News Archive
2005-2007
2007 Season News
Lawler Wins 36th Annual Winchester 400
Winchester, IN (October 15, 2007) – Colleyville, Texas native Ryan Lawler put his name in the record books by winning the CRA Super Series sanctioned 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade on the famous High Banks of Winchester Speedway this past Sunday afternoon. Lawler got to start the event from the pole after setting a new track record in qualifying, leading a strong group of 40 late models qualifying for the event. Brian Scott got the jump on Lawler at the drop of the green flag leading most of the laps with NASCAR Nextel Cup driver David Stremme until Lawler assumed the lead on lap 311 when the leaders pitted. Lawler had made his final pit stop earlier in the event and had saved his car for the end as no one had anything for the young Texan who cruised to his biggest ever victory.
"This is the awesome, especially with all the history of the Winchester 400, I got to sign the big checkered flag that all the winners hear sign, next year my name will be on the event t-shirt. This is my favorite track, even after I wrecked the last time I was here I really liked this track." Lawler commented. "My crew chief, Robert Hamke was the crew chief for 1998's winner Derrick Gilchrist, and that is pretty cool."
Lawler collected $12,000 for the win, plus another $3,600 bonus for winning the event as a non-regular series competitor. In addition Lawler collected over $2500 in additional monies in event lap leader and series award bonuses.
Stremme and fellow Cup driver Kyle Busch flew to Indiana from Charlotte, North Carolina Sunday morning after competing in Saturday nights NASCAR Nextel Cup event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, were Busch finished third and Stremme ninth, to compete in the Winchester 400. Stremme and Busch started 35th and 36th in the event as promoter’s options after missing Saturday’s qualifying. Busch’s day ended on lap 85 after a broken wheel sheared off the wheel studs on the right rear of his #51 late model. It was Busch’s third time running in the Winchester 400.
Stremme lead laps 165 through 215, and then lead again from lap 277 until lap 310, giving the lead to Lawler after making a pit stop. Stremme would hang on to finish third, the last car on the lead lap, even after his car’s handling went away when his left rear wheel started coming loose after losing three lug nuts while charging from the rear of the lead laps cars after pitting. The South bend, Indiana native is a long time friend of Winchester Speedway owner Charlie Shaw, who helped Stremme in his early days of late model racing.
CRA Super Series Rookie Of The Year John VanDoorn pursued Lawler through out the last 80 laps but could never challenge for the lead. The 19 year olds car became very loose after some right side contact with the turn two retaining wall. CRA Super Series veteran Rick Turner finished in fourth place one lap down with series regular Terry Fisher Jr. in fifth place, two laps down. Tommy St. John was sixth, Dennis Schoenfeld was seventh, Jeff Fultz was eighth, Jim Crabtree Jr. was ninth and Andy Hanson tenth.
Chris Gabehart claimed the 2007 CRA Super Series Championship for owner Jim Winters and his Hendricks County Motorsports team by taking the opening green flag of the Winchester 400. Gabehart stayed in contention through out the event until a broken right front hub would end his day on lap 371. Early leader Brian Scott looked to have the car to beat, but he made contact with 2007 Winchester 400 winner Scott Hantz while trying to pass Hantz on his way through the field after pitting, his car and Hantz’s made heavy contact with the inside retaining wall ending both driver’s day.
In Saturday night’s Run For The Gun for the American Modified and the USA Modified Series, veteran Ohio racer Dave Stacy came away with the victory after charging to the front to get an early lead. Stacy would hold off Brad Springer to get the win and the mounted Winchester Rifle Trophy. Scotty Tomasik finished in third, Scott Coe in fourth and Ross Klingelhof in fifth.
Six cars were eliminated in a huge lap six pile-up including Modoc native Don Skaggs. Multi-time Winchester feature winner Mike Stacy, brother of winner Dave Stacy, went to the pits on lap seven with a blown motor. Huntsville, Alabama native Jeff Letson won the 15 lap Last Chance race. Veteran New Castle, Indiana racer Harold Scott was the Fast Qualifier out of 31 cars that took times.
Bob Varney was victorious in Saturday nights US PRO Series Sneak Peak 50. Varney took the lead at the drop of the green flag and led all 50 caution free laps to claim his first ever victory at Winchester Speedway. Varney’s early competition Tommy Cook and Michael Gaier both fell out of the event. Gaier on lap 27 and Cook on lap 34. Wes Griffith Jr. would finish in second, Al Cook Jr. in third, Kevin Todd in fourth and Royce Mason II in fifth.
In Saturday night’s final event it was CRA Street Stock rookie competitor Jacob Owen getting his first ever series points event victory by winning the Moser Engineering 50, the Season Championship event for the CRA Street Stocks. Owens took full advantage of his outside row one starting position to claim the lead at the drop of the green flag. Owens would hold off veteran Indiana racer Steve Blair to get the victory. Owens won a series non-points event at Winchester Speedway in May.
Carl Muffley would finish in third, with Joe Beaver in fourth, claiming the series Drivers Championship over Rich Boyer who came into the event leading the Drivers Points, but his night ended on lap 14 after his car was forced to the pits smoking heavily. Beaver was the 2006 Drivers Points Champion as well. Jeff Perry would finish in fifth place. Boyer was the Fast Qualifier out of the 26 cars that took times. The #21 car owned by Steve Davis had already clinched the Owners Points Championship prior to Saturday night’s event. Calvin Parham was running in the top five in the #21 when his night ended on lap 21 with mechanical problems.
In Friday night action the Howe CRA Sportsman had their 50-lap Season Championship event. Flagged winner Bobby Blount, who took the lead on lap 25 from Rick Tackman, was disqualified after failing post race inspection, giving the win to second place finisher Charlie Hanna who had challenged Blount for the lead for several laps before losing his power steering late in the event. Hanna, who was the series Rookie Of The Year, was happy just to finish the race in one piece after nearly crashing when the power steering went away.
Rick Tackman would get a second place finish, Rick Rinehart was third, Bobby Stremme was fourth with Tim Greene in fifth place. The event was marred by a huge lap six wreck that damaged several racecars including series points leader Billy Hutson, who lost his lead at one point in the event to Rick Rinehart who got as high as second before he was forced to pit with a flat tire. With the help of several people, Hutson got his car back on the track to gain enough positions to win the 2007 Howe CRA Sportsman Championship over Rinehart.
The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts also had their Season Championship event Friday night. Point’s leader Greg De St. Jean charged from his ninth place starting position to grab the lead on lap three and never looked back in claiming the victory and the 2007 series Championship.
“I want to thank the sponsors, Winchester Speedway and Baer Field, the CRA and most of all my wife. I wanted to run just a few races, but she said no, if you are going to race, run them all," remarked a jubilant De St. Jean in Victory Circle. "Everybody raced clean all year it was great, I love these high banks compared to the short tracks this is an amazing place, I love it.”
Richard Isabell finished in second, Randy Owens was third, Tim Dilq was fourth, and Matt Hall was fifth.
