A total of 325 laps are on tap during this year’s running of SpeedFest at Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Georgia. Like in recent years, the popular Champions Racing Association-sanctioned event will feature 200 laps for the ARCA/CRA Super Series and 125 laps for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour. Before the engines fire on Sunday, January 31, Speed51.com’s Elgin Traylor takes you through the history of the event in this version of “By the Numbers.”
3 – John Hunter Nemechek eyes a third straight win in the Pro Late Model feature this year at SpeedFest. Nemechek won his last Pro Late Model start when he captured the prestigious Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway last December.
6 – Chase Elliott has six wins at SpeedFest, three in Super Late Model and three in Pro Late Model. Elliott has yet to file an entry for this year’s event, but still has six wins in a total of nine starts. He has also completed every lap he’s ever run at the event.
8 – Bubba Pollard has never won at SpeedFest, but the Georgia driver has logged eight top-five finishes and three of those have been second-place finishes.
11 – Since the years of the doubleheader event there have been 11 different pole winners in the event between the two races. Only Bubba Pollard and Johnny Sauter have won the honor more then once.
Pole Winners
Bubba Pollard 3 (2 SLM, 1 PLM)
Johnny Sauter 2 (SLM)
Casey Roderick SLM
Steve Wallace (SLM)
Paul Kelley (SLM)
David Ragan (SLM)
Brandon Johnson (PLM)
Dwayne Buggay (PLM)
Chase Elliott (PLM)
Jeff Cannon (PLM)
John Hunter Nemechek (PLM)
For the record Georgia drivers have won 8 of the 14 pole awards.
14 – At the age of Derek Kraus will have a lot of eyes on him at SpeedFest, but he already made some of us believers at the Snowball Derby in December. He qualified for the race and kept his nose clean up until a late race wreck.
15 – The 2013 Pro Late Model version of SpeedFest had some amazing numbers. A total of 15 lead changes were recorded, as five different drivers shared the top spot.
51 – For the second straight year, fans unable to make it to Georgia for SpeedFest can watch all of the action live on Speed51 TV. Video tickets can be purchased now by clicking here.
91 – Ty Majeski will be one to watch as he’s not only one of the hottest drivers in his region, but also nationwide. After a podium run at the Snowball Derby and a win at the Florida Governor’s Cup 200 more good things look to follow this year.
125 – The Pro Late Model race will be 125 laps again this season. The distance has been as high as 150, but it’s at 125 again this season.
200 – The Super Late Model race will be 200 laps this season. It has been at this distance for all but one SpeedFest event, when the race was ran as a 250-lap feature.
400 – Kyle Busch has led 400 laps in the Super Late Model portion of SpeedFest. He led a record 216 laps of the 250 in 2010. Busch recently announced that he will be competing in this year’s running of SpeedFest.
.750 – Kyle Busch returns to SpeedFest looking to better his .750 batting average having won three times in four starts. Busch was fifth in his lone start at the old USA International Speedway (FL).
Extra Talent: Some extra talent will be around for this years running of SpeedFest. The defending NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion William Byron will be on hand. Last year’s Blizzard Series champion Casey Roderick is in the mix along with former Redbud 300 winner Steve Dorer. Last year’s World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing champion Zane Smith and veteran Scott Hantz are some of the other big name that will help lead the all star cast.
Transition: Brandon Setzer will be making the trip to SpeedFest after winning three times on the CARS Tour in 2015.
Looking for a Sleeper?: Watch guys like Bret Holmes and Scotty Ellis in the Super Late Model race while Derek Scott Jr. and Chris Dilbeck could turn some heads in the Pro Late Model race.
Rusty Starts: The Super Late Model race in 2013 had a series record, and perhaps a short track record ,25 caution periods. Don’t worry there will not be a full moon on this particular weekend this time around.
SpeedFest Super Late Model Winners
2015 Chase Elliott
2014 Chase Elliott
2013 Jeff Choquette
2012 Kyle Busch
2011 Chase Elliott
2010 Kyle Busch
2009 Kyle Busch
2008 Jeff Choquette
2007 Eddie Hoffman
2006 Mike Fritts
2005 Charlie Menard
SpeedFest Pro Late Model Winners
2015 John Hunter Nemechek
2014 John Hunter Nemechek
2013 Chase Elliott
2012 Chase Elliott
2011 Chase Elliott
2010 Greg Simpson
2009 Greg Simpson
-By Elgin Traylor, Speed51.com Southeast Correspondent – Twitter: @ElginTraylor
-Photo credit: Bruce Nuttleman/Speed51.com
