Team Announces Big Plans for 2016 CRA Season
Salem, Indiana (Thursday, October 29, 2015): Scott Neal Racing owner Scott Neal and his driver 21 year old Dalton Armstrong had a very successful 2015 racing season, starting with capturing the Florida Speedweeks Pro Late Model Championship during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing in February at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida, including getting his first two ever wins in a late model.
With that Championship and wins in Florida, the team and driver had high expectations for the 2015 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Powered by Chevrolet Performance season, which started off with a bang by winning the series season opener at Springport Motor Speedway on May 3rd, it was Armstrong’s first ever CRA victory. The team would visit victory lane a second time, winning the series Auto City Speedway event on August 8th. The team would get four top five finishes on the season with a second at Anderson Speedway and a fourth at Lucas Oil Raceway along with eight top ten finishes and one Boyne Machine Company Fast Qualifier Award at Columbus. The two wins and consistent finishes paid off with Armstrong claiming the 2015 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Drivers Championship and Scott Neal Racing the runner-up in the series Championship Owner points.
“Dalton came a long way this season,” remarked car owner and crew chief Neal. “After he got those wins and the Championship in Florida, he definitely picked up his game and became a contender at every race this season. We could not have accomplished what we did without the help of everyone who worked on this team all year. Racing seems like it’s an individual sport, but it’s not, it takes a team effort each and every week to be competitive and we had that!”
“It was a great season for sure,” remarked Armstrong. “Scott gave me great cars all year and the team worked their butts off each week. I couldn’t have won races and the Drivers’ Championship without their hard work. I also have to thank the great sponsor help we had this year including Winfield, Baker Crop Insurance, PGG Enterprises, McGunegill Engine Performance, Ernest Performance, Motion Motors and Allstar Performance, without their help we couldn’t have accomplished what we did this season!”
Neal has been a CRA Champion before, he was the crew chief for Derrick Griffin when he won the 2011 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship and Rookie of the Year, and Neal won the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship with driver Daniel Hemric. Neal was also the Crew Chief for Ali Kern when she won her first ARCA/CRA Super Series race on August 12th at Kalamazoo Speedway and two EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Awards at Baer Field Speedway and Winchester Speedway. Neal and Armstrong made five ARCA/CRA Super Series starts in 2015, including claiming the pole over a tough group of competitors for the Battle at Berlin 251 at Berlin Raceway in June.
With their successful season with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour behind them and a successful test with the ARCA/CRA Super Series in 2015, the team has decided to move up and run for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Season Championship and the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Year Title in 2016.
“I’m really looking forward to moving up and racing the Super Series full-time in 2016,” added Armstrong. “Scott has had success in that series and I think we can compete for wins each week as well as the Championship and Rookie of the Year. This year Grant Quinlan became only the third driver to ever claim both the Season Championship and Rookie of the Year Award in the same season, along with Griffin in 2011 and Scott Hantz in 2000, I think we can make it two years in a row that someone has accomplished that feat and put us in some pretty good company!”
“It’s going to be a lot of fun racing with Dalton in the ARCA/CRA Super Series next year”, added Neal. “He’s shown he has the talent to compete against the awesome talent that series attracts at each and every event. We look forward to competing for the Rookie of the Year and possibly another CRA Championship and winning more races!”
To learn more about Scott Neal Racing go to www.scottnealracing.com, for more on Armstrong go to www.daltonarmstrong.com.
More information on all the CRA Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