Veteran Indiana stock car racer Carl Muffley won the CRA Street Stocks MAX Rocks New Star 25, a non-points event for any series driver who had never won a CRA Street Stock feature points event. Eric Evans grab the early lead from his third place starting position and led the first 10 laps before being black flagged and placed at the tail of the field for breaking out on his lap times, which going a lot faster that his qualifying time or what is commonly referred to as sandbagging to get a better starting position. Muffley took over the lead on lap 11 and held off a hard-charging Steve Blair to get the win. Jacob Owens finished third, Phil Evans fourth and Johnny Magee in fifth.
The 2007 racing season at Winchester Speedway has come to an end, owner Charlie Shaw and everyone at Champion Racing Association would like to thank all the sponsors, fans, racers and track workers for their support and help during a great 2007 season. Keep checking back on the track’s web site for announcements on the 2008 season that is currently being planned. Go to www.winchesterspeedway.com for additional information.
Salem, IN October 9, 2007) – Champion Racing Association has announced that Moser Engineering will be the sponsor of the CRA Street Stocks 50 lap Season Championship race this Saturday night at Winchester Speedway as part of the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade. The Moser Engineering 50 will be the final event of the 2007 season, closing out the third season for the CRA Street Stock Series.
The #21 Steve Davis owned team have already clinched the CRA Street Stocks 2007 Owners Points Championship with a 92 point lead over the #78 Jacob Owens owned team. Calvin Parham and Steve Christman have both drove the #21 for owner Steve Davis during the 2007 season. Christman got victories in both series events at Baer Field Speedway. Parham drove the rest of the events during the season including victories at Winchester Speedway on Labor Day and in the Budweiser 150 at Anderson Speedway in August. Jacob Owens has raced his car at each event except the last series race at ORP were Steve Blair drove a #78 Owens owned car.
The CRA Street Stocks 2007 Driver Points Championship is far from decided yet. Rich Boyer holds a mere three point lead over 2006 series Champion Joe Beaver heading into Saturday nights event. There is also a close battle for series Rookie Of The Year also, with leading series rookie Phil Evans in third place in driver points with 860 points, while fellow rookie Larry Matillo is only 11 points behind in fourth place in driver points. Rookie Jacob Owens is not out of the rookie battle yet, he is in fifth place in driver points with 827 points. Rookie Winston Wood is in sixth place with 800 points, followed by Bobby Murany in seventh with 761 points, John Weisenauer in eighth with 727 points, Shawn Bonar in ninth with 711 points and Beau Mitchell in tenth with 709 points.
Mitchell started the 2007 season very slow after getting five straight wins with the series at Winchester Speedway in 2006. Mitchell has now won the last two series events, the MAX Rocks 200 on September 16th at Winchester Speedway and the 40-lap event at ORP on September 22nd.
Moser Engineering, founded in 1982, manufactures aftermarket performance rear end components for various racing applications. Located in the ‘Heartlands of America’ in the modest town of Portland, Indiana, the company prides itself in its’ ability to supply quality American-made products, at an affordable price, with an industry-leading two-day turnaround. Moser Engineering is in business to supply the highest quality American-made products, at an affordable price. The combination of precision workmanship, know-how, price, and prompt turnaround are qualities that make Moser Engineering the leader in aftermarket rear end components. More information on Moser Engineering is available at www.moserengineering.com.
Pit gates open on Saturday at 8am, with Practice beginning at 10:30am. Qualifying will begin at 3:15pm, the Saturday night race program will begin at 5pm and will include the Moser Engineering 50 for the CRA Street Stocks. More information on the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade, including purchasing advanced tickets, is available at www.winchesterspeedway.com.
Salem, IN (October 8, 2007) – All Chris Gabehart has to do is take the opening green flag in this Sunday’s 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade to claim the 2007 CRA Super Series Championship for himself and car owner Jim Winters in what has been a true Championship Season for the young hard working Purdue Engineer, who is not only the teams driver but also his own Crew Chief. Gabehart and his Hendricks County Motorsports team have had one of the best season’s a series Champion has ever had, not the most wins, but by far the most consistent season on record.
Gabehart took over the series points lead after the second event of the season at Winchester Speedway, a lead he never gave up. In 12 series point’s events to date, Gabehart has no DNF’s. He has finished in the top ten in all 12 events. Of those 12 events, nine were top five finishes including the first six races of the season. His worst finish was ninth in the Anderson 250 after running out of fuel late in the event. Gabehart is the only driver with more than one win during the 2007 season. His first win was a dominating performance at Toledo Speedway with a brand new car just finished the night before. He also got a win at Anderson Speedway in June and the big win in The 100 at the Circle Track Nationals, an event he co-promoted with his car owner, at O’Reilly Raceway Park on September 22nd.
Gabehart’s great season is also reflected in his qualifying results through out the 2007 season, showing he was not only a good driver but also good crew chief giving his car the set-up to be fast on the short run to earn valuable qualifying points, but to also be competitive through out each race. Gabehart earned qualifying points, which are earned by being in the top five qualifiers, at 10 of the 12 events to date. He was the Appleton Rack & Pinion Fast Qualifier a season leading four times, at a variety of tracks including Toledo Speedway, Angola Motor Speedway, Illiana Motor Speedway and set the new track record at Columbus Motor Speedway.
This will be the first CRA Super Series Championship for Gabehart, but it will be the second series Championship for the Hendricks County Motorsports team and owner Jim Winters, who won the series 1998 Championship with driver Brian Rievley. Last season the team finished in 7th place in owner’s points in a car driven by Gabehart and Sondi Eden, Gabehart finished in 9th place in drivers points, after missing a couple of races in the middle of the season. The team finished 5th in series points in 2005 and finished 5th in 2004 with Gabehart earning Rookie Of The Year honors over Steve Moenck.
After a couple of seasons open wheel racing in USAC Midgets and Sprint Cars, Gabehart first competed with the CRA Super Series in selected events during the 2003 season including that season’s Winchester 400 were he was in a team car with Kyle Busch. Gabehart qualified 5th fastest for that event, while Busch was second fastest. Unfortunately both drivers had their day end early after being involved in accidents, but Gabehart showed he had the talent to compete with the best in the CRA Super Series.
Gabehart put on a memorable performance in last season’s Winchester 400, patiently working his way to the front from his third place qualifying position to take the lead on lap 321. Gabehart battled North Carolina driver Clay Jones, who was racing on seven cylinders, for several laps for the lead racing side by side with the entire grandstand on its feet as the laps started to wind down when sudden contact between the two cars resulted in both cars crashing hard into the back stretch wall ending both drivers day on lap 380. Scott Hantz would go on to get the victory after being a lap down to Gabehart and Jones prior to the lap 380 accident.
Gabehart hopes to end his 2007 CRA Super Series point’s season like the last two CRA Super Series Champions that ended their seasons with the Winchester 400. Bobby Parsley claimed the 2003 series Championship by winning the Winchester 400. Last season the Winchester 400 was brought back after not having that event in 2004 and 2005. Scott Hantz claimed the 2006 CRA Super Series Championship with his win in the Winchester 400 last season. Gabehart will have to battle not only the best drivers in the series but some of the best late model drivers from around the country who have entered and NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers Kyle Busch and David Stremme.
