Balancing study hall with drive time, Paulie Harraka has plenty to celebrate.
Harraka, who turns 19 Monday, became the first Drive for Diversity driver to win a NASCAR track championship, clinching the late-model title at Roseville's All American Speedway with two wins Saturday night.
"It was awesome," Harraka said. "My team did an incredible job."
Driving the No. 16 Toyota for Antelope-based Bill McAnally Racing, Harraka won 11 races this summer including both ends of the season-closing twin 50-lap doubleheader.
"It was a hard-fought battle right down to the end," McAnally said. "We went in 16 points out (behind John Moore). We knew the only way we could win the championship was to win both twin 50s."
Harraka also just started college full time at Duke.
"He was sitting in calculus class 36 hours before winning the championship," McAnally said. "Paulie has just matured and developed as a driver so much. He went from not even being in position to win a race last year to winning 11. It's very big."
As a driver, McAnally won Roseville's track championship the year Harraka was born.
"How great is that?" Harraka said. "To bring back the championship for him 18 years later is really, really cool."
Harraka and Moore finished the Whelen All-American late-model weekly series tied in points, but Harraka's 11 wins decided the title.
Helping BMR's cause, teammate Bobby Grewohl finished second in the first 50-lap race, just ahead of Moore in third. Those missed points for Moore turned out to make the difference for Harraka.
"We definitely had to work for the wins," said Harraka, who started seventh and fifth, respectively, in the two races. "I've been fortunate enough to win a lot of races in my career so far, but to win a NASCAR championship, that's something special."
Saturday, Harraka will make his NASCAR Camping World Series West debut at Tracy's Altamont Motorsports Park before heading back to school. He'll also drive the West Series finale Oct. 25 in Roseville.
BMR is closing in on another NASCAR championship with Eric Holmes, who leads the West Series by nine points with two races remaining.
"To be able to end that run with a (West Series) title at Roseville would be incredible," McAnally said. "I never dreamed that we could do that on my home track."
BMR switched from Chevrolet to Toyota this season.
"I'm doing everything in my power to get two championships this first season," McAnally said. "Toyota wants to win races and win championships, and that's what we aim to do."
McAnally hopes to get Harraka into a West Series car for the full season in 2009. The West Series is one step away from NASCAR's three major touring series.
"It's definitely a balancing act," Harraka said of school and racing. "I absolutely love the university. … But I have two amazing opportunities – Duke and driving for Bill."
Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 326-5514.
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