Gilliland Triumphs to Second Straight K&N Pro Series West Championship

Todd Gilliland earned his second straight K&N Pro Series West Title
(Photo-Jonathan Moore/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Making your NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut, competing for history by coming close to sweeping K&N Pro Series championships, and winning your second straight NASCAR K&N Pro Series West title all at just 17 years old? That is what Todd Gilliland did this season and on Friday Night, he was officially awarded his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Title.

Gilliland won six races in the West this season en-route to his second title
(Photo-Chris Pietsch/NASCAR via Getty Images)

"Ever since I was little, all I wanted to do was drive a race car," said Gilliland in the NASCAR release. "When I got that chance to do that for Bill McAnally Racing, I really wanted to win him a championship. And now I'm here giving my speech for my second year in a row; 2017 has been a dream season."

Gilliland won a career-tying six victories this season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He held off teammate Chris Eggleston to win the championship by 29 points.

While also holding down camp in the west, he was conquering the east battling with Harrison Burton for that championship. Burton earned his first career victory at Bristol in April in the rain-shortened Zombie Auto 150, he'd win four more races but he wasn't in the clear as Gilliland would win four races in the season. The championship battle would be over on lap 56. A flat tire would cost Gilliland the complete sweep of the championships in the K&N Pro Series as Harrison Burton would sail off to victory.

Despite not pulling off the sweep, Gilliland did join an elite class of drivers including Lloyd Dane, Eddie Gray, Ron Hornaday Sr., Scott Cain, Jack McCoy, Ray Elder, Bill Schmitt, Jim Robinson, Roy Smith, Bill Sedgwick, Brendan Gaughan, Mike Duncan, Eric Holmes, and Greg Pursley as multi-time K&N Pro Series West Champions. (Koelle,2017)