cool getting to see Bobby Allison and his brother Donnie along with Harry Gant, participate as grand marshals and also honorary flagman.”

 

Jeff Agnew led the field to green at the 0.625-mile speedway and led the opening 22 circuits before giving way to series point leader Clay Rogers, while Presnell was trying to move into the top-10 from his 14th-starting position. With the car good but thinking they could get it better, Presnell pitted during the first caution period, where the crew made a slight chassis adjustment.

 

Back under green, Presnell was running quicker lap times but he was also having to be somewhat cautious in taking care of the tires on the AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN), Goulds Pumps, Smoky Mountain Supply of Pigeon Forge, Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Mac Hill Motorsports, No. 83 Chevrolet Impala, as he worked his way forward from the rear of the field. Within 40 laps, Presnell had methodically picked his way around cars and moved up to tenth in the running order.

 

Having a good run going, pit strategy for the team became important in an event which produced a total of six caution periods. During each caution the team, led by crew chief Tony Lambert and car chief Dinky Torbett, with Shawn Treadway spotting high above the track for driver Presnell, kept tweaking on the car to fine-tune the setup for what they hoped would be a top-10 finish on the day.

 

Poised for a strong run to the finish with 75 laps remaining, following a caution Presnell lined up third for the restart. Back under green flag racing he stayed inside the top five for about 30 circuits before losing a few positions. Battling with second in points Caleb Holman, Lucas Ransone, Stephen Nasse, Logan Ruffin and Chase Elliott (son of 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott), Presnell finished in seventh, coming up about three-feet from edging out Ruffin for sixth at the checkers.

 

Presnell’s run from starting 14th to finishing seventh earned the “young gun” the WIX Filters Hard Charger award worth $500.

 

“Oh, we had a good battle going on there with several cars for position over the final 25 laps or so,” Presnell stated. “There towards the end, everybody was kind of holding on to their cars with all they had due to tire wear. The whole weekend, all the talk taking place in the garage area was ‘tire conservation’ and how you really were going to have take care of the rubber on your car. That was so true, because over the years the asphalt surface has really weathered a lot at North Wilkesboro Speedway and it was very abrasive on the tires. All in all, though, I think we did a pretty good job managing the tires on the car.

 

“A top five finish would’ve been great, but really for no more experience than I have in this type of car – to finish in seventh is a good run for us. In running my Late Model Stock I’m not accustomed to racing 250 laps like these Pro Cup Series events are, and you’ve got to kind of have a different mindset to run these longer distance races. We’re still learning, I guess. We had a really good car, and getting to drive the Mac Hill Motorsports car these past two races at Bristol Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway, it’s just been awesome. We’ve ran really well, and I’ve had a blast. When you run good and are competitive it’s fun, and that’s what it’s all about.”

 

Dylan Presnell and Presnell Motorsports will take next weekend off from racing as they gear up for the big season-ending Pro All Stars Series South “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” at Newport ( Tenn. ) Speedway , a 200-lap event on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15-16, which will see many of the top Super Late Model racers from around the country present for the big purse event.

 

To contact Presnell Motorsports, located in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 453-9330. To keep up with Dylan Presnell’s racing visit his Web site at www.DylanPresnell.com

 

9/14/11

 

Another top-10 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East finish for Presnell at Greenville-Pickens

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — With the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway originally scheduled to be run on Labor Day, Tropical Storm Irene decided instead to rain on the parade of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East competitors as it moved across the Southeast and up the East Coast, thus forcing the event to be postponed until Saturday, Sept. 10.

Beautiful sunny skies greeted the race teams upon their return to the Palmetto State on Saturday, and Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, a 16-year-old Sevier County High School honors student, was looking forward to his first time ever racing at the historic half-mile Greenville-Pickens Speedway.

Following practice during the daytime which saw Presnell sixth quickest at 21.389, he improved on that by recording a 21.124-second run in qualifying. However, that was only good for a 10th-place starting spot after Corey LaJoie (son of former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie) earned the pole position with a run of 20.903 seconds.

