Final Four Drivers set to Race for the Series Championship at Winchester
Salem, IN (September 26, 2017) – Chuck Barnes Jr. got a record sixth victory of the 2017 season in Sunday’s McGunegill Engine Performance 40 Presented by PGG Enterprises for the Lawrence Towing CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS part of the 2017 CRA Fall Brawl Presented by EDCO Welding at the Lucas Oil Raceway. Barnes Jr. breaks the record he was tied with, of five victories in a season that Beau Mitchell won during the 2007 season. The event signature trophy that includes a pair of boxing gloves is a trophy that had been a quest of Barnes Jr. for some time.
“Every race I won this year my kids ask where the boxing gloves were at,” remarked Barnes Jr., in victory lane. They had seen the gloves at the Fall Brawl before and wanted me to win those pretty bad, so it’s been my goal to get a pair of those for a couple of seasons. I’m glad we finally got it done today. The car was great, I have to thank my car owner Scott Holbert and all the crew that work on this race car, they have been there for all six wins this season!”
Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier Brett Hudson drew a 10 for the events inverted start putting fellow Owensboro, Kentucky native Logan Boarman on the pole for the event. Boarman took the early lead, for one lap before a yellow was thrown for fuel leaking from Boarman’s car handing the lead to JP Crabtree racing a car for Jimmy Kirby.
Crabtree got to lead one lap before Barnes Jr., who had charged up from his ninth place starting position, made the pass on lap three. Barnes Jr.’s lead was erased on a lap 15 caution putting fellow Kentucky native Hudson right beside him for the restart. The two raced side by side for the lead at the drop of the green flag. Hudson nosed ahead to lead lap 16, but Barnes Jr., held tight and nosed ahead on lap 17. From there Barnes Jr. would use the low groove to cruise to his win, his eighth overall series win, placing him tied for fourth on the series all time wins list with beau Mitchell.
Austin Coe came from his 13th place starting position to closing in the waning laps on Barnes Jr., hoping for a late caution that didn’t happen to finish in second. Coe picked up the T.C.I. Automotive Hardcharger Award. Mark Mason came from his eighth place starting position to finish in third. Hudson finished in fourth with Colby Lane in fifth place.
Champion Chase drivers Lane, sixth place finishing Thomas Skiles, seventh place finishing J.J. Schafer and ninth place finishing Andrew Teepe all raced their way into the series Champion Chase Final Four to race for the 2017 Owners and Drivers Championships on Saturday, October 7th at Winchester Speedway, as part of the 46th Annual Winchester 400 Weekend. The highest finisher in that race will be the 2017 series Champion, in the series first year using the Championship Chase format.
The four Chase drivers not advancing to race for the Championship included James Kirby III, Tony Lutz, Danny Adams and Cory Adams and #54 Car Owner Wendall Layne, but all these drivers and Owners will still be racing for their important final spots in the series final season points at Winchester.
For more information on all the CRA series go to www.cra-racing.com.
