Birch Run, Michigan (Friday, August 3rd, 2012): Two-Time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion and Current Points Leader, Johnny VanDoorn knows that to win a third series title and join CRA legend Scott Hantz as the only other Three-Time Champion in the series’ 16-year history, VanDoorn has to do well in the races in his home state of Michigan and accumulate those important points heading down the homestretch of 2012.
The Coopersville, Michigan left no doubt that he is on a mission to win that coveted third series championship as he swept the entire program at the fast 4/10s (0.400) mile progressively banked paved oval of Dixie Motor Speedway, located south of Saginaw in Birch Run. Michigan on Friday, August 3rd. The 24-year-old swept both Practice Sessions, won his second EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award of the year.
Then in the Mid-Michigan Toyota Dealers / Draper 125, he took the lead from pole-sitter Chad Finley on lap 11 and from there, he kept his #61 JEGS.com / Magic Transportation / Chevrolet ahead of the rest of the field the rest of the way. After fighting off Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Becca Kasten, he then had to stave off the advances of veteran Steve Dorer to pull into victory lane.
“This is one of my favorite racetracks on the schedule! I wish we came here about once a month,” Stated VanDoorn in victory lane surrounded by his Kaos Motorsports Team. “We had a great car all day long and it just got better as the lights came on. That was a lot of fun racing with Becca (Kasten) and then Steve (Dorer) just came out of nowhere and he was real strong. But the crew did their part and fortunately I did mine and here we are.” He added.
After VanDoorn drew the minimum inversion of a three (3), it would place JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance regular, Chad Finley and 18-year-old Boyne Machine Rookie title contender, Travis Braden on the front row for the Mid-Michigan Toyota Dealers / Draper 125. Right at the start, Finley and Braden traded paint as Chief Starter, Robert Tower’s green flag went in the air.
Just a lap later, Braden came to a stop in turn two bringing out the caution flag as Braden, the 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Rookie of the Year suffered damage to his machine as a result of the early race contact. On the restart, VanDoorn moved into second and followed Finley’s tire tracks around the Eastern Michigan oval learning Finley’s line.
On lap 11, VanDoorn made what would eventually be the winning pass as he took the lead with Finley being shuffled back. Becca Kasten, who started fifth, also slipped by Finley and would challenge VanDoorn for the top spot. In scenes reminiscent of their much talked about battle at Springport (MI) Motor Speedway back on June 16th, VanDoorn and Kasten battled tooth and nail for the lead to the roar of the capacity crowd on hand who were on their feet for the majority of the race.
Several times Kasten pulled up next to VanDoorn in an effort to take the lead, but each time, the back of the lead lap cars would prohibit her efforts. As the laps continued to click off, VanDoorn continued to lead as Kasten then had to deal with a resurging Finley as well as Steve Dorer who started fourth and had drifted all the way to the outside of the top 10 early in the race before regrouping and maneuvering his way back into the top five.
With 25 laps to go out of the scheduled 125, Dorer worked his way by Finley and began to challenge Kasten for second, which allowed VanDoorn to inch ahead of the rest of the field while the battle for second and third ensued. With 20 to go, Dorer disposed of Kasten and set his sights on VanDoorn who had built up a second lead.
Try as he might, Dorer would be able to get to VanDoorn’s back bumper but could do nothing with the Current Points Leader as VanDoorn would cross the start / finish line first to secure his Third ARCA/CRA Super Series victory of the 2012 racing season and extend his already healthy points lead heading into the final four races of the season at Winchester (9/3), Flat Rock (9/8), Lucas Oil (9/30) and back at Winchester (10/14).
“We’re going after this Championship. That was our number one goal all along and we’ve just got to keep moving forward and stay ahead of these guys, and girls.” VanDoorn continued. “We’ve got a great team here at Kaos Motorsports and we’ve got great sponsorship support that allows us to be able to do some of those important things we need to do to get this done. We’re almost there.” He ended.
Dorer finished second for his second race in a row in his #10 Racecar Engineering / Chevrolet. After finishing in the runner-up spot in the Redbud 300 back on July 21st at Anderson (IN) Speedway, the driver originally from Coldwater, Michigan but now calls Lakeland, Florida home took the last race off at Lucas Oil Raceway on July 27th before returning to his home state for the race at Dixie. “We did all we could to get to Johnny (VanDoorn) we just didn’t have enough for him at the end.” The 42-year-old veteran offered.
Finishing in the final podium position in third would be the #51 Speed51.com / Chevrolet of Kasten as the Mequon, Wisconsin freshman also extended her points lead in the chase for the 2012 Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Year title. “We’re going to have to start racing people the way they race us. I’m apparently just being too nice out there.” Remarked the 22-year-old who nearly won this event a year ago before running out of gas on the white flag lap.
After leading the first 10 laps, Finley would post his career high finish in ARCA/CRA Super Series competition with a fourth place showing while Terry Fisher Jr., completed the top five. Inaugural Series Champion Kenny Tweedy posted a sixth place finish as 18-year-old Rookie Nate Caruth finished seventh over Kenzie Ruston while Canadian Jordan Sims and Robbie Johnson, who was making his ARCA/CRA Super Series debut, earned the Lane Automotive / ISKY Racing Cams Hard-Charger Award with his 17th to 10th place run.
VanDoorn started his clean sweep of the entire day by sitting on top of the charts in both Practice Sessions. Then in EDCO Welding Qualifying, he would collect his second Fast Qualifier Award of the season as he toured the East Michigan oval at a 15.216 which measures out to 94.637mph. VanDoorn was only 0.029 seconds off of the track record which was set by Brian Campbell back on August 19th, 2011 when Campbell turned in a 15.187. VanDoorn collected the $700 Team Construction Clean Sweep Award bonus for being the events Fast Qualifier and race winner. The award had not been claimed in the six previous series events.
The ARCA/CRA Super Series will now take a well deserved vacation before returning to action over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend on Sunday-Monday, September 2-3rd at the historic ½ (0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana as the series will headline the World Stock Car Festival with the running of the World Stock Car Festival 100.
Joining the ARCA/CRA Super Series for the traditional Labor Day Weekend of racing will be two more series’ within Champion Racing Association as the Top Speed Fabrication CRA Late Model Sportsman Series and CRA Street Stocks Series will also be racing. Also the Top Speed Fabrication Modifieds Tour and Vores Touring Compacts are on the card as well for two days of racing on the famed 1/2 mile.
For more information about the ARCA/CRA Super Series, click on the link provided: www.craracing.net and for more information about Winchester Speedway, go to the track website at: www.winchesterspeedway.com