“My crew chief (Coleman Pressley) and I talked before qualifying about how important it was to get the car inside the top 10 for the start of the race,” said Presnell from his home in Sevierville on Tuesday night. “The caliber of competition in the K&N Pro Series East is very tough, and if you happen to make just the slightest mistake on your qualifying run it will mean you’re starting mid-pack or even further back in the field. When you qualify, you’ve just got to ‘get up on the wheel’ and drive the car to its very limits – but try to not overdrive the car. It’s just a very fine line.

“If you happen to mess the qualifying run up by trying to get just that little bit extra out of the car that just means you’re going to have drive the car hard in the race trying to work your way to the front. You’ll abuse the brakes and put excessive wear on your tires. To show just how competitive the Pro Series East fields are, from first-to-last on the 28-car starting grid at Greenville-Pickens was separated by half a second.”

Prior to start of the race, Presnell was presented the Coca-Cola Move of the Race Award and the $1,500 check for his performance at the series’ previous event at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway.

LaJoie grabbed the early lead and rode out front for the first 57 laps. Sergio Peña moved into the lead on lap 58 and never looked back en route to capturing his third NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory on the season. Peña was chased to the checkers by Brett Moffitt, Chase Elliott (son of 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott), Alex Bowman and Max Gresham..

After starting the race from the tenth spot, Presnell drove to a strong seventh-place finish, with the top 10 cars finishing on the lead lap.

“We had a really good X Team Racing No. 14 Toyota Camry during the race,” Presnell said reflecting on his finish. “After three caution periods during the first 43 laps of the race, from that point on the race went all-green. Under green flag racing conditions the rest of the way the field got separated on the big, flat half-mile layout. Even though we were able to get a good seventh-place finish, as a racer you always want to run a little better.

“We were catching the car running right ahead of us in sixth there towards the end, but we just didn’t have enough laps left to try get around him. We’ll take the good run we had and look ahead to our next race in a couple of weeks when we make our second stop of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. With my seventh-place run and my teammates Alex Bowman finishing fourth and Matt DiBenedetto coming home tenth, all in all the event at Greenville-Pickens was a good day for X Team Racing.”

In four starts in 2011 with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Presnell has recorded one seventh-place finish, two eighth-place runs and one 11th-place finish.

The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140 from Greenville-Pickens Speedway will air on SPEED on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will make its second visit this season to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H., on Friday, Sept. 23 for the New Hampshire 125 at the 1.058-mile track. The Pro Series East event will be part of a weekend featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Camping World Truck Series and Whelen Modified Tour.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

 

7/27/11

 

A successful summer of racing for Presnell with NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — It's been an interesting to say the least, learning, high-speed, successful summer of racing for Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, as the 16-year-old has been living in Charlotte, N.C., the hub of stock-car racing, to be closer to his X Team Racing operation in order be able to work alongside the guys who prepare the No. 14 Toyota Camry he chauffeurs in the NACAR K&N Pro Series East.

The Sevier County High School student launched his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racing career on Saturday, June 11, competing in the Slack Auto Parts 150 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga. In his debut with the series, Presnell qualified 16th and finished eighth, one of 13 cars on the lead lap from the 30-car starting field.

The next event for Presnell was a trip to the Northeast and "The Granite State" of New Hampshire. He turned his first-ever laps on "The Magic Mile" at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the New England 125 on Friday, July 15 as the K&N Pro Series East competed over the weekend with the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Whelen Modified Series. Presnell started 18th and finished 11th when the checkered flag waved, one of 23 cars on the lead lap from the 36-car starting field. The event will air at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4 on Speed Channel.

The latest event for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East was on Saturday, July 23 at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. Presnell was second-quickest in practice for the Jegs 150 and wheeled the No. 14 Toyota Camry home to an eighth-place finish, one of 14 cars on the lead lap from the starting field of 26 competitors . Presnell also earned the Coca-Cola Move Of The Race Award. The event will air on Saturday, Aug. 6 on Speed Channel at 6 p.m. EST.

