Competitive Chase for 2014 ARCA/CRA Super Series Title Off to a Fast Start
Anderson, Indiana (Saturday, April 26, 2014): The second points race of the 2014 racing season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS was at the track that has hosted the most events in ARCA/CRA Super Series’ 18-year history; the fast 1/4 (0.250) mile high-banked paved oval of Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana on Saturday, April 26th. The Anderson Properties 125 Presented by Great Deals Savings Magazine marked the 55th all-time appearance at the Central Indiana speed plant. This race was also the only tune-up for the ARCA/CRA Super Series teams who will take part in the 41st running of the Redbud 300 on June 14th.
At the end of 125 laps around the tight 1/4 mile, T.J. Reaid continued his mastery of Anderson Speedway as the Acworth, Georgia driver in his #41 Mitch Smith Auto Service / Gann Aviation / Chevrolet took the lead away from Brett Robinson on lap 48 and would hold off constant challenges from Brian Campbell and Ross Kenseth to complete the clean sweep of the entire weekend. Reaid was the fastest car in practice, won his fifth consecutive Anderson Fast Qualifier Award and then went on to win his third consecutive ARCA/CRA Super Series / Anderson Spring race. Both the consecutive Fast Qualifier honors and the springtime triumphs date back to the 2012 season.
“We haven’t had a very good start to the season and to come up here and do so well is a real momentum builder for the rest of the year,” The 24-year-old happily said in victory lane after his fourth career ARCA/CRA Super Series victory. Three of those have come at Anderson with the other one at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville (TN) in 2010 during the tracks All-American 400 weekend. “We were really good the whole weekend. I wish every race was like today. We were just so strong all day and everyone on this team worked hard and we all got the job done. Man I’m happy.” He added.
After Reaid won the EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award, he drew a six for an inversion which places 2013 Runner-Up and Rookie of the Year, Ali Kern and Brett Robinson on the front row for the 125-lap main. Robinson would beat Kern to the first corner at the drop of the green flag to take the early lead as the rest of the field got settled in. Robinson would pull away early, but was quickly reeled in by current points leader, Brian Campbell who would drive around the outside of Robinson on lap 26 to take over the point.
The first of four cautions flew on lap 45 and on the restart; Robinson took advantage of a rare Campbell mistake and retook the lead to earn the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award. Campbell fell back to fourth as Reaid and Ross Kenseth were both also able to get by Campbell for second and third. Reaid immediately went to work on Robinson and on lap 48 would dive to the inside of the race leader coming out of turn four to take over the point. Robinson, who had a great run going, was able to hang onto second until lap 73 when Kenseth, Campbell and others were all able to get by.
As Kenseth tried to reel in the leader Reaid, the final caution flew on lap 96 setting up a classic dual between Reaid and Kenseth who earlier in the race had locked horns while battling within the top five. The two remained side by side for the first two laps after the green flag flew for the final time, but Reaid was able to edge out ahead and leave Kenseth and the rest of the field behind him. Campbell passed Kenseth for second with 17 laps to go, but ran out of time in trying to catch Reaid who kept enough real estate between himself and the ARCA/CRA Super Series points leader to hang on for the victory.
“I just love this place. We’ve been very good here every single time we’ve come up to race,” Reaid added. “I really want that Redbud 300 trophy in June though. That’s what we’re after and today was a good tune-up for that.” Reaid will head back to the Peach State with a plethora of contingency awards. In addition to his Team Construction Clean Sweep Award and EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award, he also will take back home the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap of the Race Award as well as sweeping both ends of the VanDoorn Racing Development Lap Leader Awards.
Earning valuable early season points in the chase for the 2014 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship, Brian Campbell picked up the runner-up spot after winning Border Wars I – 7-Up 150 at Toledo Speedway (OH) on April 12th. The Wyoming, Michigan driver, aboard his #47 Boyne Machine Company / Ford, led for a total of 20 laps and was never out of the top five the entire race earning the FLUIDYNE Cool Under Pressure Award. The 35-year-old also extended his early points lead to 10 markers over Ross Kenseth heading into the next event at Illiana Motor Speedway (IN) on Memorial DayMonday, May 26th for the second combination race with the ARCA Midwest Tour; Border Wars II – Calypso Lemonade 150.
