Current Points Leader Scores Dominating Win at Auto City Speedway
Clio, Michigan (Friday, August 16, 2013): It was Day I of the Michigan Doubleheader Weekend for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS as the premier series within Champion Racing Association (CRA) Powered by JEGS made their inaugural visit to the tricky 7/16 (0.437) mile semi-banked egg-shaped paved oval of Auto City Speedway, located north of Flint in Clio, Michigan for the Mid-Michigan Toyota Dealers / Draper 125. This event race originally scheduled for near-by Dixie Motor Speedway, located eight miles north of Auto City in Birch Run, Michigan but was moved to Auto City.
Even with the change in venue, Current ARCA/CRA Super Series Points Leader, 19-year-old Travis Braden proved to everyone that he is the man to beat in the chase for the 2013 Championship as he took the lead from JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Points Leader, 17-year-old Cody Coughlin, who was making only his second career ARCA/CRA start, on lap 34 and from there, Braden pulled away to a dominating Win, his second of the season, in his #01 West Virginia University / Chevrolet.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better day. We set the fastest lap of the day in Practice, set the series Track Record here and we Won. What a feeling man.” The elated Wheeling, West Virginia driver stated in victory lane after his dominating performance. “ The guys did a heck of a job getting the car just right for me. We’ll see if we can pull off a weekend sweep tomorrow at Flat Rock Speedway. We’ll enjoy this one for about an hour, then we’ll get ready for Flat Rock. We can savor this win on the way home after tomorrow’s race.” He added.
Braden established the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS Track Record in EDCO Welding Qualifying and then drew a six for an inversion which place Coughlin and Current Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Ali Kern on the front row for the 125-lap main and it would be Coughlin powering his way to the front in taking the early lead. The Buckeye State teenager tried to get away from the field as fast as he could as he set the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap of the Race in those first few laps while trying to pull away.
On lap 27, Braden, who started sixth had worked his way past Kern to take over the second spot and set his sights on race long leader, Coughlin. After catching up to the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour visitor, Braden made what eventually would become he winning pass on lap 34 to take over the lead. He immediately began pulling away from Coughlin as well as Kern and Brandon Hermiller who were riding in third and fourth respectively.
The first of only four cautions flew on lap 36 and on the restart, Hermiller slipped past Kern to take third and commence to battling with Coughlin for the runner-up spot as Braden would start to pull away once again. After a lengthy battle, Hermiller finally got past Coughlin for second. Another caution flew on lap 79 when Robbie Johnson, who won the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race last weekend at Auto City, and Inaugural Series Champion from the 1997 season, Kenny Tweedy got together resulting in Tweedy going around in turns three and four. Both drivers were sent to the rear.
On the restart, Hermiller stayed side by side with Braden for a few laps before Braden was able to inch out ahead of the hard-charging Hermiller. Soon afterwards, Coughlin would regroup and get back by Hermiller and the two drivers put on an epic battle for the runner-up spot until lap 108 when contact between the two drivers sent Hermiller around. On the ensuing restart with both drivers at the rear of the field, Hermiller returned the favor to slow things down one last time.
This moved Kern back up to second, but Braden was up to the challenge on what would be the final restart on lap 110, he again pulled away from the entire field. In the end, Braden’s West Virginia University machine sporting the colors of Blue and Yellow, known to Michigan fans more for the University of Michigan than for WVU where he will begin his sophomore year of college studies, would cross the start / finish line first to secure his second ARCA/CRA Super Series victory of the 2013 racing season and extend his already healthy points lead in the process.
“We want this Championship. That’s been our #1 goal this entire season.” The Mountaineer State driver continued. “If we keep running like this, we’re going to be tough to beat the rest of the season.” He ended. As part of the accolades that go with the victory, Braden not only extended his points lead, but also collected a plethora of Awards including the Team Construction Clean Sweep Award for Winning the EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award and the race itself. He also scored the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award, the VR-12 and Holley Carburetors Halfway Leader Awards and the Racing Electronics Hard-Charger Award.
Kern, recovered from falling back as far as fifth to charge back to the runner-up spot, the 20-year-olds’ career high finish in ARCA/CRA Super Series competition in her #28 Crown Batteries / Ford. “It was a lot of fun to be running up front tonight. I have to thank everyone on this Lorz Motorsports Team for making all of this possible.” The Fremont, Ohio freshman said. “We had a really good car all day and throughout the race. We really needed this. We’ve been working so hard all year long and finally we have a race were the results showed. Hopefully we can do just as well at Flat Rock.” She ended. As a reward for her showing, she collected the Boyne Machine Company, K&N Filters and VDL Fuel Systems Rookie of the Race Awards as well as the FLUIDYNE Cool Under Pressure Award for her run.
Picking up a career high finish of a third was the second Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Year title contender, Brandon Oakley as the 19-year-old in his DKBicycles.com / Chevrolet pitted twice early in the race after a pair of yellow flags came out and restarted at the rear each time. The 19-year-old from Beavercreek, Ohio maneuvered his way back through the field to earn a Podium Finish and the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award as well as the Hedman Hedders Husler Award for his efforts. “We had a god car, but just needed to be a bit faster to compete for the Win.” Oakley explained. “We just need to finish ahead of Ali (Kern) who did a good job tonight. On to Flat Rock, hope we can pick up a couple of more spots.” He added.
Canadian invader, Jordan Sims was the third straight competitor to post a career high showing as the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario / Canada competitor finished fourth while 1997 Series Champion, Kenny Tweedy completed the top five. Veteran Rick Turner posted a sixth place showing to earn the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award while Coughlin, Hermiller, Johnson and Robinson finished off the top 10. Braden’s record setting lap was a 15.302 which measures out to 103.045mph.
The second half of the Michigan Doubleheader Weekend takes place at the fast 1/4 (0.250) mile semi-banked paved oval of Flat Rock Speedway, located north of Toledo, Ohio and south of Detroit in Flat Rock, Michigan as the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS teams make the 90+ minute drive south from Auto City Speedway to compete in their second race in about 24 hours in the running of the 7-Up 125.
For more information about all four touring series’ within Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, please go to the series website 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 Flat Rock Speedway, the host facility for the 10th race of the 2013 season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, go to the track website at: www.flatrockspeedway.com