"Most definitely, I've had a blast this summer getting to go NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racing with X Team Racing," said Presnell from the North Carolina race shop. "X Team Racing is an awesome operation, and getting to come to the race shop daily and work on the car and hang out with all the guys - having the opportunity to learn from Robert Huffman (Operations Manager at X Team Racing) and my racing teammates - Matt DiBenedetto, Coleman Pressley and Alex Bowman, overall it's just been a great experience for me as I've taken the next step in my racing career. Driving these K&N cars doesn't even really compare to the asphalt late models or anything else I've ever raced up to this point, and for me to be associated with the talented people at X Team Racing and the resources we have, it's just been a great deal.

"Hey, I guess at times I'm maybe my own worst critic and I think I should have done better in the starts I've had. I'm a racer, and most any racer will tell you they show up for each race and want to win. But looking at the situation realistically, in running only six K&N races this year the main goal was to get me acclimated to driving these cars, just getting a good feel behind the wheel to get comfortable. We've had two eighth-place finishes and the 11th-place run so far, and when you look at how competitive these K&N Pro Series East fields are, a top-10 finish is really pretty good. But still yet, especially the Columbus this past Saturday, I feel I left a top-five finish on the table there towards the end."

There's nothing quite like a summetime visit to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for some great seafood, fun times and relaxation. Presnell will be present on The Grand Strand for three days, July 31 and Aug. 1-2, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Presnell will have an X Team Racing No. 14 Toyota Camry show-car in attendance for the meet-and-greet, where he will sign autographs for Goulds Pumps and D&S Pump & Supply.

The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event for Presnell will be on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 5) at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2011 are AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. ), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

 

7/12/11

 

Presnell feels confident heading to New Hampshire for NASCAR K&N Pro Series East New England 125

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Before making his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut last month at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., Dylan Presnell of Sevierville, Tenn., knew the path ahead of him for next journey in his racing career would be the toughest challenge he’d faced yet. But the 16-year-old Presnell, making his first start for X Team Racing behind the wheel of No. 14 Toyota Camry, looked like a seasoned-veteran when he qualified 16th and finished eighth-place in the Slack Auto Parts 150.

“To start 16th and finish eighth at our first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park, most definitely if you had told me beforehand that we’d finish that well I’d have gladly taken it,” said Presnell on Monday from the X Team Racing shop. “As I’ve advanced each step along the way in my racing background to this point, at each level of racing you have to get acclimated to the new type of car you’re racing. So naturally getting behind the wheel of the K&N car for our first race, without a doubt we kind of thought it might be a tough deal due to the fact that we’d face somewhat of a learning curve in getting comfortable driving these cars.

“But to be quite honest, getting to work with such an accomplished racing veteran at X Team Racing as Robert Huffman, he and all the guys on our team really helped me out tremendously. I really feel that having such an experienced group behind me, it made all the difference in the world. We just worked on getting me comfortable running laps during practice, and worked on getting us a good setup for the race. We went out and qualified pretty well, and during the race we had a really good car and recorded a solid top-10 finish. As a racer you always want to win, but I know experience is what I need to gain in learning to not only drive these K&N cars, but to get used to racing against the very strong caliber of competition in these events. We ran all 150 laps, and I know the seat-time I got will be invaluable as we prepare to move ahead and run the final five series races in 2011.”

With Presnell not competing in the series’ next stop on the schedule at Langley (Va.) Speedway due to family commitments when his brother got married that weekend, Presnell feels confident heading to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon for this Friday’s (July 15) New England 125 at the 1.058-mile banked asphalt oval

A season-high 43 entries will attempt to nail down at starting berth for what will be a 36-car field at “The Magic Mile.” Qualifying is set for 3:15 p.m. on Thursday (July 14), and the race on Friday will be 125 laps (132.25 miles) and will be televised (tape-delay) at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4 on Speed Channel.

Presnell will be part of a four-driver X Team Racing contingent looking to visit victory lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with teammates Matt DiBenedetto, Alex Bowman and Daniel Suárez. DiBenedetto is second in the K&N Pro Series East point standings, while Bowman ranks seventh and rookie Suárez is 25th.

