Salem, IN (May 23, 2021) – New Castle, Indiana’s Dalton Armstrong led all 125 laps of Saturday night’s Spring Fling 125 Presented by Mitch Smith Auto Service and Perfecto Tool at Anderson Speedway to get his fourth all-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS win and his first since the 2017 season, at one of his home tracks. The event was the third event in the series 25th Anniversary Season Presented by Team Construction, which began on April 26, 1997 at Anderson Speedway.
“It really feels good to get this win,” remarked Armstrong in victory lane. “I didn’t want to see the caution. I knew I had a good car and wanted to have a strong restart. Once I cleared the 41 on the restart it was just about hitting my marks. It feels good to get a win at Anderson. We have had some bad luck the past few years, I am glad we got that monkey off our back. I have to thank Mark Harrison with Ed Martin Auto Group for coming on board to support us for this race, with out his help we wouldn’t have been here!”
Armstrong got the lead from his pole starting position after first time Hamke Race Cars Fast Qualifier Scotty Tomasik drew a six for the events inverted start. Armstrong was able to get a good lead while Kyle Crump and Hunter Jack battled for second place, running side by side for several laps. Jack would get second and start to try and catch Armstrong.
The race went the first 108 laps caution free with Armstrong out front. Jack would stay in Armstrong’s tracks, but just could not catch him.
The events only caution flew on lap 108 when Ethan Standiczuk spun in turns one and two after losing brakes. That would set up the events last restart with Armstrong choosing the inside putting Jack on his outside.
Armstrong kept the lead at the drop of the green flag, 2019 series Champion Greg VanAlst followed Armstrong from his third-place position to pass Jack and get second, keeping Jack on the outside. Tomasik and Kyle Crump would follow Van Alst putting Jack back to fifth place.
The top five would race from there to the checkers with Armstrong getting the win, his first since his win at Winchester Speedway on September 4, 2017 and his second series win at Anderson Speedway, he won the 2016 Redbud 400 at that track. With the win Armstrong puts himself into position to claim the Hoosier Double Down Bonus, a $10,000 bonus if a driver is able to sweep both the Spring Fling 125 and the Fly Over States 150 at Winchester Speedway.
Van Alst finished in second and picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for his late pass of Jack to get second and picked up a Hoosier Tire Performance award. Tomasik would finish in third place. Crump finished in fourth with Jack in fifth place. Earlier in the day Jack picked up a $1000 bonus from Team Construction in a random draw at the drivers meeting of all the drivers who had competed in the series first three events.
The ARCA/CRA Super Series next event will be the Money in the Bank 150 Presented by Budweiser on Wednesday, June 9th at Berlin Raceway. That event is a special non-point race that will pay $10,000 to win. More information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series can be found at www.cra-racing.com.
John Lund Photo
