Charlotte, North Carolina (Tuesday, May 26, 2015): In only his fifth career Super Late Model start, Hunter Baize was victorious. The 17-year-old, Breman, Kentucky native led flag-to-flag to pick up the ARCA/CRA Super Series victory in the Calypso Lemonade Chicagoland Showdown at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana, just south of Chicago on Monday afternoon. The win was his second straight Memorial Day Weekend victory. Last year, he went to victory lane in the Agroscapes 100 Presented by SizzleMarine.com & JEGS.com at Columbus Motor Speedway (OH) with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour on Saturday, May 24, 2014.
Baize qualified 11th and would start 2nd in the ARCA/CRA Super Series event. He took the lead on the lap one, led all 50 laps, and won in dominating fashion. It was his first career ARCA/CRA Super Series Late Model victory and the first win for a rookie at Illiana Motor Speedway in ARCA/CRA Super Series competition. After rolling an eight, Baize started 8th in the last 50 lap “Showdown.” He raced his way up to 3rd and with 17 to go, got spun by a lap car. He went on to finish 23rd.
“I am thrilled to pick up my first career Super Late Model win at Illiana Motor Speedway,” Baize said. “I can’t thank all the guys at VRD enough for giving me an extremely fast race car. I hope to carry this momentum throughout the season.”
Baize’s next event will be the Berlin 251 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, MI onTuesday, June 16, 2015. The Berlin 251 is the first of the ARCA/CRA Super Series Triple Crown events and will feature some of the top Super Late Model drivers and teams in the country.
This season Baize’s Van Doorn Racing Development Pro and Super Late Model race cars will carry sponsorship from Mountaineer All-Natural Firewood, B&K Wood Products, Kawasaki, Wood-Mizer, and Steel City Bolt.