Coleman Pressley (son of former NASCAR racer Robert Pressley), who ranks fifth in points with four top-10 finishes after competing in first seven events this season for X Team Racing, will move from behind the wheel to crew chief of Presnell’s No. 14 Toyota at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“One thing very important in racing is team chemistry, you’ve got to have that good vibe amongst all team members,” stated Presnell. “At X Team Racing, we’re all a team and get along well with one another. After I completed my sophomore year in high school back the end of May, I’ve been living in Charlotte, N.C., this summer and coming to work daily at the race shop. I want to learn all I can about the race car, plus I want to build a bond with the guys on the team.

“Coleman’s a racer and I’m sure he’d rather be racing this weekend at New Hampshire, but he and I get along really well and I feel we’ll work great together with him serving as crew chief for the New England 125. I feel with the confidence I gained from the good finish at Gresham Motorsports Park, it will benefit me when we arrive at the track this Thursday for practice and qualifying day. I’m sure Coleman and the guys on the team will put a good race car under me. Most definitely a win would be good, but really if we can get another top-10 finish – that will be great for us.”

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the New England 125 will be AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Tenn.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586.

 

 

6/13/2011

 

Dylan gets a stellar Top 10 in his NASCAR K&N Pro East Series debut with an 8th place finish. Full story coming soon.

 

The race will air on the SPEED channel Thursday June 16 @ 6pm.

2011 NASCAR K & N Series Pro East Pics

 

 

 

 

Dylan will be running in select races in the NASCAR K&N Pro series this season with Sponsor American Mountain Rentals and new Sponsor Smoky Mountain Cheese LLC

 

 

 

5/24/11

 

Presnell signs NASCAR K&N Pro Series East deal with X Team Racing

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (May 24) — For most boys once they become a teenager, they can’t wait until they turn 16 years old and get their driver’s license. Being able to drive yourself wherever you need to go and not have to rely on mom and dad to transport you means you’ve got freedom, you’re in control behind the wheel.

But Dylan Presnell of Sevierville has been in control behind the wheel at racetracks across the United States since he was seven years old, when he first began racing Quarter Midgets in 2003. And from that point until now he’s raced Bandolero, Mini Cup, Legends and Late Model cars. He’s competed with the Allison Legacy Series, United Auto Racing Association - Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series, Pro All Stars Series, Champion Racing Association Super Series, and United Speed Alliance Racing Pro Cup Series.

For Presnell, who just finished his sophomore year at Sevier County High School and is an honors student, two important dates have arrived in his life. Turning 16 years old on Sunday, May 22, Dylan was finally ready to visit the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles to take the driving exam. He took the test Tuesday, May 24, and now proudly possesses a valid Tennessee driver's license.

Also, with hopes and dreams of someday reaching the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a race car driver, Presnell’s now ready to take that next step up the racing ladder. As of last week, he and his father (Ken Presnell) have signed a contract with X Team Racing for Dylan to drive Toyotas for the operation and run six NASCAR K&N Pro Series East events this season, and then compete full-time with the series in 2012.

The Sprint Cup Series is the pinnacle of NASCAR racing, followed by the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, and just in their shadows is the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Some might call the K&N Pro Series the minor league of big-time NASCAR racing.

“We’re excited and looking forward to working with Dylan,” said Robert Huffman with X Team Racing, an accomplished veteran racer and five-time NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series champion and former Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series competitor who is credited as being the driver that first brought Toyota into NASCAR racing, who will be closely working with Presnell. “We’ve currently got three drivers with the team that we’re developing – Matt DiBenedetto, Coleman Pressley and Alex Bowman. They all work together very well bouncing ideas off one another at the race shop and at the track sharing information. I’m sure Dylan will fit right in with these guys and they’ll take him right under their wings and give him support.

“I guess our main thing initially with Dylan will be to take him to the track for testing, to help get him acclimated for the feel of driving these K&N Pro Series cars. With the resources we have at X Team Racing we’ll have Dylan in good equipment, and what we just need to do is get him prepared for his upcoming debut at Gresham Motorsports Park. I’ve got complete confidence in our racing operation and I’m sure that Dylan’s going to fit right in and run very well in our Toyotas. Seat-time, that’s what it’s going to take for him is just letting him run laps and gain experience in this type of car. From when he first began racing up to this point, he’s always been a winner. And with time I believe he’ll be a front-runner with X Team Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.”

