Birch Run, MI – As the days fall shorter and the calendar nears the end of August, schools and colleges returned to session all across Michigan this week and fall fanatics got a taste of the cool weather that awaits them in the next month. Before the gridiron welcomes back American Football next week, the titans will clash on Friday night with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance at Birch Run Speedway and Event Center. One of the hottest Championship battles in the country rages on with just three points-paying events left on the 2024 calendar – plus, a coveted win on the highly competitive Tour that has only seen one repeat winner this season is on the line in the Dixie 100.
After the Masters of the Pros 185 at Owosso Speedway, two things became clear; anything can happen in the JEGS Tour, and the battle for the championship will come down to Winchester even with the traditional points system. While battling for the win, Chase Burda and Blake Rowe exchanged blows before Burda spun off the nose of Rowe’s No.71 sending both cars to the tail. That gave Barrett Polhemus the chance to grab his first career win, but he would fall to third at the line. While not getting the win was disappointing, the performance moved Polhemus into the second spot in the Championship battle behind Rowe. Chase Pinsonneault had a tough night with steering issues that resulted in a DNF and 13th place. As for Rowe and Burda, they rebounded to finish 8th and 9th respectively.
Heading to Birch Run, all eyes remain on the top four in points with Rowe holding a 13-point advantage over Polhemus, Pinsonneault sits 24 points back, and Burda is now behind by 49 points. Only Rowe and Burda have a history with the 4/10ths mile oval. Rowe has multiple Midwest Modified Tour wins and local modified division wins at Birch Run but doesn’t have a sanctioned Late Model start at the facility. As for Burda, his first career JEGS Tour win came at Birch Run in his championship season last year. Outside of any testing that may have occurred, Polhemus and Pinsonneault roll into Birch Run like they have many tracks on the schedule this year, with little experience.
The Championship hopefuls will have to deal with a solid contingent of drivers looking to steal the glory on Friday night including Dryden, Michigan native, Katie Hettinger. The 17-year-old brings her family-owned No.71 back to the sight of her best career JEGS Tour finishes. Hettinger has finished runner-up at Birch Run twice in the last calendar year, making her a favorite to collect her first career JEGS win on Friday. Joining her as drivers with real potential to get their first career win include Austin Hull, Dylan Stovall, Evan Varney, Keegan Sobilo, Carson Lucas, and naturally Barrett Polhemus.
The Dixie 100 for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance is Friday at Birch Run Speedway. Tickets are just $14 and are available at the gate on race day. Limited Late Models, American Trucks, Pure Stocks, and Figure 8s are also on the schedule. Gates open at 5:00 PM with JEGS Tour Qualifying at 6:30 PM and Racing at 7:30 PM. Fans who can’t make the trip can catch the action live on RacingAmerican.TV and TrackTV.com.
For more information on the JEGS Tour or the Dixie 100, log onto CRA-Racing.com. Find CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and follow @CRARacing on X.
