Already 42 Entries to Date
(Salem, IN.) – A stout field of cars and drivers is already entered for this coming Saturday’s Mercy “Masters of the Pros” 144 event that will be held at Lebanon I-44 Speedway, located in Lebanon, Missouri. This will be the biggest event to date for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance with the winner taking home a series record $8000 plus a signature green jacket, similar to the one that is known for adorning the champion of golf’s Masters event, along with the coveted signature winner’s trophy from JEGS presented to each series event winner. This event will be the highest paying Pro Late Model event in the country during the 2013 race season.
The event, which has already attracted 42 entries to date, will feature some of the best late model drivers in the country along with the best from the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour and the best of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Models. There is a strong NASCAR flavor with this event with Hendricks Motorsports Development driver Chase Elliott entered, the son of NASCAR Legend Bill Elliott, who will also be on hand as the Grand Marshall of the event.
Chase has become one of the best known late model racers in the country with wins in many of the top late model events in the country such as the Snowball Derby, the Winchester 400, the World Crown and SpeedFest, and what makes those accomplishments even greater, is Chase is only 17 years old.
Elliott will compete in nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event is 2013, he finished sixth in his debut at Martinsville and followed that up with a fifth place finish at Rockingham. Elliott will also compete in five ARCA Racing Series events this season and in selected late model events when time allows.
Ross Kenseth, son of NASCAR Champion Matt Kenseth, is also entered in a Willard Motorsports car. Kenseth had a storied season in late models in 2012 with victories in the Red Bud 300, All American 400 and Winchester 400. Kenseth got his first win of the 2013 season last Saturday night at South Boston Speedway with the PASS South Series.
Georgia hot shoe Bubba Pollard, who has more wins than any late model driver in the country the past three years, is also entered, along with Speed 51’s 2012 Driver of the Year Daniel Hemric, the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion in dominate fashion with a series record eight victories. The North Carolina fan favorite, with his famous backflip after winning a race, has been competing in Southern Super Series events in 2013 with Carswell Motorsports. The South is also represented by 15 year old Georgia native Anderson Bowen, the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Rookie of the Year and event winner at the series season finally at Watermelon Capital Speedway. Bowen is competing full-time with the ARCA/CRA Super Series in 2013 along with selected starts in the ARCA Racing Series.
Chicagoland veteran Eddie Hoffman is entered with the potent TK Racing Team. Hoffman has won late model events all over the Mid-west and is a multi-time winner with CRA and the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour. Fellow Illinois driver Trent Snyder is also entered, Snyder has two JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour wins the past two seasons running a limited late model schedule. Another Illinois veteran racer, Joe Cooksey, is also entered, Cooksey competed for many seasons with the ARCA Racing Series.
2004 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion and former All American 400 winner Chuck Barnes Jr. is entered in a Kevin Grider Motorsports car. The Louisville, Kentucky native will be making his first ever JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour start.
Saturday’s event will be the 2013 points season opener for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour after the scheduled season opener on April 28th at Springport Speedway was postponed because of weather. Several series regulars are entered for Saturday’s event including Brent Downey, Josh Nelms, Chad Finley, Jerrod Foley, Thomas Woodin, Wes Griffith Jr., Jason Dietsch, Dan Leeck, Dave Gentile Jr. and Cody Coughlin, the series 2011 Rookie of the Year and Pro Late Model event winner during Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway. Landon Cling will begin his run to get the second straight series Championship for Scott Neal Motorsports on Saturday. Cling, a Tempe, Arizona native, was a Championship Contender and event winner with the PASS South Series in 2012.
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour has a very talented group of Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year Presented by Howe Racing candidates that are entered for Saturday’s event including Corey Dueser, a winner last year in the Lebanon I-44 Speedway O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Models. Other rookies who are entered include Jake Griffin, Kody Evans, Hunter Baize, Canadians Dominique Van Wieringen, Mark Jacobs and Jaxon Jacobs.
The Lebanon I-44 Speedway O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Models will be well represented in Saturday’s event lead by 2012 Points Champion Mike Slone. Also entered is Matt Wallace, the winner of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Models 2013 season opener last Saturday night. Wallace is the son of NASCAR veteran racer Mike Wallace. Also entered is Cole Williams, a part-time JEGS Tour competitor in 2012 and a feature winner at I-44 Speedway in 2012. Other local drivers entered include Tony Jackson Jr., Joe Ross, Brennon Willard, Brian Brown, Grant Sharp, Tucker Cory, Cole Rouse, Robert Baltzell, Austin Fullerton, Jimmy Vansandt and Terry Smith.
There will be an open practice on Friday, pits open at 2pm Central Time, practice will run from 4 to 8pm. Pits open on Saturday at 10am, practice will begin at 2:30pm, with qualifying at 5:30pm. There will be an on track autograph session at 6:15pm with all the racers. The race program will begin at 7pm and will include any last chance races and the Mercy “Masters of the Pros” 144 for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance. There will also be racing for the Lebanon I-44 Speedway NASCAR Modifieds and Baby Grand’s.
More information on Lebanon I-44 Speedway is available at the facility’s official website at www.i44speedway.net. More information on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance is available at www.cra-racing.com.b