Salem, Indiana (Tuesday, October 6, 2015): Jason Atkinson comes into 44th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend looking to make CRA history, by winning two series Championships in the same season. Atkinson comes into the weekend with a 24 point lead in the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS Championship points and retook the lead in the Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS points by winning that series last event at Lucas Oil Raceway on September 27th. Atkinson, the 2014 Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stocks Champion, comes into the weekend with a slim three point lead in that series points.
Atkinson has one win to date with the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman, which came in the May 8th event at Lucas Oil Raceway, but has back to back second place finishes in the series last two events to help him expand his lead heading into Saturday’s 50 lap Season Championship event at Winchester Speedway. Atkinson is the statistical leader in most categories with the series, but is seeking his first Championship with that series.
2014 series Champion Greg Van Alst is in second place in Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman points, he has one series victory in 2015, which came at Anderson Speedway on July 17th. Billy Van Meter has now moved into third place in series points with a late season charge, he is 29 points behind Van Alst and has one series victory in 2015 that came at Anderson Speedway on August 16th. J.P. Crabtree is now in fourth place in series points, he is only five points behind Van Meter. Rookie Matthew Parsons is in fifth place, he is 12 points behind Crabtree.
Other series winners in 2015 include Terry Fisher Jr., who picked up a victory at the series last event at Lucas Oil Raceway on September 27th and got the win on July 3rd at Lucas Oil Raceway, Danny Trent won at Winchester Speedway on Labor Day Weekend, Jack Dossey III won at Anderson Speedway on May 2nd and Scotty Tomasik won at Anderson Speedway on June 13th. Shawn Amor has one series victory in the Lucas Oil Raceway Stock Car Series season opener on April 24th and is the current point’s leader in that series that will have its Season Championship event on October 18th.
Atkinson, the 2015 CRA Street Stock Triple Crown Series Champion, has a series leading four wins so far this season heading into Saturday’s 50 lap Season Championship event at Winchester Speedway, including a win on Labor Day Weekend at Winchester and back to back wins at Anderson Speedway on June 13th and the Triple Crown 200 event on June 27th. Atkinson was also the 2014 CRA Street Stock Triple Crown Series Champion.
Josh Poore is in second place now in series points, he has one series win on the season, that came at Anderson Speedway on August 8th and he was just crowned the 2015 Anderson Speedway Street Stock Champion. Colby Lane is in third place in series points, he is 35 points behind Poore and has one series point victory so far this season, which came at the series season opening Triple Crown 200 at Shady Bowl Speedway on April 18th and he won the season opening Lucas Oil Raceway Stock Car Series CRA Street Stock event on April 24th. Jake McElfresh has fallen to fourth in series points after some terrible luck the last two races, he is now 73 points behind Lane. Mason Keller is in fifth place, he is 19 points behind McElfresh. Keller picked up his first ever series win in the Triple Crown 200 lap event at Kentucky Motor Speedway on May 24th.
Other CRA Street Stock winners in 2015 include Robert Amos Jr. in the series event at Anderson Speedway on May 9th, 2012 series Champion Jimmy Kirby at Lucas Oil Raceway on July 3rd and Chuck Barnes Jr. in the 125 lap series event at Lucas Oil Raceway on July 31st. Kirby leads the Lucas Oil Raceway Stock Car Series CRA Street Stock points that will have its Season Championship event on October 18th.
Things begin for the Winchester 400 Weekend with an optional load in, hauler parking and pit pass purchases on Thursday, October 8th from 3 to 7pm. Pits open on Friday, October 9th at 9am with rotating practice for all divisions beginning at 1pm. Second round practice and Group Qualifying for the Vore’s Touring Compacts and the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Series and Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stocks New Star events will start at 4:10pm, the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Boyne Machine qualifying will start at 6:15pm. Racing action will begin at 7pm with 8 lap heat races for the Vores Touring Compacts. The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Season Championship Winchester 100 Presented by JEGS.com will be up next. The CRA Late Model Sportsman Series and CRA Street Stocks 25 lap New Star features will follow. The Vores Touring Compacts 25 lap feature will cap off the nights racing action.
Pits open on Saturday, October 10th at 8:30am, rotating practice for all divisions will begin at 11am. Second round practice and Group Qualifying CRA Late Model Sportsman Series and CRA Street Stocks will begin at 2pm. Qualifying for the Broaster Chicken Top Speed Modifieds Run for the Gun will start at 3:30pm, EDCO Welding Pole Qualifying for the 44th Annual Winchester 400 for the ARCA/CRA Super Series will begin at 4:15pm. The race program will begin at 5pm with Top Speed Modifieds Last Chance races. The 50 lap CRA Late Model Sportsman Series Season Championship event will be up next, followed by the 25 lap Winchester 400 Last Chance race if needed. The Top Speed Modifieds 50 lap Run for the Gun will follow. The 50 lap CRA Street Stocks Season Championship event will cap off this huge night of racing. The Annual Winchester 400 Party in the Pavilion will start in immediately following the races with live music.
On Sunday, October 11th pits will open at 9am. There will be an on track autograph session with all the 44th Annual Winchester 400 drivers starting at 12:30. Opening ceremonies will begin at 1:30 pm with the 44th Annual Winchester 400 taking the green flag at 2pm.
For those fans that cannot attend the Winchester 400 Weekend events, 51 TV Pay-Per-View will broadcast all the racing events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Winchester 400 Weekend. Purchase the live Winchester 400 Weekend broadcast now at Speed51.com.
Additional track and event information can be found at www.winchesterspeedway.com. More information on all the CRA series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
