Coopersville, Michigan Driver now waits until October for Potential $100,000 JEGS Bonus
Winchester, Indiana (Monday, September 2, 2013): The famed 1/2 (0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana served as hosts for a Labor Day Weekend Tradition; the World Stock Car Festival on Sunday-Monday, September 1-2nd as the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS headlined the holiday weekend with the running of the Winchester 100. This event was also the final tune-up at the historic high-banks before the 42nd running of the Winchester 400, the final jewel in the $100,000 JEGS Triple Crown Series on Friday-Sunday, October 11-13th.
Three-Time and Reigning ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, Johnny VanDoorn, the only driver eligible for the unprecedented $100,000 bonus from JEGS for winning all three legs of the Triple Crown, served notice to all incoming invaders that come October, the familiar #61 Port City Racecars / Ford will be the one to beat as the Coopersville, Michigan standout tuned up for the 400 by scoring his fourth ARCA/CRA Super Series triumph of the 2013 racing season. He took the lead from outside pole-sitter, Terry Fisher Jr., on lap eight and from there, fought off consistent charges from Current ARCA/CRA Super Series Points Leader, Travis Braden to secure the win.
“We came here and accomplished exactly what we set out to do, get seat time, learn some new things, and set the tone for October when the 400 gets here. That’s the goal and that’s what we are completely focused on with this car,” Explained VanDoorn who picked up his 17th career ARCA/CRA Super Series victory to move into a tie for third all-time in Career Wins with Canadian Legend, Junior Hanley. “Very happy to Win here. This is one of my favorite race tracks, but we want the Winchester 400. That’s the ultimate goal and would certainly be the highlight of my career.” He ended.
VanDoorn has already won the first two jewels within the $100,000 JEGS Triple Crown Series and is already guaranteed at least a $10,000 for winning at least two of the Triple Crown events. The 25-year-old took the checkered flag in the Inaugural Battle at Berlin 251 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan back on June 15th and the 40th running of the Redbud 300 back on July 20th at Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana. The 42nd running of the Winchester 400 is the final jewel in the mini-series within the ARCA/CRA Super Series.
The 19-year-old Braden extended his already healthy points lead in the chase for the 2013 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship as he applied pressure to VanDoorn for the last 56 laps before settling for the runner-up spot in his familiar #01 West Virginia University / Chevrolet. For his efforts, the Wheeling, West Virginia driver collected the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award as well as the FLUIDYNE Cool Under Pressure Award. Braden also has an outside chance at clinching the 2013 Championship with two races remaining with a strong run at the next ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Kil-Kare Speedway in Xenia, Ohio on Sunday, September 15th.
Veteran, Jeff Fultz, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and now calls Mooresville, North Carolina home finished in the third spot, which was an accomplishment in itself as earlier in the morning while welding on his #54 Red Bull Energy Drink / Chevrolet, he suffered from Flash Burn in his eyes. The 44-year-old decided late in the morning to go ahead and race despite the pain and he responded by picking up the final podium position in third.
2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Champion, Daniel Hemric, who now races with the Southern Super Series and making his first ARCA/CRA Super Series appearance of the 2013 season finished in fourth in his #98 Jack Link’s Beef Jerky / Ford as he was involved in an epic battle with Fultz for the third spot before the Kannapolis, North Carolina driver, one of several drivers looking to garner seat time in preparation for the upcoming Winchester 400, settled for fourth over Fisher Jr., who fell back to fifth in his #81 McGunegill Engine Performance / Chevrolet after the Ossian, Indiana driver led the first seven laps.
Veteran Eddie Van Meter scored a sixth place finish while another veteran, Rick Turner, who is currently second in the season long points chase finished seventh over another Southern Super Series regular, Donnie Wilson who was eighth. Colin Nickolai picked up a ninth place finish while 14-year-old Jake Griffin, in only his second career ARCA/CRA Super Series start, completed the top 10 and earned the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award as well as the Racing Electronics Hard-Charger Award and the Hedman Hedders Hussler Award for his 20th to 10th place run.
Fort Kent, Maine invader, Austin Theriault, one of several drivers getting seat time at the high-banks for the Winchester 400 in October, dropped out early after breaking a rear end, but would pick up the Hinchman Racing Uniforms Hard-Luck Award. 15-year-old Anderson Bowen, earned the Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Race Award for his 15th place finish after also experiencing rear end troubles, did collect his second career EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award of the season and of his career, with both coming at Winchester, with a 15.589 which equals out to an impressive 115.466mph.
Next up for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS will be the series’ first ever appearance, and 35th different facility all-time in the series’ 17-year history on a special Sunday afternoon, September 15th as the tricky layout of the 3/8s (0.375) mile semi-banked paved oval of Kil-Kare Speedway, located southeast of Dayton in Xenia, Ohio will host the premier tour within CRA for the first time ever with the running of the Buckminn’s D&D Harley-Davidson / Oakley Blacktop 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 Kil-Kare Speedway, the host facility for the 12th race of the 2013 season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, go to the track website at: www.kilkare.com
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.