Gabehart does have added incentive to win the Winchester 400, The 100 victory at ORP was the first event in the CRA Super Series Triple Crown. The second event is this Sunday’s Winchester 400, the third event will be the Adam Petty Memorial All American 400 at the Music City Motorplex at the Fairgrounds in Nashville on November 4th. If a driver can win all three events he will receive a $50,000 bonus. If a driver only wins two of the events he will receive a $10,000 bonus. If a different driver wins all three events, the driver getting the best overall finishes in the three events will earn a $5000 bonus plus an entry and a set of tires for the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway. Winning the Triple Crown would be the ultimate way to end a true championship season!
More information on this Sunday’s 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade, including purchasing advanced tickets, is available at
www.winchesterspeedway.com
Winchester, IN (October 4, 2007) – CRA / Winchester Speedway officials have announced that Culy Construction has agreed to be the title sponsor again of the Howe CRA Sportsman Season Championship event on Friday, October 12th of the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade. The Culy Construction 50 will be the final event in the exciting second season of the Howe CRA Sportsman series.
New Haven, Indiana native Billy Hutson comes into the season championship event with 42-point lead over second place Rick Rinehart. Rinehart has a 52-point lead over leading rookie contender Charlie Hanna in third place. Rookie Tim Greene is in fourth place 90 points behind Hanna, Rookie Gabe Cerny, who picked up his first series win in the series last event at the Circle Track Nationals at ORP, is in fifth place only nine points behind Greene. Hutson, Rinehart and Hanna have all gone to victory lane in a series event at Winchester Speedway this season.
The Wisconsin Cowboy Rick Tackman Jr. is in sixth place. The Chad Gaskill owned #20 is in seventh place with four different drivers so far in 2007 including Chad, Steve Blair, Jeff Ellis and Rick Pfiefer. Rookie Eric Barkus is in eighth, Bob Dumke is ninth and rookie David Fretz rounds out the top ten in series points.
Culy Construction & Excavating Company, located in Winchester, Indiana, began as a one-man operation in 1978 and has grown to include 40 employees specializing in work on water mains, inserta valves, line stops, live taps and vacuum excavation with customers in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky. Their customers include government agencies, municipalities, developers, industrial and residential groups. Although Culy Construction provides a wide range of services and operations, and is involved in fieldwork on a daily basis, they are always available to meet and talk with their customers. They have developed special areas of expertise, and have concentrated on those areas. Culy Construction believes that quality, production, and safety equal efficiency, and that is the motto and goal of their work. More information on Culy Construction is available at www.culyconstruction.com or by calling 765-584-0018.
Winchester, Indiana resident and Culy Construction employee Kevin Cook is a part-time competitor with the Howe CRA Sportsman Series. Cook is currently 25th in series points, and is expected to compete in the Culy Construction 50.
Go to www.winchesterspeedway.com to purchase advanced tickets for the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade featuring NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers David Stremme and Kyle Busch or for more information on the weekend including a detailed schedule of events as well as ticket and pit pass pricing.
Winchester, IN (October 1, 2007) – The CRA Street Stocks will have a special non-points event on Friday, October 12th of the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade. The event will be a 25 lap “New Star” non-points race open only to drivers that have never won a CRA Street Stock point’s event. Previous race winners and their cars will not be eligible for that event. The event will pay $300 to win down to $50 to start.
There will be an open practice on Friday, October 12th for all divisions racing during the Winchester 400 weekend. If there are at least six former CRA Street Stock feature winners present on Friday, there will be a special 10-lap Dash for Cash for those cars on that Friday night. Participants will draw for their starting positions in that event which will pay the top three finishers, $200 to win, $100 for second and $50 for third. The CRA Street Stocks will have their final points event of the season on Saturday evening, October 13th.
Pits will open on that Friday at 11am, Open Practice will go from 2 to 6pm. Qualifying for Friday night’s racing will begin at 6pm with the race program starting at 7pm. Friday nights racing action will also include the Season Championship events for the Howe CRA Sportsman Series and the Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts. For more information on the CRA Street Stocks go to www.craracing.net
For more information of the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade and to purchase advance tickets, go to www.winchesterspeedway.com.
Salem, IN (February 19, 2007) –Circle Racing Wheels, the Official Racing Wheel of the CRA Super Series for entire 2007 race season, will be the Official Racing Wheel of the upcoming 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By The Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade on Sunday, October 14th on the famous High Banks of Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana.
Circle Racing Wheels will award a complete set of Circle Racing Wheels by random draw of all the competitors making up the starting field of the prestigious 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By The Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade. In that event NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers David Stremme and Kyle Busch will compete against the best late model drivers from the CRA Super Series and from all over the country for the right to join the exclusive list of winners of the Winchester 400, a list that includes seven time winner Bob Senneker, three time winner Mike Cope, two time winners Mike Eddy, Mark Martin, Butch Miller, as well as Rusty Wallace, Ted Musgrave, Tim Steele, Gary St. Amant, as well as the CRA winners of the event Brian Ross, Bobby Parsley, and last years winner and CRA Super Series Champion Scott Hantz.
“We greatly appreciate the support that Circle Racing Wheels has given our series the entire 2007 season,” remarked Glenn Luckett, Director of the CRA Super Series. “It’s also great to have additional support from Circle Racing Wheels for the 36th Annual Winchester 400, one of the biggest late model events in the country. Their company has a great product that can benefit all our series racers. We ask for all our racers to support Circle Racing Wheels for supporting them!”
Since the beginning of 2006, Circle Racing Wheels has been doing business under new ownership—as a division of Wheel Vintiques Inc., located in Fresno, California. More information is available on Circle Racing Wheels at www.circleracing.com, or they can be contacted by phone at 559-251-1127.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Drivers David Stemme And Kyle Busch To Test Monday
Winchester, IN (September 27, 2007) – NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers David Stremme and Kyle Busch will be testing their CRA Super Series late model racecars at Winchester Speedway this Monday to prepare for the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade on Sunday, October 14th on the famous High Banks of historic Winchester Speedway. The test session is scheduled from 9am until 5pm with the teams having intermittent sessions on the track during that time. The grandstands will be open at no charge for fans to come watch the test session on Monday, fans can get a first hand look at the two NASCAR stars as they prepare to battle the best late model drivers in the country for the right to be known as a winner of the prestigious Winchester 400.
Stremme and Busch will be traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday morning October 14th after competing in the Bank of America 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday night, October 13th. Both Busch and Stremme will get some limited practice laps that Sunday at Winchester Speedway, but since they will miss qualifying for the event on that Saturday, they will have to start the event as Promoters Options on the tail of the field.
To date there are already 35 cars pre-entered for the 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade, lead by Stremme and Busch. Some of the top late model drivers entered from around the country include North Carolina natives Jeff Fultz, a winner of the Labor Day Weekend CRA Super Series event at Winchester, and Dennis Schoenfeld who finished third in that same event and Brian Scott, who just announced he will compete full-time in 2008 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Alabama’s Augie Grill, who finished second in the 400 last year and Stanley Smith, Florida ‘s Justin Drawdy and Jay Middleton, Wisconsin’s Robert Maynor and Josh Bauer, and Minnesota’s Andy Hanson.
