Derek Kraus named to drive for BMR In NASCAR K&N Pro Series

Bill McAnally Racing has announced Wisconsin teenager Derek Kraus will compete for both the champion and rookie of the year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for 2017.

The 15-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin will contend for the Rookie of the Year Award and overall title as he runs the full schedule in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, while also competing in select events in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

“We’re excited to have Derek join the BMR team, as he takes the next step in his racing career,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “He impressed us when we had the opportunity for him to get behind the wheel of one of our K&N Pro Series cars in testing. Derek has a great passion for racing and will be an outstanding representative of BMR and our partners. We look forward to working with him.”

Kraus competed in super late model races last season and will drive BMR’s No. 19 Carlyle Tools Toyota Camry for the 2017 season.

“I am excited for the opportunity to run the K&N Series with BMR,” Kraus said. “After the test session we had, I’m confident we will do well in representing Toyota, NAPA, and Carlyle Tools. I am looking forward to what the 2017 race season will bring.”

Kraus began racing as a 7-year-old competing in the Wisconsin State Go Kart Series in 2008 and he later moved up to the Midwest Bandolero Series, where he won championships in 2013 and 2014.

He followed that up with a championship in the Midwest Truck Series in 2015. In addition, he also won rookie titles that year in the American Ethanol Super Truck Series and at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Kraus competed in super late models last year; scoring five wins, 16 top-five, and 22 top-10 finishes in 44 starts. He finished fourth last year in the final points standings in the ARCA Midwest Tour Series and became the youngest driver to win an ARCA Midwest Tour Series race, breaking a 25-year-old record set by Matt Kenseth.

Kraus was also named as one of seven drivers in the 2016 Ganassi Racing Gen G program, Chip Ganassi Racing’s method of identifying and assisting North America’s top up-and-coming race car drivers.

BMR owner Bill McAnally captured back-to-back titles in the K&N Pro Series West in 2015 and 2016, giving him seven series championships overall – a record for the series and the NASCAR Regional Touring level.