Salem, IN (May 21, 2018) – Louisville, Kentucky native used patience and saved his tires for a late race run to pass fellow Kentucky native Brett Hudson to get his second consecutive Rusty Wallace Automotive Group Short Track U.S. Nationals Presented by Vore’s Welding & Steel at Bristol Motor Speedway win, in the EDCO Welding 50 with the Lawrence Towing Street Stocks Powered by JEGS on Sunday afternoon. With the win Barnes Jr. is the first and only two-time Short Track U.S. Nationals winner.
“It was a hell of a race,” remarked Barnes Jr. “Hudson is a tough racer, he’s always up on the wheel and runs flat out every lap. I knew the only way I was going to win was to stay out of trouble, save my tires and make a run towards the end. We got lucky with the caution, if it didn’t happen, I don’t know if I could have caught him.”
Barnes Jr. was the Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier of the 69 cars on hand for the Short Track U.S. Nationals, he drew an eight for the events inverted start. Jacob McElfresh started on the pole with Skeeter Crum to his inside. It took several attempts to get in the first laps with several first lap incidents. Finally Crum used the outside to grab the lead on the third attempt at going green. Crum would only lead one lap before Hudson charged to the lead on lap two. Hudson would fight off Barnes Jr., who had worked his way to second, on several restarts, Hudson would pull away each time, even leading by a two and a half seconds one time.
Hudson saw his lead disappear when the last caution flew on lap 36, setting up the events final restart. Barnes Jr. would stay with Hudson on the start, the two raced side by side for a lap before Barnes Jr. was able to make the pass and get the lead, earning both the Racers Parts Wholesale Sweet Move of the Race Award as well as the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race. Barnes Jr. would go on to get the win, Hudson never gave up, trying to make a last lap charge to get to Barnes Jr.’s bumper, but it wasn’t enough.
Barnes Jr. added, “I just did what I needed to do and let him run his stuff down. We just took care of our equipment and thank God he raced us clean. I have to thank my whole team and my car owner Scotty Holbert for giving me this opportunity. It was great having my dad finish in third, it was a good day for our family!”
For the second straight year Hudson finished in second in the Short Track U.S. Nationals EDCO Welding 50. Barnes Sr. fell back, in the bottom of the top five, but worked his way back up to finish in third. James Kirby came from his 14th place starting position to finish in fourth place. Crum would finish in fifth place.
Calvin Parham finished in sixth place. Jeremie Wiggins finished in seventh. Jake Hinton came from his 23rd starting position to finish in eighth. Jason Atkinson finished in ninth. Nathan Greene finished came from his 22nd starting position to finish in tenth.
Florida racer Dayton Sidner was the TCI Automotive Hardcharger Award winner, coming from the 36th starting position, dead last, to finish in 12th place. Iowa veteran racer Dan Banker won the 25 lap B Feature to advance into the A Main.
The series next event will be on the High Banks of Salem Speedway in the GAS/CRA Challenge on Sunday, June 3rd. For more information on all the CRA series go to www.cra-racing.com.