CRA Super Series point’s leader Chris Gabehart leads a strong group of CRA regulars already entered including Rookie Of The Year John VanDoorn, 2006 series Champion and Winchester 400 winner Scott Hantz, Jeff Lane, Rick Turner, Jack Smith, Jason Shively, Sean Matthuis, Jason Dietsch and Donald Karr Jr. Local veterans with lots of Winchester experience entered include Bull Baker, a three time series winner at Winchester, Brian Rievley a former series Champion and winner on the High Banks, Jim Crabtree Jr., Chet Blanton, and Scott Whitehouse. Track record holder Danny Jackson, who sat on the pole in last years 400 is entered along with Michigan’s Johnny Belott III, who came from 26th to finish sixth on Labor Day Weekend.
The 36th Annual Winchester 400 will pay the winner $12,000, plus another possible $10,000 will be available in lap leader bonus money. There will also be a $3,600 bonus available to any former Winchester 400 winner or non CRA Super Series regular if they can win the 36th Annual Winchester 400. The 36th Annual Winchester 400 is the second leg of the $50,000 to win Triple Crown that started at last Saturday’s Circle Track Nationals “The 100 at O’Reilly Raceway Park were Chris Gabehart picked up the $10,000 victory. Entry forms for the Winchester 400 and additional series information is available at www.craracing.net or contact the CRA office at 812-883-0455.
The 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 12th, 13th and 14th with racing action from the Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts, CRA Street Stocks, Howe CRA Sportsman, US PRO Cup Series, The Run For The Gun Shootout between the American Modified and the USA Modified Series in addition to the 36th Annual Winchester 400. For additional information and to purchase advance tickets go to www.winchesterspeedway.com
NASCAR Nextel Cup Star Kyle Busch to Compete in 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade
Winchester, IN (September 17, 2007) – Winchester Speedway and Champion Racing Association, in conjunction with Kyle Busch Motorsports, announced today that NASCAR Nextel Cup star Kyle Busch will be competing in the CRA Super Series sanctioned 36th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade on Sunday, October 14th on the famous High Banks of historic Winchester Speedway located in Winchester, Indiana. Busch will join fellow NASCAR Nextel Cup competitor David Stremme along with the best late model drivers in the country competing for a possible $25,000 payoff in one of the most prestigious short track events in the country.
"I’m really looking forward to coming to race on the High Banks of Winchester Speedway again in this years Winchester 400,” remarked Busch. “Winchester Speedway is one of my favorite tracks to race on, it’s fast and it’s a blast, especially in a late model. The track has so much history, and so many great drivers have raced there, it’s just a neat place to race.”
Busch will be traveling with David Stremme from Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday morning October 14th after competing in the Bank of America 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday night, October 13th. Both Busch and Stremme will get some limited practice laps that Sunday at Winchester Speedway, but since they will miss qualifying for the event on that Saturday, they will have to start the event as Promoters Options on the tail of the field.
“David and I will be flying in that morning with our Cup pit crews and a bunch of friends who want to come watch the race. It should be pretty exciting to watch, especially with both of us coming from the back, but it’s 400 laps so we have plenty of time to get there. We are both coming not only to race but to win, and with Ritchie Waters preparing my car, it will be ready to compete for the win.”
This will be the third CRA Super Series event that Busch has competed in at Winchester Speedway. In 2002 Busch competed in the Car Brite 200 on the Saturday night prior to the ASA Racing Series Winchester 400 in a Hendricks County Motorsports prepared car owned by current series Owner-Points leader Jim Winters with driver Chris Gabehart. A broken wheel early in the event put Busch down four laps. Busch was able to make up three of those laps and managed a ninth place finish, the first car one lap down.
In 2003 Busch returned to Winchester to compete in the CRA Super Series sanctioned Car Brite Winchester 400, again driving for Winters. Busch’s day ended on lap 130 from damage in an accident.
“I could use a little better luck this time, but that’s just part of racing. This is how I have fun, even with all the racing I have to do on that weekend!”
Busch is currently 4th in NASCAR Nextel Cup points after a 4th place finish in this past Sunday’s first Chase event at New Hampshire International Speedway. Busch has a total of four career wins in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series including a win on March 25 of this year in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Busch has a total of nine wins in the NASCAR Busch Series, two of those have come this season when he won the Winn-Dixie 250 on July 7th at Daytona International Speedway and the Emerson Radio 250 on September 7th at Richmond International Speedway. Busch recently sign a contract to join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008 were he will be teammates with Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin.
The 36th Annual Winchester 400 will pay the winner $12,000, plus another possible $10,000 will be available in lap leader bonus money. There will also be a $3,600 bonus available to any former Winchester 400 winner or non CRA Super Series regular if they can win the 36th Annual Winchester 400. The 36th Annual Winchester 400 is the second leg of the $50,000 to win Triple Crown that will start with this Saturday’s Circle Track Nationals “The 100”, a $10,000 to win CRA Super Series event at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Entry forms for the Winchester 400 and additional series information is available at www.craracing.net or contact the CRA office at 812-883-0455.
The 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 12th, 13th and 14th with racing action from the Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts, CRA Street Stocks, Howe CRA Sportsman, US PRO Series, The Run For The Gun Shootout between the American Modified and the USA Modified Series in addition to the 36th Annual Winchester 400. For additional information and to purchase advance tickets go to www.winchesterspeedway.com
Beau Mitchell Returns to Victory Lane In The MAX Rocks 200
Winchester, IN (September 17, 2007) - In 2006, Owensboro, Kentucky native Beau Mitchell dominated the CRA Street Stocks at Winchester Speedway, winning five races in a row including the 2006 MAX Rocks 200. This season, bad luck has plagued him at Winchester and had kept him out of victory lane. Mitchell started near the tail of the of Sunday’s MAX Rocks 200 at Winchester Speedway, patiently moving through traffic leading a little early, then taking the lead on the 103rd lap and staying there to get the win and the $5000 first place money.
"We got into a couple of pinches early, but it all went right and we missed the spins. Then we short pitted so we would be ahead when everyone else pitted later and it all worked." A jubilant Mitchell said from Victory Lane.
Mitchell was able to hold off fellow Owensboro native Brett Hudson who raced in the lead pack through out the event. Mitchell made a late bump and run on Calvin Parham to move into second, but could never get a run on Mitchell and had to settle for second in his first ever race on the High Banks of Winchester Speedway.
Veteran Salem Speedway race Chuck Barnes Sr. made a late pass also on Parham to get third. Barnes Sr.’s car made slight contact with the wall in an incident early in the event, which seemed to slow the car some for the remainder of the event. Parham would finish in fourth in the #21 Steve Davis owned machine to keep Davis’s car in the CRA Street Stock Championship points lead with only two events remaining in the 2007 season.
Chuck Cook fought a hard battle over the last part of the event with Brian Hopkins to finish in fifth place. Hopkins would finish in sixth with Carl Muffley in seventh, Johnny Magee in eighth and Tom Gossar in ninth, the last car to complete all 200 laps. Brian Bayer finished in tenth, one lap down.
The MAX Rocks 200 was another exciting event that saw 49 CRA Street Stocks take the green flag and battle through out the race with exciting racing action from the front to the back, showcasing the great talent that the drivers in this series possess.
In the Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts Winchester 75 Farmland, Indiana native Brian Redmond started near the tail, pitted once and restarted on the tail, was placed at the rear following a caution at lap 69 and still came back to get the win and the $1500 first place prize.
