Salem, IN – For the first time in just about a month for both the CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS and the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS, it’s time to race once again. Salem Speedway will be the home of both Series on Saturday, July 22nd for the Hall Brothers Truck Leasing Midwest Street Stock Battle and the White’s Auto Sales 40. For the CRA Street Stocks, the return to Salem is the first visit since May of 2021; meanwhile, it’s the inaugural visit to Salem Speedway for the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman.
When the CRA Street Stocks last competed, it was back on June 24th as part of the Four Crown Series. The third race of the four race series was contested at Anderson Speedway. James Kirby, who led every lap of that contest, found victory lane ahead of Brett Hudson and Andrew Teepe. Other race winners this season include Blaine Akin, who knocked out his first career CRA Street Stock win with the season opener at Shadybowl Speedway in April, followed by another first time winner and current points leader, Dalton Conner at Anderson. Chuck Barnes, Jr won at Nashville in May with Kirby winning the most recent event.
The battle for the Points Championship is a tight one as well. Conner holds the advantage over four-time CRA Street Stock Champion and two-time defending champ, Jason Atkinson. Atkinson who hopes to become the first driver to ever win three consecutive CRA Street Stock titles, trails Conner by just 13 points heading into Saturday’s event. Teepe and Akin are still squarely positioned in contention for the championship as well, just a total of 32 points behind Conner.
Four times the CRA Street Stocks have unloaded at Salem Speedway since the series was born in 2005. A different driver has gone on to win in each visit, however, one namesake has conquered the track multiple times in those four visits. Brett Hudson won the first ever visit to the track in 2017 and Blake Hillard won the following year. After a three-year hiatus, the series visited again twice in 2021, with Chuck Barnes and Chuck Barnes, Jr winning in April and May respectively.
For the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman, this is their first-ever appearance at the high-banked half mile. So far this season, the CRA Late Model Sportsman have seen three different winners in three races. Josh Sage kicked the door in on the season with a win at Shadybowl Speedway, followed by Caleb Reschar’s first career win coming at Anderson Speedway April 15th. Jeff Marcum won the most recent CRA Late Model Sportsman event on June 17th at Anderson Speedway.
Reschar currently holds the lead in the Championship Points battle heading into this weekend. Logan Huckeba trails Reschar by 14 points, with rookie Glynn Neal in third, Greg Stillwell, Jr fourth, and Kent Carson fifth in series points. Just four races remain after Salem Speedway for the CRA Late Model Sportsman, including two visits to Anderson and two visits to Winchester Speedway to finish out the season.
For more information on the CRA Street Stocks or Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman, visit www.CRA-Racing.com. Find CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and follow @CRARacing on Twitter.