After competing throughout his racing career driving for his family’s Presnell Motorsports team, winning races and championships along the way, Dylan realizes the past groundwork laid was in fertile soil. Because it’s helped lead to this golden opportunity to be associated with X Team Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

“To say I’m totally pumped about signing the deal to drive for X Team Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East is an understatement, “said Presnell from his home over the weekend. “Oh, this is huge, let me tell you. It’s a big step in advancing my racing career and hopefully over these next few years associated with X Team Racing, it’s going to be a win-win situation for all of us. This is just the realization of a dream come true, it really is. From the time I was a young boy watching NASCAR races on television, my dream has always been to someday race in NASCAR.

“I can’t wait until we get to go test for the first time, and getting to work with someone the caliber of Robert Huffman is just awesome. He’s assured me that in no time at all we’ll be up to speed in these cars, and I’ve got complete faith in what he’s telling me. When you reach this level of racing, the driver is just part of the equation. You’ve got to be associated with a good race team that has good equipment, and that’s what X Team Racing is all about. I’ve had such a tremendous group of super people surrounding me with my racing ever since I first began, and to now see where all of our hard work has brought us with this NASCAR K&N Pro Series East deal – it’s just great and I’m going to work hard and give it my best efforts. I’m so very thankful to God for all he’s blessed me with in my life, and my parents have given me such great opportunities that I will never be able to thank them enough.”

Presnell will make his series debut for X Team Racing on Saturday, June 11 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., in the Slack Auto Parts 150. The race will be televised tape-delayed on SPEED Channel on Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.

Besides the Gresham Motorsports Park event, other races Presnell will compete in for X Team Racing in 2011 include both races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (weekend companion events with the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series), Columbus (Ohio) Speedway, Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway, and on “The Monster Mile” at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

Backing Presnell’s efforts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this season will be AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN), SmokyMountainCheeseLLC.com, Goulds Pumps, and Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville.

To contact Ken Presnell at Presnell Motorsports, located at 1868 Newport Highway in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 654-9586. To keep up with Dylan Presnell’s racing visit his Web site at www.DylanPresnell.com

 

 

 

May 6, 2011 - Don't miss Dylan in the Dollywood Parade tonight. Dylan will be riding behind his American Mountain Rentals.com Racing hauler. The parade starts at 6pm.

Dylan will be running in select races in the NASCAR K&N Pro series this season with Sponsor American Mountain Rentals and new Sponsor Smoky Mountain Cheese LLC

 

 

Watch Dylan's latest interview - Channel 10 News

 

10/04/10

 

Presnell records stellar top-10 Pro Cup Series finish at North Wilkesboro Speedway

 

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2010) — The Historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway was once a mainstay on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule, but with the series making the move from small-town venues in the late 1990s for the so-called glamour of big city racing in larger media markets around the country, the facility has weathered with time. But the rebirth of the track in 2010 was well received by fans and competitors alike the first weekend of October for the running of a triple-header featuring the United Speed Alliance Racing Pro Cup Series, NASCAR Whelen-style Modifieds and Street Stocks.

 

Famed legendary former NASCAR racers were in attendance such as Harry Gant and “Alabama Gang” members Bobby and Donnie Allison, with each taking place in pre- and post-race festivities for the Brushy Mountain 250.

 

In the span of three weeks, Dylan Presnell of Sevierville has gotten to race at two of the most-storied venues in motorsports, the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” – Bristol Motor Speedway – where he recorded an impressive eighth-place finish last month when the USARacing Pro Cup Series visited East Tennessee. And Sunday the 15-year-old Presnell bettered his previous series run as he raced his way to a stellar top-10 finish at North Wikesboro Speedway, coming home in seventh-place and completing all 250 laps. The top 14 cars in the Brushy Mountain 250 finished on the lead lap.