"This was our Daytona 500, the biggest race of the year. I'm not up there in the points due to a couple DNF's early in the season, so I really wanted to win this race, " a very happy Redmond stated. “I want to thank my sponsor Vore’s Welding & Steel, this win goes out to all the safety workers here at Winchester Speedway.”
Redmon, a safety worker at Winchester Speedway himself when not racing, had pulled to the rear bumper of first place running Matt Norm when the two-made contact going into turn one resulting in Norm slamming the turn one wall hard, ending his day after leading several laps.
“I want to apologize to Norm for the contact,” remarked Redmon. “I had a great run, I don’t know if something happened to his car or if he just checked up, but he slowed suddenly and I couldn’t stop and ran into the back of him.”
Redmon was placed at the rear of the lead cars for the restart with only five laps left in the event. Redmon charged to the front to regain the lead and get the victory. Kevin Claborn racing at Winchester for the first time this year, finished second, Bill Leisure third, series point leader Greg De St. Jean fourth and Justin Kelley fifth.
The next event at Winchester Speedway will be the season ending 36th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 12th, 13th and 14th with racing action from the Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts, CRA Street Stocks, Howe CRA Sportsman, US PRO Series, The Run For The Gun Shootout between the American Modifieds and the USA Modifieds and the CRA Super Series in the Winchester 400 with NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers David Stremme and Kyle Busch. For additional information and to purchase advance tickets go to www.winchesterspeedway.com.
Winchester, IN (September 12, 2007) – The CRA Street Stocks are ready to hit the High Banks of Winchester Speedway in this Sunday’s $5000 to win MAX Rocks 200. This will be the biggest event of the season for the CRA Street Stocks as their 2007 winds down with only three events left to run. This is a special points event, the lowest any team that shows up will get will be 80 points, additional points can be earned for teams finishing in ninth place or better.
In last seasons MAX Rocks 200 Owensboro, Kentucky native Beau Mitchell waged a 200-lap war with Sellersburg, Indiana native John Collins. The two battled from beginning until the end, staying close to each other avoiding several accidents and dicing through tough lapped traffic The two drivers were never separated by much during the entire 200 laps including the finish were Mitchell was able to hold off Collins to get the win but by only .153 of a second.
Collins took the lead at the start of the event, taking full advantage of his drawn pole starting position and led the first 59 laps. Mitchell passed Collins in lap traffic on lap 60 and lead until lap 80 when Collins got back around. Collins then led until lap 125 when the leaders pitted under caution. Mitchell beat out both Collins and Chuck Cook, but Tim McLaughlin, who had not pitted at that time, had taken over the lead under yellow. McLaughlin’s lead was short lived as he crashed into the turn one wall on the next restart taking second place running Joe Beaver with him, this handed the lead back to Mitchell. Mitchell led for six laps only to have Collins pass for the lead on lap 139, but Mitchell came right back and got the lead on lap 142 for good.
Greensboro, Indiana native Chuck Cook stayed in the lead back through out the event, never getting to lead, but running second and third through out the event. Cook would finish in third only a half second back of Mitchell and Collins. Veteran driver Steve Christman finished in fourth, the last car to complete all 200 laps. Chuck Barnes finished in fifth, Brian Hopkins was sixth, Bret Miles Jr. in seventh, Bubba Trinkle was eighth, Steve Rapier Jr. in ninth and Dennis Moser was tenth.
Steve Davis’s #21 Team is the current owner point’s leader coming into Sunday’s event, that team has visited victory lane four times so far this season. Calvin Parham has two of those victories including the last CRA Street Stock event which was at Winchester Speedway on Labor Day were Parham made a miraculous save after contact with a lap car. Parham also got a victory earlier this season at Anderson Speedway. Steve Christman got the other two victories for Davis this season, both of those came at Baer Field Speedway in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Christman’s hometown. Parham is entered to drive the #21 in Sunday’s event.
Rookie competitor Jacob Owens comes in to Sunday’s event second in owner points, 55 points behind the #21, but holds a one point leader over Joe Beaver in the driver’s points, Beaver is third in owner points. Rich Boyer is only seven points behind Beaver and is fourth in owner points. Rookie Phil Evans is in fifth place, with fellow rookie Larry Matillo in sixth place, John Weisenauer is seventh, 16 year old rookie Winston wood is eighth, Shawn Bonar is ninth with Pat O’Connor in tenth.
Last year’s winner Beau Mitchell and the 2005 winner of this event, CRA Super Series competitor Jeff Lane are both entered for Sunday’s event. The entire top ten in points is expected to compete. There are several drivers entered who have won 200 lap street stock events at Salem Speedway including Chuck Barnes Sr., Todd Kempf, David Bayens, and veteran Joe Williamson. Veteran Ohio late model driver Scott Baker is entered in the Frank Oriti owned car.
The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts will also be in action with their next to last event of the season. Which will be a 75 lap $1500 to win event. A.J. Ridner and 13-year-old Matt Norm got their first Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compact victories at Winchester Speedway over Labor Day Weekend. With the win, Norm becomes the youngest driver to ever win a race on the legendary High Banks of Winchester Speedway, both are entered for Sunday’s high paying event.
Greg De St. Jean is the current points leader and will have the option along with Sunday’s feature event pole sitter to go to the tail of the starting field to try and win the R & R Liquors Safe Driving Challenge Bonus, which has grown to $700 after not being claimed in the first six events. Derek Young is second in points, only seven points behind De St. Jean. Randy Owen is third in points only two behind Young, with Bobby Sanders only 27 points out of the lead in fourth place setting up a four way battle for the inaugural series Championship. Bill Leisure is fifth in points followed by Brian Redmond in sixth, A.J. Ridner in seventh, Randy Watson in eighth, Richard Isbell in ninth and Bill Charles in tenth.
Pit gates open on Sunday at 9am, practice will begin at 12 noon, the first race will begin at 2pm. The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts 75 lap event will run first followed by the MAX Rocks 200. Go to www.winchesterspeedway.com to purchase advanced tickets or for more information on upcoming events.
Winchester, IN (September 4, 2007) – Over 170 racecars and a full grandstand of race fans enjoyed the Labor Day Weekend World Stock Car Festival Presented By Maple-Tarr Chrysler Dodge Jeep at Winchester Speedway on Sunday and Monday. Blessed with some great weather, fans flocked to the famous High Banks to watch eight different divisions race during the two day show, many camped the entire weekend at the track taking in what has become a huge racing tradition in Central Indiana.
Veteran stock car race Jeff Fultz came back home to get his first ever CRA Super Series victory in Monday afternoon’s McGunegill Engine Performance 100 Presented By Great Deals in the feature event of the weekend. Fultz, who grew up in near by Ohio, and cut his teeth racing in mini-stocks and late models early in his racing career at Winchester Speedway, but has lived for several years in North Carolina while still racing and working full-time for several NASCAR Nextel Cup Teams. Fultz returned to the High Banks on Monday to get the victory for car owner Curtis Venable.
"I won my first feature here, my first championship here and it’s really cool to comeback and win this race today," an elated Fultz commented in victory lane. “We had struggled all weekend with steering problems, I hung in there and kept racing, then things worked out in our favor and we ended up in victory lane. I want to thank Curtis my car owner, and all the guys who worked so hard this weekend.”
