AVONDALE, AZ – Canada’s DJ Kennington was all smiles at Phoenix International Raceway Thursday night after driving the Northern Provincial Pipelines/Clark Construction #81 Dodge to a top-five finish. Thanks to a late race charge, the St. Thomas, Ontario driver finished fifth at the 2014 season opening race of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. “We were running ninth [in this race] for the longest time,” exclaims the two-time NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion, “we avoided a couple of early wrecks, fought hard and in the end grabbed our best ever finish here.” His previous best in Phoenix was seventh at the 2013 season opening race. Kennington qualified twelfth fastest out of twenty-nine entrants for this year’s race.

“The car was strong in practice, qualifying and the race. This [top five] feels pretty good right now. It’s a good start to our season.” Kennington won’t be running the full K&N season because of full-time commitments to the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. “We finished second in points last year. Looking forward to the start of the season in Canada in May.”

SIDENOTE: For the first time, Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. had its name on two race cars for the Talking Stick 75 event at Phoenix International Raceway. Rookie Jason Fraser from Snohomish, Washington piloted the #09 Chevrolet to a fifteenth place finish [qualified 21st].