by Zach Hiser MARCNews.org
Rochester Hills, MI – With less than a month before the start of the 2026 season for the Turn One CRA Pro Series, more teams are signing up as Platinum Program members. The designation announces them as full-time teams for the upcoming campaign, and puts them in line for recurring cash bonuses, digital media assets, and event perks. The latest to sign as a Platinum Program member with CRA is Michigan native, Kevin Cremonesi.
Cremonesi signs after a year hiatus from Pro Late Model racing in the Great Lakes Region. The Metro Detroiter stepped aside from sitting behind the wheel in 2025 while focusing on his duties with Joe Gibbs Racing in North Carolina as an Engineer. While still a part of the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Cremonesi says he was planning to race most of the CRA Pro Series schedule before the Platinum Program was announced, which helped them commit to the full season.
“We were already planning on running eight races,” Cremonesi said. “When the announcement came out about the Platinum [Program], we thought, ‘What’s two more?’ I think anybody can look at it and do that math and see that it pays for itself if you run the whole [schedule].”
Behind the wheel of his family-owned VanDoorn Racing Development/MachineryForSale.com no.28, Cremonesi will chase a championship for the first time in over a decade. The last time he competed for a title was in 2015, racing for a local Late Model Sportsman Championship. Cremonesi says he’s ready to get back to racing after his time away.
“I’m very excited about it,” Cremonesi said. “After being away for a year and a bit, I have more appreciation for [racing], and I’m less anxious and have a better mindset. Not feeling like I need to run well – not that we ever ran poorly. I’m excited to get back and feel better going into it.”
Cremonesi says having job security in the industry takes stress off him as a racecar driver. Before, Cremonesi said he felt like he couldn’t have poor performances behind the wheel or his chances of doing anything professionally in the sport would be dashed. He says that his time at Joe Gibbs Racing has shown him how to handle bad days at the race track and how to bounce back and be more competitive because of them.
It’s not just Cremonesi who’s going to the race track in 2026. Typically a father-son duo at the track, Cremonesi says they’re excited to have another experienced mind helping in all aspects of the team.
“David Liaeff will be part of the team this season,” offered Cremonesi. “As a crew member, spotter, crew chief – really whatever we need. It’s always been my dad and me, and we sometimes struggle to find help. Obviously, [David has] run well and he’s done it for a few years. It’s a positive to have him helping most of the year.”
The bid for a Turn Once CRA Pro Series Championship starts on Saturday, April 18th from Toledo Speedway. Advanced tickets for the House of Meats 100 at Toledo Speedway are available at ToledoSpeedway.com. Fans who can’t make the trip can catch all the Turn One CRA Pro Series events live on TrackTv.com or RacingAmerica.Tv.
For more details on the Turn One CRA Pro Series, find CRA-Racing.com. Follow CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook, @CRARacing on X, and champion.racing.association on Instagram.