 

“Man, we had another awesome USARacing Pro Cup Series run at North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said the Sevier County High School freshman on Monday from his family’s race shop. “To be able race these last two Pro Cup events at Bristol and North Wilkesboro , with all the history those places have in motorsports, it’s just hard to put into words what a great opportunity this has been. From the time I was young and first began racing, and following NASCAR on television and seeing all of today’s top stars race, it was very cool getting to race at Bristol knowing that Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick and all the other guys race there – plus all the former greats of the sport also had.

 

“But with my age, I never got to watch a NASCAR race from North Wilkesboro . However, I know from reading and hearing others talk about the track, it was somewhere special to race and guys like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Harry Gant and all the others competed at North Wilkesboro. It was very cool getting to see Bobby Allison and his brother Donnie along with Harry Gant, participate as grand marshals and also honorary flagman.”

 

Jeff Agnew led the field to green at the 0.625-mile speedway and led the opening 22 circuits before giving way to series point leader Clay Rogers, while Presnell was trying to move into the top-10 from his 14th-starting position. With the car good but thinking they could get it better, Presnell pitted during the first caution period, where the crew made a slight chassis adjustment.

 

Back under green, Presnell was running quicker lap times but he was also having to be somewhat cautious in taking care of the tires on the AmericanMountainRentals.com (Smoky Mountain Cabins - Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN), Goulds Pumps, Smoky Mountain Supply of Pigeon Forge, Clearwater Drilling Co. of Sevierville, Mac Hill Motorsports, No. 83 Chevrolet Impala, as he worked his way forward from the rear of the field. Within 40 laps, Presnell had methodically picked his way around cars and moved up to tenth in the running order.

 

Having a good run going, pit strategy for the team became important in an event which produced a total of six caution periods. During each caution the team, led by crew chief Tony Lambert and car chief Dinky Torbett, with Shawn Treadway spotting high above the track for driver Presnell, kept tweaking on the car to fine-tune the setup for what they hoped would be a top-10 finish on the day.

 

Poised for a strong run to the finish with 75 laps remaining, following a caution Presnell lined up third for the restart. Back under green flag racing he stayed inside the top five for about 30 circuits before losing a few positions. Battling with second in points Caleb Holman, Lucas Ransone, Stephen Nasse, Logan Ruffin and Chase Elliott (son of 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott), Presnell finished in seventh, coming up about three-feet from edging out Ruffin for sixth at the checkers.

 

Presnell’s run from starting 14th to finishing seventh earned the “young gun” the WIX Filters Hard Charger award worth $500.

 

“Oh, we had a good battle going on there with several cars for position over the final 25 laps or so,” Presnell stated. “There towards the end, everybody was kind of holding on to their cars with all they had due to tire wear. The whole weekend, all the talk taking place in the garage area was ‘tire conservation’ and how you really were going to have take care of the rubber on your car. That was so true, because over the years the asphalt surface has really weathered a lot at North Wilkesboro Speedway and it was very abrasive on the tires. All in all, though, I think we did a pretty good job managing the tires on the car.

 

“A top five finish would’ve been great, but really for no more experience than I have in this type of car – to finish in seventh is a good run for us. In running my Late Model Stock I’m not accustomed to racing 250 laps like these Pro Cup Series events are, and you’ve got to kind of have a different mindset to run these longer distance races. We’re still learning, I guess. We had a really good car, and getting to drive the Mac Hill Motorsports car these past two races at Bristol Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway, it’s just been awesome. We’ve ran really well, and I’ve had a blast. When you run good and are competitive it’s fun, and that’s what it’s all about.”

 

Dylan Presnell and Presnell Motorsports will take next weekend off from racing as they gear up for the big season-ending Pro All Stars Series South “Mason-Dixon Meltdown” at Newport ( Tenn. ) Speedway , a 200-lap event on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15-16, which will see many of the top Super Late Model racers from around the country present for the big purse event.

 

To contact Presnell Motorsports, located in Sevierville, Tenn., call (865) 453-9330. To keep up with Dylan Presnell’s racing visit his Web site at www.DylanPresnell.com