Backing up his fourth place finish at Toledo Speedway (OH) on April 12th in the season opener, Ross Kenseth finished one spot higher in third in his #77 Boyne Machine Company / Ford. After qualifying second quick in EDCO Welding Qualifying, the Little Chute, Wisconsin driver started next to Reaid in the third row and had an adventurous early race battle with the eventual winner. The 20-year-old did get up to second behind Reaid with 50 laps to go and challenged him on the final restart with 29 laps to go, but couldn’t complete the pass and eventually lost the runner-up spot to Campbell. Kenseth would move up two positions from fourth to second in points with his second straight top four finish.
Canadian Brandon Watson earned the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Race Award with his career high fourth place showing in his #9 Shear Metal Products / Chevrolet. The Stayner, Ontario driver also took over the Rookie of the Year points lead in the process. 2013 Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stocks Series Champion, Dustin Burge made the most of his ARCA/CRA Super Series debut as the Anderson, Indiana native, in a second car for Scott Neal Racing, drove the #4 Motion Motors / Chevrolet to an impressive fifth place finish. Burge would earn both the C.V. Racing Products Hard-Charger Award as well as the first Hoosier Racing Tires Performance Award.
Robinson hung on to finish in the sixth position with veteran Rick Turner coming home in seventh. 17-year-old Rookie, Paul Shafer Jr., recorded a career high finish of eighth with fellow freshman Thomas Woodin grabbing the ninth spot, also a career high. Saint Aime Des Lacs, Quebec traveler, Eric St-Gelais recovered from going a lap down early in the event to post a 10th place finish in his ARCA/CRA Super Series debut. He would earn the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award for his efforts.
Earlier in the afternoon in EDCO Welding Qualifying, Reaid won his fifth straight Anderson Speedway Fast Qualifier Award dating back to April 15th, 2012 as he turned in a 12.028. The ARCA/CRA Super Series Track Record at Anderson is held by 2005 series champion, Jeff Lane who toured the 1/4 mile at an 11.922 which equals out to 75.491mph.
The second and final combination race of the 2014 season pitting the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS teams against the cars and stars of the ARCA Midwest Tour Presented by SCAG Power Equipment is next on the 2014 schedule. The Calypso Lemonade / Border Wars II 150 is set for Memorial Day Monday, May 26th at the 1/2 (0.500) mile semi-banked paved oval of Illiana Motor Speedway, located southeast of Chicago, Illinois and east of the Illinois / Indiana state line in Schererville, Indiana. There is also a practice day scheduled for the day before on Sunday, May 25th.
This will be the ARCA/CRA Super Series’ seventh all-time appearance and first since June 21, 2008 when Boris Jurkovic went to victory lane after winning the 7th annual Elmer Musgrave Memorial that season. Eddie Hoffman leads all drivers with two career CRA wins at Illiana while Jurkovic, three-time series champion, Scott Hantz, 2007 ARCA Midwest Tour Champion, Nathan Haseleu and Chicagoland legend, Dave Weltmeyer all have single victories.
The ARCA Midwest Tour will serve as the hosts of Border Wars II and has visited the Chicagoland speed plant on three occasions. The last ARCA Midwest Tour event there occurred on June 18, 2011 when Ross Kenseth scored the win in 10th annual Elmer Musgrave Memorial. Jacob Goede and two-time series champion, Steve Carlson also have single triumphs.
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 along with all of CRA’s touring series’ on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/
Finally for more information about Illiana Motor Speedway, the host facility for the third point’s race within the 18th season of ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS racing as well as the second and final combination race of the year with the ARCA Midwest Tour Presented by SCAG Power Equipment, go to the track website at: www.illianaspeedway.com
Founded by John and Mildred Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in four professional touring series and local weekly events including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards as well as the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the ARCA Midwest Tour and the ARCA Trucks Series. In addition weekly racing is held at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.