Salem, IN (June 23, 2019) – Middlesville, Michigan veteran racer Brian Bergakker was not one of the early favorites to win Saturday night’s ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS 100 lap event sponsored by Ross Mortgage at Flat Rock Speedway, but Bergakker, a past Champion and winner at Flat Rock in an Outlaw Late Model, proved he can also race a Template Super Late Model, getting his first ever CRA win by just over two seconds over a hard charging Kyle Crump and Austin Kunert.
“This is pretty cool to get this win,” remarked Bergakker in victory lane. “I wasn’t a big fan of the template cars, but my sponsor Central Transport wanted me to run some of these type races, so we got this car together and here we are standing in victory lane with the win. I really like this track, it’s a fun place to race, I knew once I got out front, I could get the win if we didn’t get any more yellow flags, and that’s what happened. Thanks to my sponsors and my crew for all their hard work!”
2018 Senneker Rookie of the Year Austin Kunert took full advantage of his pole starting position after Hamke Race Cars/Rowdy Manufacturing Fast Qualifier Brian Campbell drew a six for the inverted start, to grab the lead at the drop of the green flag. Bergakker started outside front row and raced several laps side by side with Kunert until Kunert got the position.
An early caution on lap 12 brought the field back together. Kunert and Bergakker again raced side by side for several laps when the field went back green. Berkakker was able to use the outside grove to grab the lead on lap 23 moving Kunert back to second.
Kyle Crump made his way to the front to first battle with Kunert for second place and finally made the pass of Kunert for the second position while the two battled hard in and out of lap traffic. Crump looked to possibly have a faster car at the end of the race that Bergakker, but just ran out of laps as the event went caution free after the lap 12 incident to the checkers.
Bergakker’s car had a white right front tire and wheel where he slipped up and got into the wall about halfway into the race, but the car was not damaged, and he was able to work his way through heavy lap traffic to get the win. The event was only his second ever race with the ARCA/CRA Super Series, he finished in fifth place in the June 10th Money in the Bank 150 at Berlin Raceway.
Bergakker picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for his pass of Kunert to get the lead on lap 23. Bergakker also picked up the Beyea Headers Halfway Leader Award.
Crump finished in second for car owners Stan and Judi Rosen, his highest ever series finish. The Brighton, Michigan racer came from his seventh starting position to finish in second and picked up the FLUIDYNE High Performance Cool Under Pressure Award.
Kunert would finish in third place, his best finish of the 2019 season. Three-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Johnny VanDoorn finished in fourth place. Michael Simko came from his 11th place starting position to finish in fifth place, picking up a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award and the Progressive Racing Engines Hard-Charger Award.
Fast Qualifier Campbell finished in fifth place after dropping back several positions at the start of the race. Evan Shotko and Hunter Jack battled hard at the end of the race for positions with Shotko finishing in seventh and Jack in eighth. 2017 series Champion Josh Brock finished in ninth place. Harold Fair Jr. came from his 13th place starting position to finish in 10th and picked up the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award.
Mark Neff’s team picked up the PitBoxes.com Pit Crew of the Race Award for Saturday nights event. The team and driver traveled from Colorado to compete in Saturday’s race and had to do some quick repairs after an upper control arm broke at the end of practice to have the car ready to qualify.
The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS will return to action next Sunday, June 30th at Toledo Speedway for another 100-lap event sponsored by Ross Mortgage. That event is make-up race from the April 20th event that was postponed because of weather.
More information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
