Gateway Motorsports Park will feature the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for the first time with the inaugural Midwest Melee on Friday, Aug. 24.

The race will also be one of two combination races for NASCAR’s top developmental series joining an event slated at Iowa Speedway in 2018. Both K&N East and West series competitors can compete in the event.

The 150-lap race will be held as part of Coors Light Pole Night for the IndyCar Series’ Bommarito Automotive Group 500.

“Gateway Motorsports Park is excited to host another nationally-televised NASCAR event at our venue and add even more excitement to our St. Louis Speed Fest weekend,” said Chris Blair, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Gateway Motorsports Park.

“The addition of an exciting stock car element to the racing activities will make the event weekend even better and will give fans even more incentive to attend both race days of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 weekend.”

The K&N Pro Series is the top development touring series and part of the NASCAR ladder system before advancing to one of the three NASCAR national series - Monster Energy Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Trucks. It also drivers who are part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Next programs.

Harrison Burton is the defending champion of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. The 17-year-old son of retired Cup series standout Jeff Burton joins 2018 Cup drivers Joey Logano (2007), Kyle Larson (2012) and William Byron (2015) as former K&N Pro Series East champions.

Todd Gilliland, son of former Cup driver David Gilliland, won his second straight K&N Pro Series West championship this season and came home second to Burton in the East. The Sherrills Ford, NC native became the youngest champion in NASCAR touring or national series history after winning the K&N Pro Series West crown in 2016.

Darrell Wallace Jr., Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez and Austin Dillon are other current Cup drivers who got their NASCAR start in the K&N Pro Series in the past decade. Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 Cup series champion, got his NASCAR career started in the series.