Qualifying Results – OFFICIAL Race Results
Legendary high-banks of Winchester Speedway hosts the ARCA/CRA Super Series for the 41st time in series history
Winchester, Indiana (Monday, September 7, 2015): The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS began the stretch run of the 2015 racing season with the traditional Labor Day Holiday Weekend World Stock Car Festival on Sunday-Monday. September 6-7th. The legendary 1/2 (0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of Winchester Speedway (IN) in Winchester, Indiana served as hosts for the one and only tune-up for the prestigious 44th Running of the Winchester 400 on October 9-11th. The Winchester 100 highlighted the Labor Day Holiday Weekend in Eastern Indiana.
This event was the 41st all-time appearance at the famed high-banks as the Winchester 400 tune-up race brought a stellar 30-car field to Eastern Indiana. When all was said and done, Norman, Oklahoma standout, Christopher Bell took full advantage of his outside row starting spot and the 20-year-old winner of the Mud Summer Classic for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway (OH) back on July 22nd, made the most of his first ever appearance at the famed 1/2 mile high-banks in Winchester, Indiana with his first career ARCA/CRA Super Series triumph.
“It’s pretty awesome to win, but I tell you it’s also really surprising. I didn’t expect to come here and win in my first start. This place just suits my style with the banking. It’s fast and you slide around and it’s just what I like to do.” Offered the Kyle Busch Motorsports Development Driver after climbing from his #51 Toyota Care / Kyle Busch Motorsports / Toyota. “The best part about today is we learned so much for when we come back here in October for the 400. Plus this gives us a leg up on Erik (Jones) when he gets here next month. I’d be happy if he were to win that bonus, but I’d rather be the one celebrating the win and getting that gun.” Bell added.
After EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier, Ali Kern drew the maximum of a 10 for an inversion; it would be Stephen Nasse and Bell leading perhaps the strongest starting field for the World Stock Car Festival in the events storied history leading a massive 30-car pack to Chief Starter, Brian Duncan’s green flag. Bell would carry his momentum into the first two corners and propel himself around Nasse to take the lead. Over the course of the race, several cautions flew for incidents resulting in several cars tagging the wall ending their afternoons early than planned.
Throughout it all, Bell would maintain the point and having to deal with a variety of challengers throughout the century distance race. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion, Daniel Hemric would be the final challenge to mount a charge at Bell, an accomplished dirt driver with wins in the World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series. Bell hung tough however as he would led all 100 laps, picking up the VanDoorn Racing Development Lap Leader award in the process, on his way to his first career ARCA/CRA Super Series triumph.
Hemric came away with a notebook full of information in preparation for the Winchester 400 next month and a second place finish in his #5 First Community Bank / Ford. The 24-year-old from Kannapolis, North Carolina also received the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance award after starting eight in the field. Defending race winner and 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion, Cody Coughlin completed the podium finishers as the 19-year-old from Delaware, Ohio in his #1 JEGS.com / Toyota finished in third after starting seventh.
The youngest driver on the property, 14-year-old Harrison Burton tied a career high ARCA/CRA Super Series finish with a fourth in his #12 Dex Imaging / Toyota. The son of NBC Sports Network Television Broadcaster and former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star, Jeff Burton also finished fourth in his only other ARCA/CRA start, which came at SpeedFest 2015 back in January. The Huntersville, North Carolina teenager left Eastern Indiana with a few awards including the FLUIDYNE High Performance Cool Under Pressure award as well as the VanDoorn Racing Development Fastest Practice Lap award.
19-year-old Quinnton Bear completed the top five in two-time reigning ARCA/CRA Champion, Travis Braden’s renumbered #94 West Virginia University / Chevrolet. The Avon, Indiana driver scored the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race award with a daring three-wide pass out of turn two to move into fifth place, a spot he would not relinquish for the remainder of the race.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East regular and part-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, 17-year-old Dalton Sargeant collected what is his ARCA/CRA Super Series career high finish of a sixth while Three-Time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, Scott Hantz earned the Hedman Hedders Husler award with his seventh place showing after having to pit multiple times early in the race. Former Winchester 400 Winner, Ross Kenseth came away with an eighth place showing as Terry Fisher Jr., was ninth over Mike Stacy who collected both C.V. Racing Products Hard-Charger award and the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance award after completing the top 10. Mark Lambert’s 11th place run was good enough for the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Race award.
The day before in EDCO Welding Qualifying, Kern out-timed the impressive 30-car field on the property with a 15.528 which equals out to a fast 115.920mph. The ARCA/CRA Super Series Track Record remains in the possession of 2007 Series Champion, Chris Gabehart as back on October 17th, 2009 he went a blistering 14.935 around the famed 1/2 mile. His lap measured out to an impressive 120.522mph.
There’s very little time for the ARCA/CRA Super Series teams to reflect upon the Labor Day Weekend as the cars and stars of CRA’s premier tour will head to the Buckeye State and to the 1/3 (0.333) mile semi-banked, circular shaped paved oval of Columbus Motor Speedway (OH) located southeast of Columbus in Obetz, Ohio on Sunday, September 13th. The 2nd Annual Bud St. Amant Memorial 125 will highlight the special Sunday afternoon show in an event promoted by JVM Enterprises.
This event will mark the 10th all-time appearance in the Buckeye State capital. Two-Time Reigning Series Champion, Travis Braden scoring the most recent win in what was the Inaugural Bud St. Amant Memorial back in 2014. In addition, Three-Time Series Champion, Scott Hantz and 2003 Series Champion, Bobby Parsley have also visited victory lane in Columbus, Ohio. So has Canadian Legend, Junior Hanley while Brian Campbell and his Father, Fred Campbell. Plus Ross Kenseth, Jack Landis and Robbie Pyle have also all earned trips to victory lane.
For more information about the remainder of the 2015 racing season within all four touring series’ of Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, go to the series website located at: www.cra-racing.com You can also follow along with all of CRA’s touring series’ on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ChampionRacingAssociation and on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/CRAracing Finally, for more information about Columbus Motor Speedway, the host track for the 12th race of the season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series, go to the track website at: www.columbusspeedway.com
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.
