Takes Over Points Lead With A Clean Sweep Of The Night
Birch Run, Michigan (Friday, June 7, 2013): The third race of the 2013 racing season within the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance was at the fast 4/10s (0.400) mile progressively banked d-shaped paved oval of Dixie Motor Speedway, located south of Saginaw in Birch Run, Michigan for the running of the Dixie 100 Presented by JEGS.com. At the end of the night, it was 17-year-old Cody Coughlin standing in victory lane after retaking the lead with seven laps to go to score his first career JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour victory.
“This is pretty awesome to be standing here after winning a race. We won earlier this year down at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida during Speedweeks in February, but this is the one I wanted to win the most, a JEGS/CRA race,” The Delaware, Ohio resident excitedly stated in victory lane. “The Team did a great job all weekend and they have all season for that matter. We’ve had fast cars all year, but just always seem to have had bad luck. But not tonight.” He added.
After starting the night off by winning his first career Boyne Machine Fast Qualifier Award, the 17-year-old, the 2011 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year, drew a four for an inversion which would place Brent Downey and Brandon Hermiller on the front row for the 100-lap main and they led the 26-car field to Chief Starter, Scott Menlen’s green flag and it would be Hermiller beating Downey to the first corner to take the early lead while the rest of the field jockeyed for position behind them.
Hermiller, the 2012 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Runner-Up would get away from Downey and set a torrid early pace as the first 36 laps ran under green flag conditions before the first caution flew. On the restart, Hermiller again pulled away when Dan Leeck, who was running fourth, spun in front of the field after contact and mass chaos ensued with several cars on the receiving end of cosmetic damage. When the green flew again, Jimmy Novak, who was the 2011 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Runner-Up, drove passed Cody Coughlin for third and then Downey for second. He kept on going and took the lead from Hermiller on lap 39.
Novak brought Josh Nelms, who was behind the wheel of the familiar #8 LisaThomasSalon.com Ford normally driven by Eddie Hoffman, the 2011 winner of this event, and the battle was on for the lead. They continued their battle until lap 70 when Coughlin made a daring three-wide pass of both drivers as they battled side by side to take the lead for the first time. A lap later, contact between Nelms and Novak sent both around and brought out the caution flag once more.
On the ensuing restart, Mike Stacy, driving the Howe Racing Enterprises house car that Robbie Pyle drove the race before at Columbus Motor Speedway on May 25th, drove to the inside of Coughlin and he would grab the lead on lap 73. Landon Cling, driving the same car that 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion, Daniel Hemric steered to victory lane in this race a year ago, also got by Coughlin that same lap to take over second spot.
Coughlin regrouped however and retook second place for Cling on lap 81 and set his sights on Stacy who had built up a nearly two second lead over the rest of the field. Coughlin then began to reel in Stacy and caught him with 10 laps to go. With seven laps to go, Coughlin made the winning pass and from there, it was all Coughlin as the Buckeye State teenager pulled away to not only score his first career JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Win, he would also take over the points lead as well.
“The car was tight, so I had to be real aggressive with the throttle to break the rear end loose and help it rotate and it obviously worked out.” The driver of the #1 JEGS.com/Chevrolet continued. “This really means a lot to win especially here at Dixie. This was one of the very first tracks we ever tested at back in 2010 and I made my second ever start in a Late Model here that same season. This is a big win for us and hopefully it leads to more wins this season.” He ended.
Coming home in second place in only his second career JEGS/CRA start was open-wheeled Modifieds ace, Mike Stacy who was behind the wheel of the #7 Howe Racing Enterprises/Ford. ” We made the most of the restarts. I want to thank Howe for giving us this car and working on it the car was really really close, Jeff Miller, the team, the sponsors, without all their help I couldn’t do it.” Stated the Enon, Ohio veteran. “We had a great night. Second time ever running with this series and it was good to have a good night with a new car. We were very close, but no cigar.” The 45-year-old added.
Picking up the final podium position was Tempe, Arizona driver, Landon Cling who picked up a career high third place finish and a season high run for Scott Neal Racing, the reigning 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship Winning Team. ” We were able to miss some of the wrecks today. The car wasn’t perfect but we were keeping up with it and avoiding what we could.” Stated the 18-year-old driver of the #77 McGunegill Engine Performance/Ford. “We’re getting closer and closer and I think a Win is coming pretty soon for us.” He ended.
Tom Woodin finished a season high fourth with D.J. Weltmeyer earning the Five Star Racecar Bodies Hard-Charger Award and the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award with his 19th to fifth place run. Hermiller came home sixth as Eric Lee, Downey, Leeck and Kyle Hayden would finish off the top 10. Coughlin’s first career Boyne Machine Fast Qualifier Award over the 28-car field that was on the grounds came with a lap of a 15.360 which equals out to 93.750mph. Earlier in the afternoon, the JEGS/CRA points leader coming into the race, Chad Finley swapped motors before Practice and then broke a rear end during Practice ending his day early.
The fourth event of the 2013 campaign for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance will be a part of the biggest weekend of racing on pavement in the state of Michigan; the Battle at Berlin Weekend on Friday-Saturday, June 14-15th at the historic 7/16s (0.437) mile semi-banked paved oval of Berlin Raceway, located west of Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan.
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour co-headlines the Friday, June 14th portion of the weekend with the running of the Berlin 100 Presented by Boyne Machine Company & JEGS.com. They’ll be joined by Berlin’s Port City Racecars Outlaw Super Late Model Series for a thrilling doubleheader of Template and Outlaw Bodied machines. Then on Saturday, June 15th, the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS takes over the spotlight with the first jewel in the $100,000 JEGS Triple Crown Series with the running of the Inaugural Battle at Berlin 251. In addition, if the JEGS/CRA Winner from Friday night can also score the victory on Saturday night, a $5,000 bonus is there’s.
As for the JEGS Triple Crown Series for the ARCA/CRA Super Series, a potential $100,000 is on the line and will go to the driver who can win all three legs of the series. After the Battle at Berlin 251, the Triple Crown continues with the Redbud 300 at Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana on July 20th and concludes with the 42nd running of the Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana on October 13th.
If one driver can win all three races, they will get a whopping $100,000 bonus. If someone can win two of the three Triple Crown events, that driver will receive a $10,000 bonus. If no driver wins at least two of the three Triple Crown events, the driver who accumulates the most points during those three events will receive a $5,000 bonus and the title of 2013 JEGS Super Late Model Triple Crown Series Champion.
For more information about all four touring series’ within Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, please check out the website located at: www.cra-racing.com You can also follow CRA on Facebook at: www.facebook.com and search for “Champion Racing Association” as well as Twitter atwww.twitter.com/CRAracing Finally for more information about Berlin Raceway, the host facility for race #4 of 2013 for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance, go to the track website at: www.berlinraceway.com