CRA Super Series points leader Chris Gabehart looked like he would be pulling into victory lane, leading from the drop of the green flag until lap 89 when contact from Tommy St.John caused Gabehart to spin, putting him and St. John on the tail of the field. This handed the lead to Fultz who had worked his way to third from the tail of the field after pitting for adjustments. Fultz had to hold off a hard charging Terry Fisher Jr., who was also looking for his first series victory.
Fisher would finish in second with Concord, North Carolina racer Dennis Schoenfeld in third. Gabehart would battle back to finish in fourth, maintaining his series points lead with only three events remaining in the 2007 season. Gabehart seemed to be salvaging a very trying weekend, after spending part of the weekend in the hospital coming back to the track to qualify after passing a kidney stone Sunday afternoon. St. John would finish in fifth. John Belott finished in sixth from his 26th starting position after showing up on Monday and missing Sunday’s qualifying.
Mike Stacy put on a strong performance is winning the Fire Bottle 40 for the American Modified Series on Monday. Stacy fought through the field to grab the lead from series point’s leader Bud Perry, he pulled out to almost a half lap lead before a late caution tightened the field. Perry would battle back but could never make a pass as Stacy would grab the win with Perry second, Jason Dietsch in third, Greg Stapleton in Fourth and Scott Tomasik in fifth. Dietsch came from eighth to win the 10-lap dash on Sunday night.
The recently revived US PRO Series had six cars compete in its Sneak Peek 35 that showcased the highly competitive crate engine late model series that will return as part of the Winchester 400 weekend in October. Al Cook Jr. got the win over brother Tommy Cook with Bob Varney in third in his first ever appearance on the High Banks with Bob Sibila Jr. in fourth and Royce mason in fifth.
The Short Track Truck Series returned as part of the 2007 World Stock Car Festival, they last competed on the High Banks during the 2005 event. Veteran Indiana racer Steve Blair fought off fellow Hoosier Jared Waldhoff to get the win for the Michigan based series. Keith Winncek got third, Justin Claucherty was fourth with Paul Schaffer in fifth. Sunday night’s heat races were won by Stuart Quakenbush and Jared Waldhoff, Waldhoff was the fast qualifier of the 19 trucks that took times.
The Howe CRA Sportsman, CRA Street Stock and Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts were also on hand for the annual World Stock Car Festival presented by Maple-Tarr Chrysler Dodge Jeep.
Charlie Hanna beat a hard charging Rick Rinehart to become the first multi-feature winner with the Howe CRA Sportsman series in 2007 taking the Maple-Tarr 40 on Monday afternoon. Hanna started eighth and worked his way through the field to second place behind Dean Baker who had built up a large lead. When Baker spun in the first turn hitting the wall and ending his day, Hanna inherited a spot he never gave up.
"We were really lucky today, I was settling in thinking we were going to finish second, when he had his problem and we were there to take the win." Hanna said.
The Howe CRA Sportsman heat races on Sunday featured wins by Billy Hutson and Rick Tackman Jr. Charlie Hanna was the fast qualifier of the 20 cars that took times.
The CRA Street Stocks Calvin Parham took the lead from Brian Hopkins on lap 26 of the MAX Rocks 40 and held off all comers to win. Parham made a miraculous save after contact with another car caused him to slide sideways going into turn one and still came out the leader as the other car spun. With five laps to go, Rich Boyer caught up following a caution and nearly passed him several times, including crossing the finish line side by side, but he could not get ahead.
"I don't know how I saved it in the first turn, but the front end was not right after that and bumped and grinded the rest of the way. But it held together long enough for me to win." An elated Parham stated.
The Street Stock heat races on Sunday featured wins by Winston Wood, Phil Evans, Brian Hopkins and Johnny Magee. This victory was the first win in a stock car by Wood at any track. Rich Boyer was the fast qualifier of the 34 teams that took times.
The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts featured a first time winner in that series when Plymouth Indiana's Matt Noren won Monday’s Winchester 20, in his first ever race on the High Banks. Noren ran just head of second place finisher Brian Redmond. Redmond jumped out to the early lead from his fourth starting position leading the first 12 laps of the race before Noren worked his way through traffic from his 11th starting position. Noren caught Redmond and passed him to take the win.
AJ Ridner won his first Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compact feature Sunday night coming from the tail to win the Winchester 20. "The odds were in our favor tonight, we got in front and held on and our luck held out. I am really happy to win here at Winchester, and want to say a big thank you to Jim Winters for helping make this happen." A very happy Ridner stated. Randy Walton finished second and Derick Young third. Greg De St. Jean and Brian Redmond won the heat races.
Sunday night racing featured the Thunder/Enduro cars with veteran Anderson Speedway racer Rod Phipps taking the win in one of the best races of the entire weekend. Phipps was sure about who was behind him for most to race, and Mike Riddle, Jr. made sure he did not forget he was there, as Tom Gossar ran up in the front (after starting on the tail) making it a three way dogfight to the end with Rod having just enough to win.
"Mikey let me know he was back there, several times. Last night at Anderson the shoe was on the other foot as I chased him and let him know I was there. But it was fun." Commented Phipps after the win.
Riddle finished second, Gossar a close third and Randy Hoppes battled to get a third place finish.
Gossar and Jason Thompson won the heat races.The next event at Winchester Speedway will feature the CRA Street Stocks in the $5000 to win MAX Rocks 200 at Winchester Speedway on September 16. The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts will have a 75 lap event that day that will pay the winner $1500. For more information see the Winchester Speedway website at www.winchesterspeedway.com or the CRA website at www.craracing.com.
Salem, IN (August 30, 2007) – Great Deals Coupon Magazine, headquartered in Anderson, Indiana, will be the Presenting Sponsor of this Monday’s McGunegill Engine Performance 100 CRA Super Series event at Winchester Speedway as part of the Labor Day Weekend World Stock Car Festival Presented By Maple-Tarr Chrysler Dodge Jeep. Great Deals Coupon Magazine has been involved in area stock car racing for many years, most recently as a sponsor on the Rick Turner CRA Super Series late models and Presenting Sponsor of CRA Super Series events at Anderson Speedway.
Great Deals Racing has entered both it’s cars in this Monday’s event, Rick Turner’s #26 Great Deals Coupon Magazine / McGunegill Engine Performance Ford and Bret Miles Jr.’s #32 Great Deals Coupon Magazine / McGunegill Engine Performance / Champion Windows Chevrolet. Turner is currently fifth in CRA Super Series points, and has competed in every series event this season. Miles Jr. is 15th in series points despite only competing in selected events during the 2007 season, preparing for a full-time run at the series Rookie Of The Year Award in 2008. The team had to do extensive work to Turner’s machine to get it ready for this weekend after the car was heavily damaged in the SuperPro Series event at Winchester Speedway on August 12th.
Great Deals Coupon Magazine is the Midwest’s Largest Direct Mail Coupon Magazine and printed nearly 15 million Coupon Magazines in 2006. Great Deals is presently published and direct mailed in 32 Midwestern Cities. More information on Great Deals is available at www.greatdealsmagazine.com.
