Story By: BILL MCANALLY RACING – ROSEVILLE, CA – Bill McAnally Racing announced today that Chris Eggleston will be back in the No. 99 NAPA Filters/H20 Fire Protection Toyota Camry for 2017, as he contends for a second championship in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
The Erie, Colorado driver is seeking another title to go with the one he won with BMR in 2015.
“It’s great to have Chris back with us for another season,” said BMR President Bill McAnally. “He’s a fierce competitor and gets the job done. He’s become an integral part of the team and has taken on a leadership role as a series veteran.
“He portrays the type of image that is important to BMR and serves as a role model to young drivers coming into the series,” McAnally said. “We look forward to more success with Chris as his career continues with BMR.”
McAnally also expressed his gratitude to NAPA Filters and NAPA for their continued sponsorship.
“NAPA Filters and NAPA have this team’s success possible,” he said. “We appreciate everything they have done and continue to do for the team. They have made for a winning combination with Chris behind the wheel of the black and gold Toyota.”
Eggleston and BMR have been contenders in the series since they first joined forces three years ago. He went to Victory Lane in his first race with the team, while running a handful of events in 2014. That led to a full season campaign and the championship in 2015. Eggleston and his BMR team continued their winning ways last season with back-to-back victories, as well as his first career series pole.
“I’m real excited to be back behind the wheel of the No. 99 NAPA Filters Toyota,” said Eggleston, who has five wins, 19 top-five, and 22 top-10 finishes in 31 career starts in the K&N Pro Series West. “The No. 99 has always brought us good luck; not for just myself, but for a lot of BMR drivers. We plan to pick up where we left off and get some wins early.”
In addition to Eggleston, the lineup of BMR drivers running the full K&N West schedule in 2017 includes Todd Gilliland – who won the 2016 series championship as a rookie – and 15-year-old series rookie Derek Kraus.
“I really look forward to working with Todd and Derek throughout the year,” Eggleston said. “Todd demonstrated last year that he’s got the talent to get the job done and win races. And he did a great job in front of the media and with all our great NAPA sponsors.
“I look forward to being partnered up with Todd again and getting to know Derek,” Eggleston said. “He’s a young up-and-coming star. It will be a lot of fun to work with him and race against him.”
Eggleston is a graduate of Colorado State University.
He developed his racing talent competing at his home track of Colorado National Speedway, a 3/8-mile short track just north of Denver. His resume features a 2009 ASA North championship and a Legends Series championship at CNS in 2006. In addition, Eggleston accumulated six national titles and more than 300 feature wins in 10 years of racing Quarter Midgets.
BMR captured back-to-back titles in the K&N Pro Series West in 2015 and 2016, giving car owner Bill McAnally seven series championships – a record for the series and the NASCAR Regional Touring level.