Justin Haley wins second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway

Justin Haley led the first 109 laps and won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East NAPA 150 at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio.

Justin Haley won his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race of the season and had his second epic battle with NASCAR Next driver Kyle Benjamin. Haley won the pole and led the first 109 laps of the NAPA 150 at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio. Benjamin passed Haley on lap 110 and held the lead for 25 laps.

Justin Haley won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway. He has won two K&N Pro Series races this season.

But Benjamin cut a tire on lap 134 leaving the door open for Haley. He regained the lead and was out front for the final 15 laps of the race.

"Last year there was so much bad luck in my racing career," Haley said after the race. "I never thought it would turn around. It's definitely cool to be on the lucky side tonight."

Justin Haley led 125 laps of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East NAPA 150 and won the race.

The two drivers had a similar battle at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina in March. Benjamin won the pole and led the first 54 laps of the race. The two battled for the lead, with Benjamin leading for 122 of the 150 laps. But Haley took the lead on lap 143 and held off Benjamin over the last seven laps of the race.

In the race at Columbus Speedway, Benjamin returned to the track after repairing his tire, but he didn't pose a threat to Haley's lead. Benjamin fell back in the pack and crossed the finish line in 11th place.

Austin Theriault finished in second place, followed by Collin Cabre in third. It was Theriault's fourth top-five finish in eight races.

By winning the NAPA 150 at Columbus Motor Speedway, Justin Haley leads the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings by 40 points over Noah Gragson.

"It was overall a good weekend," Theriault said. "We were strong in practice, strong in qualifying, and decent in the race. I think the 5 (Haley) and the 40 (Benjamin) had a little bit more in restarts after about five laps, it was hard to overcome."

Cabre, who started the race in 16th, posted his first podium and first top-five finish of the K&N Pro Series East season.

Justin Haley won the pole and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway. He has won two of the eight K&N Pro Series East races this season.

"It was a rough one for sure," Cabre said. "Everyone was kind of beating and banging there. The leaders got away from us. That first segment we just tried to stay on the lead lap, pretty much ride and just save our stuff. We ended up with a finish we didn't quite expect from where we qualified. We're close. Just got to get the qualifying a little better."

K&N Pro Series East rookie Harrison Burton was fourth. Noah Gragson was fifth.

Haley is the first driver to win two K&N Pro Series East races this season. He also extended his lead in the K&N Pro Series East standings to 40 points over Gragson.

"We didn't have the best car tonight, Benjamin was a little faster than us," Haley said. "Fortunately luck played in our favor. We expanded our points lead and had an overall good night."

The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race is the United Site Services 70 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16.