SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – With his first top-10 finish of the 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series (NKNPSE) season last month at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Mason Diaz and his MAD Motorsports team head to South Boston (Va.) Speedway for a double dose of K&N competition in Saturday night’s WhosYourDriver.org Twin 100s.
And while Diaz has never visited the famed 0.4-mile short track in a K&N car, Diaz is hoping to apply his short track skills to his finest and be in contention for his first career K&N victory.
“It’s going to be a busy weekend, but I’m excited about it,” said Diaz. “Two races is one night is a lot of work for my guys – but it’s also double the opportunity for us to make a significant impact on the track and hopefully put ourselves in Victory Lane.”
Still a relatively new K&N Pro Series East team, Diaz knows that he is facing a stacked field on Saturday – but the depth of knowledge and skill from his MAD Motorsports team will have an impact for 200 laps of racing Saturday night.
“Mike (Darne) my crew chief has really been working hard on our cars since Bristol,” explained Diaz. “He works really hard on setting them up and making sure we get to the track.
“Yeah, we were happy to get a top-10 finish – but we weren’t satisfied with our performance. Our notebook is growing and that’s important – but we need to have those results that come along with that intel.
“South Boston is going to be a track where you have to show patience, save your tires and work the throttle in the corners. It’s going to be a competitive race – so we just need to be on our game.”
Diaz’s efforts on Saturday night will be supported by longtime partners The Sign Shop and Solid Rock Carriers.
Headquartered in Woodbridge, Va., The Sign Shop is your one stop shopping place for all your business needs for both custom and traditional needs. From magnetic signs, vehicle lettering, vehicle wraps, signs, screen printing, business cards and embroidery, see how The Sign Shop makes you shine!
Solid Rock Carriers Inc. is a licensed and bonded freight shipping and trucking company running freight hauling business from Lagrange, North Carolina. Serving the eastern United States for over 20 years, Solid Rock Carriers provides on-time delivery and superior customer service.
Additional support for Diaz’s third and fourth career K&N starts includes: Prince William Marina, Extreme Collision and Trebor Yelgab, MDR (Mike Darne Racing) and Dominion (Va.) Raceway
“I’m very thankful for the support of my marketing partners,” Diaz mentioned. “Solid Rock Carriers has been with me for a long time and their continued support is appreciated. But without the support of Prince William Marina, Extreme Collision and Trebor Yelgab, King Roofing and Construction, Barrett Capital, Dominion (Va.) Raceway and Racing Virginia – I know South Boston wouldn’t be possible. I need a good night on Saturday to make up for the misfortune of the Xfinity race at Richmond.”
Whatever the first 100 laps bring on Saturday night, Diaz wants to be better for the second half – unless it’s a visit to Victory Lane.
“How you run in the first 100 laps sets the tone for the second race and we want to be as close to the front as possible,” he explained. “I think track position is going to be important – so if we can gains from practice to qualifying and then stay near the front during the race, we’re going to be in good shape.”
While hunting two trophies on Saturday is important for the 18-year-old, the opportunity to capitalize in the championship standings is equally important for the Manassas, Va. native.
“Winning is important for me, my team and our partners, but we can’t forget the bigger picture,” added Diaz. “We’re sitting comfortably inside the top-10 in points, but we can easily leave South Boston Saturday inside the top-five or perhaps worst-case scenario outside the top-10.
“So, while I’m focused on getting to the front, I have to race smart too and not put ourselves in a position to lose sight of one of our primary goals.”
For more on Mason Diaz, please visit MasonDiazRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Mason Diaz Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@masondiazracing) and Twitter (@masondiazracing).
The Who’s Your Driver Twin 100s (100 laps | 40 miles) is the third and fourth of 13 races on the 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule. Practice begins for the one-day show on Sat., May 4 from 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. A final practice has been etched in from 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Group qualifying is set for later in the day at 5:15 p.m. The first race will take the green flag just after 7:00 p.m., with the second race set to roll at approximately 9:15 p.m. The event will be televised live on FansChoice.TV while NBC Sports Network will air the races on Wed., May 8 at 6:00 p.m. ET (Race No. 1) and Thurs., May 9 at 9:00 p.m. ET respectively (Race No. 2).
About The Sign Shop:
Headquartered in Woodbridge, Va., The Sign Shop (thesign-shop.com) is your one stop shopping place for all your business needs for both custom and traditional needs. From magnetic signs, vehicle lettering, vehicle wraps, signs, screen printing, business cards and embroidery, see how The Sign Shop makes you shine!
About Solid Rock Carriers:
Solid Rock Carriers Inc. (solidrockcarriers.com) is a licensed and bonded freight shipping and trucking company running freight hauling business from Lagrange, North Carolina. Serving the eastern United States for over 20 years, Solid Rock Carriers provides on time delivery and superior customer service.
About Prince William Marina:
At Prince William Marina (pwmarina.com) our pledge is to offer you the highest quality marine products and services at prices that you can afford. Our mission is to make your boating experiences magnificent and memorable. We’re glad that you’re here, and we promise to do our best to serve you both on land and on the water!