The weekend will start with an open practice for all divisions on Saturday. Pit gates open at 10am with rotating practice sessions from 1 to 5pm. Pit gates open on Sunday morning at 9am, practice begins at 11:30am, qualifying will start at 3pm. Sunday nights racing action will begin at 6pm with heat races for the CRA Street Stocks, Howe CRA Sportsman, Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts, Michigan Short Track Trucks and Thunder/Enduro Cars. The American Modifieds will have a Dash for their top qualifiers then there will be 20 lap features for both the Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts and Thunder/Enduro Cars. After the racing action there will be a party in the Pavilion behind turn 1 of the racetrack with music and Karaoke by Bygones starting at 9pm.
Pit gates will open on Monday at 9am. There will be a short warm-up session for all divisions at 11am, Last Chance races will begin at 12noon. The first of seven feature events will take the green flag at 1pm starting with the Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts in the Vore’s Welding & Steel 20, which will be followed by the Howe CRA Sportsman in the Maple-Tarr 40. The USPRO Cup Series will be next in the Winchester 50, and will be followed by the Short Track Trucks in the Winchester 20. The CRA Super Series will be then hit the High Banks in the McGunegill Engine Performance 100 Presented By Great Deals followed by the American Modifieds in the Fire Bottle 40. The CRA Street Stocks will end the day with the MAX Rocks 40.
Go to www.winchesterspeedway.com to purchase advanced tickets or for more information on this weekend’s events.
Winchester, IN (August 29, 2007) – There will be plenty of racing at Winchester Speedway this weekend with the Labor Day Weekend World Stock Car Festival Presented By Maple-Tarr Chrysler Dodge Jeep. Eight different racing classes will compete on the famous High Banks this weekend including the CRA Super Series late models, USPRO Cup Series crate engine late models, the American Modifieds, the CRA Street Stocks, the Howe CRA Sportsman, the Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts, the Short Track Trucks, and Thunder/Enduro Cars.
The CRA Super Series will compete in the McGunegill Engine Performance 100, it will be the second stop for the series at Winchester Speedway leading up to the 36th Annual Winchester 400 on Sunday, October 14th. Tommy St. John has developed a knack for being fast at High Banked racetracks, and he showed that again by winning the Manning Service 100 on Sunday, April 22 in his first series event of the season. St. John started the day by being the events Appleton Rack & Pinion Fast Qualifier, then powered by Scott Hantz from his fourth starting position to take the lead on Lap 5 to lead the rest of the way. Jeff Lane would make a late charge to the front almost catching St. John whose car slowed over the last five laps, but St. John held on to get the victory over Lane, his second with the CRA Super Series, the first came on Labor Day Weekend last season at Winchester Speedway. Brian Rievley finished in third, Chris Gabehart in fourth and Evan Jackson in fifth.
Chris Gabehart continues to lead the series points, having not finished out of the top 10 so far this season. Gabehart holds an 81-point lead over top rookie competitor John VanDoorn with only four series point’s events left on the 2007 schedule. VanDoorn is two points ahead of 2006 series Champion Scott Hantz in third with Jeff Lane in fourth and Rick Turner in fifth. Several different teams that are not regulars at Winchester events are expected to race in Monday’s feature event in order to prepare for the 36th Annual Winchester 400 including former Ohio resident Jeff Fultz who now resides in Troutman, North Carolina working for DEI and Dennis Schoenfeld from Concord, North Carolina. Bull Baker and Brian Ross are tied for the most series wins at Winchester Speedway with 3 a piece, Baker is entered for Monday’s event. To date there are already 26 cars pre-entered for the McGunegill Engine Performance 100.
The #21 Steve Davis owned CRA Street Stock team is on a roll with veteran Ft. Wayne racer Steve Christman getting the win in series last event at Baer Field Speedway. Christman became the first driver to win two races with the series this season and gave Steve Davis his third win of the 2007 season. Christman got his the first win of the season for Davis at the series May event at Baer Field Speedway. The Davis team was coming off another victory in the series prior event to Baer Field at Anderson Speedway with Calvin Parham getting the victory for Davis in that event.
The #21 Davis Team continues to lead in the car owner standings by 28 points over 2006 Champion Joe Beaver, who is leading the driver standings. Rookie Jacob Owen is third 15 points behind Beaver with fellow rookie Phil Evans in fourth eight points behind Owen. Rich Boyer is in fifth. The series has had seven winners in eight events to date including Joe Beaver, Frank Kimmel II, Bubba Trinkle and Jeff Perry all with victories in series events at Winchester Speedway. Bret Miles Jr. and Calvin Parham got wins at Anderson Speedway and Christman’s two victories at Bear Field Speedway. The series last scheduled event at Plymouth Speedway on August 18th was canceled because of weather.
With Zach Hulvey’s win in the Howe CRA Sportsman Series last event on August 18th at Baer Field Speedway, the series has now had eight different winners in its first eight events in the 2007 season.
The series other winners so far in 2007 include Rick Rinehart, Billy Hutson, Stuart Quakenbush and Charlie Hanna at the Winchester Speedway events. Chad Richardson got the win at the other Baer Field Speedway event in May, Steve Blair the win at Anderson Speedway, and Nathan Herron the win at Shady Bowl Speedway.
Billy Hutson continues to lead the series points after eight events, with only three events left in the season including this Monday’s Maple-Tarr 40. Rick Rinehart continues to apply the pressure in second, but will have to over come a 38-point deficit to challenge for the points Championship. Rookie Charlie Hanna has now moved into third place but is 51 points behind Rinehart with fellow rookie Tim Greene 25 points behind in fourth place. Rookie Gabe Cerny is in fifth place in points, 57 points behind Greene.
The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts will also be in action with feature events this weekend on Sunday and Monday. Greg De St. Jean won his second feature event of the season with the series on Sunday, August 12th at Winchester Speedway and is the current points leader and will have the option along with Sunday’s feature event pole sitter to go to the tail of the starting field to try and win the R & R Liquors Safe Driving Challenge Bonus, which has grown to $500 after not being claimed in the first four events. Randy Owen is second in points, only 17 points behind De St. Jean. Derek Young is third in points only four behind Owen, Bobby Sanders is in fourth with Jack Leisure in fifth place.
This weekend will be the second appearance of the American Modifieds at Winchester Speedway this season in the Fire Bottle 40 on Monday afternoon. In the series first event on August 12th Mark Timmerman got his first ever American Modifieds win holding off hard-charging Bud Perry to get the win. Timmerman got the lead when leader Rodney Scott and second place Mike Stacy spun after contact. Stacy would race through the field to finish in third with Dave Stacy in fourth and Jason Dietsch in fifth. Bud Perry is the series point’s leader heading into this weekends event, he has a 23-point lead over Mike Carroll. Josh Smith is in third place, Chad Poole in fourth with Greg Stapleton in fifth. A full field of Modifieds is expected as they prepare for the 2nd Annual Run For The Gun Shootout on the Winchester 400 Weekend.
The Short Track Trucks will also be in action this weekend, the series was part of this event two years ago and had some of the best racing during that weekend. Monday’s event will be Round #13 of the ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series. Expect the current front-runners from the ShortTrackTrucks.com Challenge Series including Justin Claucherty, Paul Schaffer, Darren Lane, and John Smalley to clash with Indiana's finest in the form of Tom Miller, Steve Blair, Stuart Quackenbush and Jared Waldhoff. Among the first timers to Winchester's world-famous high-banks will be Kyle 'Flipper' Trinklein and John Culp.
