Salem, IN (May 4, 2016) – The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS will continue its 20th season of competition this Saturday night at Anderson Speedway, the famous high-banked quarter mile racetrack located in Anderson, Indiana. Anderson Speedway is where the series had its first ever event on Saturday, April 26, 1997 were former two time Champion Brian Ross came away with the victory over a stout field of 24 cars that included names like Rievley, Tweedy, St. Amant, Blount, Fullen, Cooper, just to name a few. Saturday will be the 59th series event that Anderson Speedway has hosted since that Saturday in 1997, the most of any track the series has raced at.
Saturday will be the only opportunity for the ARCA/CRA Super Series teams to get some racing on the tight quarter mile prior to the prestigious Redbud 300, which will take place on July 16th. With the support of local business Mitch Smith Auto Service, Saturday’s event will now pay $4000 to win and $2000 for second, which is an additional $1000 to win and an additional $500 for second.
There are two drivers on Saturday night’s entry list who raced in that first series event in 1997, the Y Town Hustler Rick Turner and Jim Crabtree Jr. Turner is the series all time starts leader with 235 starts and has a series win at Anderson Speedway in June of 2008. Crabtree Jr. is sixth in series all time starts with 147, he also has a series win at Anderson Speedway in September of 2004.
Current series point’s leader Cody Coughlin is entered. Coughlin, the 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion, was the winner of the series last event at Toledo Speedway on April 16th. The part-time NASCAR Camping World Truck competitor looks to get the win this Saturday and extent his points lead.
Current series Senneker Performance Rookie of the Year point’s leader and second in Championship points, Dalton Armstrong, is also entered. Armstrong, the 2015 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Drivers Champion, won the series season opening event at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. Armstrong’s car owner and crew chief Scott Neal raced in the series first event at Anderson in 1997.
Defending event winner Eddie Van Meter is also entered to make his 2016 series debut. Van Meter also picked up a JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour victory last season at Anderson. Also entered is Trent Snyder, a three time winner at Anderson Speedway in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour.
Other top CRA drivers entered for Saturday night include Wes Griffith Jr., Tom Woodin, Brandon Oakley, rookie Chris Koslek and Jordan Pruitt. JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour competitor Jack Dossey III is entered, he was a winner with the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman at Anderson Speedway last season and is the two time defending Anderson MEP Late Model Champion. J.P. Crabtree, another CRA Late Model Sportsman competitor and son of Jim Crabtree Jr. is entered.
There are several teams traveling to Anderson Speedway this weekend to get ready for the Redbud 300 including Boca Raton, Florida racer Dalton Sargeant who competed full-time with the NASCAR K & N Pro Series East last year and is competing in the ARCA Racing Series this year, as well as making selected Late Model starts. Huntington Beach, California racer Zane Smith is also entered, Smith won three races with the PASS South Series and one CARS Super Late Model Tour event in 2015. Munford, Alabama racer Bret Holmes is also entered , Holmes is racing a partial season with the ARCA Racing Series in 2016 as well as several Late Model events.
Veteran Wisconsin racer Dennis Prunty is entered. Prunty, the 2015 Slinger Nationals Champion, has several victories and three late Model Championships on the high-banked Slinger Speedway, which has been compared to be very similar to Anderson Speedway. Veteran Canadian racer Jerry Artuso is also entered for Saturday’s race along with Kentucky racer Ryan Issacs, who is entered to make his ARCA/CRA Super Series debut.
There will be an open practice at Anderson Speedway this Friday, pits open at 4pm and practice will run from 5pm until 8pm. Pits open on Saturday at 1pm. Practice will begin at 4pm with qualifying starting at 6:30pm. The race program will begin at 8pm and will include the Anderson 125 for the ARCA/CRA Super Series plus racing from the Anderson Speedway Thunder Cars and Figure 8’s. Anderson Speedway intentions are to have the race program on Saturday, but have announced that the rain date for Saturday’s event is Sunday, May 8th if needed.
Additional track and event information can be found at www.andersonspeedway.com. More information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