Sunday’s racing action will include a feature event for the Thunder/Enduro Cars in their only visit to Winchester Speedway this season. Rob Wyman looks to defend his win from 2006. Competitors are expected from several of the region’s racetracks, which are not racing on Sunday and Monday.
The weekend will start with an open practice for all divisions on Saturday. Pit gates open at 10am with rotating practice sessions from 1 to 5pm. Pit gates open on Sunday morning at 9am, practice begins at 11:30am, qualifying will start at 3pm. Sunday nights racing action will begin at 6pm with heat races for the CRA Street Stocks, Howe CRA Sportsman, Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts, Michigan Short Track Trucks and Thunder/Enduro Cars. The American Modifieds will have a Dash for their top qualifiers then there will be 20 lap features for both the Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts and Thunder/Enduro Cars. After the racing action there will be a party in the Pavilion behind turn 1 of the racetrack with music and Karaoke by Bygones starting at 9pm.
Pit gates will open on Monday at 9am. There will be a short warm-up session for all divisions at 11am, Last Chance races will begin at 12noon. The first of seven feature events will take the green flag at 1pm starting with the Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts in the Vore’s Welding & Steel 20, which will be followed by the Howe CRA Sportsman in the Maple-Tarr 40. The USPRO Cup Series will be next in the Winchester 50, and will be followed by the Short Track Trucks in the Winchester 40. The CRA Super Series will be then hit the High Banks in the McGunegill Engine Performance 100 followed by the American Modifieds in the Fire Bottle 40. The CRA Street Stocks will end the day with the MAX Rocks 40.
Go to www.winchesterspeedway.com to purchase advanced tickets or for more information on this weekend’s events.
Moser Engineering Extends Support for Popular CRA Street Stocks
Moser’s Lifetime Warranty a Key Component of their Commitment to Circle Track Racing
(Salem, IN) – One of the most respected names in racing products, Moser Engineering, has extended their sponsorship of the CRA Street Stock Series. The Indiana company, who specializes in rear-end components, has taken another industry leading step by offering their “Buy Once, Race Forever” Lifetime Warranty Program.
The strongest circle track parts just got stronger, as Moser Engineering will replace any of its’ circle track components due to manufacturing defect, or failure due to normal wear and use. The warranty is extended to the original purchaser of the product for the lifetime of the product. The Buy Once, Race Forever Lifetime Warranty Program does not cover product failure due to improper installation, product failure due to impact or collision, excessive wear parts (i.e. bearings, seals, etc), and is not transferable.
It is the commitment of all the employees at Moser Engineering to supply the best product, at an affordable price, in a timeframe conducive to a racer’s needs. The product they manufacturer represents the experience, knowledge, and hard work of the entire staff at Moser Engineering.
Many CRA Street Stock currently use a variety of products from Moser Engineering in their race vehicles, from axles, bearings and ring and pinions, to complete replacement floater rear-ends.
To find out more about the Lifetime Warranty program for their circle track products, or to see the complete line of circle track products, visit www.moserengineering.com.
The next opportunity for the Moser products to prevail in CRA Street Stock competition is September 2nd & 3rd at the Worlds Fastest ½ Mile, Winchester Speedway.
For more information about the CRA Street Stocks, visit www.craracing.net. For more information on Winchester Speedway and the events of the Labor Day Weekend World Stock Car Festival, visit www.winchesterspeedway.com.
Winchester Speedway to Host USPRO Cup Series’ Return to Racing
Re-born Crate Series Replaces SuperPro Series on Remaining Winchester Schedule
(Winchester, IN) – The original return of the USPRO Cup Series was tarnished by a visit from Mother Nature on August 18, 2007 at the Owosso (MI) Speedway in what was to be the running of the Sneak Peek 35. At the time of the rain-out, it was thought that the return of the USPRO Cup Series would have to wait until the 2008 season.
That all changed however, when Winchester Speedway promoters R.J. Scott and Glenn Luckett, called on ASALMS Co-Founders/Presidents, Ron and Sandy Varney to run their USPRO Cup Series at Winchester Speedway to replace the previously scheduled SuperPro Series Crate Late Model races. A deal was reached and the USPRO Cup Series will indeed race after all in 2007 and on two separate occasions at one of the most famous high-banked tracks in the United States.
The USPRO Cup Series will make two trips to the famed high-banks of the Winchester (IN) Speedway in Winchester, Indiana with the first show set for Sunday and Monday September 2-3, 2007 as part of the World Stock Car Racing Festival! Then the USPRO Cup Series returns to the famous high-banks on Friday and Saturday October 12-13, 2007 as part of the Winchester 400 weekend!
As part of the World Stock Car Racing Festival on Sunday and Monday September 2-3, 2007 the USPRO Cup Series will run the Winchester/Sneak Peek 50 Part One with Practice and Qualifying on Sunday and the 50-lap Feature set to go on Monday afternoon.
As an added bonus, any ASALMS Northern Division driver who makes the trip from the Hawkeye Downs (IA) Speedway the night before after running in the Hawkeye 100 Presented by Coors Light and Cassill Motors and then wins the Winchester/Sneak Peek 50 Part One, will receive a $250.00 bonus from the Winchester Speedway for making the trip.
The second appearance will be during the prestigious Winchester 400 weekend for the CRA Super Series as the USPRO Cup Series will run the Winchester/Sneak Peek 50 Part Two on Saturday October 13, 2007. The36th Annual Winchester 400 presented by the Ed Martin AutoGroup and Renegade will headline the weekend on Sunday October 14, 2007.
There is no Entry Form for both shows in Winchester, Indiana for the USPRO Cup Series, however there will be a $50.00 entry fee the day of the race. Also the ASALMS asks that any team that plans on racing in these events to please call the ASALMS Home Offices in Lexington, Michigan to indicate if your team will be attending for Promotional purposes.
For both Winchester events, Bollhoff Rivnut Super Pro Series Rules will apply with ASALMS procedures in affect! Any and all ASALMS Type Cars such as the Bollhoff Rivnut Super Pro Series, MAARA Series, and any team within the entire United States and Canada with the Template Body/Crate Engine package, are all invited for both shows at the Winchester Speedway.
For both shows in Eastern Indiana, the USPRO Cup Series teams will be racing on the ASALMS Northern/Southern Division tires. USPRO Cup teams that come to Winchester will be allowed to practice on any tire that they bring with them, just like it was at Owosso, however for this event, it is a Two (2) tire event and teams must purchase a minimum of Two (2) tires to Qualify and Race on.
For more information about the World Stock Car Racing Festival at the Winchester Speedway on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday September 1-2-3, 2007, go to the CRA Super Series website at: www.craracing.net and for Winchester Speedway information, go to their website at: www.winchesterspeedway.com.
As for the 2008 season for the USPRO Cup Series, details are being worked out and will be released in conjunction with the 2008 ASALMS schedules, which will be available by Late-October 2007. The ASALMS is looking at reduced Features with a minimum of 50-lap Features and the series will reinstate the Two (2) Tire rule throughout the 2008 camp