Salem, IN (July 13, 2021) – Brighton, Michigan driver Kyle Crump came from two laps down to win a rough and tumble 55th Annual Greg Hubler Automotive Group Redbud 400 Presented by Mitch Smith Auto Service and Perfecto at Anderson Speedway Monday Night. The event was part of the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS 25th Anniversary Season Presented by Team Construction and left the fans standing on their feet as the checkered flag flew.
“Man, I can’t believe it, I just won the Redbud 400,” remarked an extremely excited Crump in victory lane. “This is a race that I have watched and followed since I was a kid. I was just thrilled to finally get to race in this event tonight, but now I can say I am a Redbud 400 winner, what a thrill. I must thank my car owners Stan and Judi Rosen, they gave me this great opportunity, I would not be here without them. I want to thank my crew, everyone who helped work on this car tonight and all season. This is truly a team effort, they just gave me a great car to drive tonight!”
A string of late race cautions set up a wild and crazy finish as seven drivers still on the lead lap, all thought they still had a chance to win one of the top Template Super Late Model events in the country. Several drivers were penalized in the late stages of the event for rough driving and being a part of the cautions, giving several drivers a chance to be up front after almost 400 grueling laps that saw a lot of attrition from mechanical issues and hard racing.
Roscoe, Illinois driver Austin Nason inherited the lead after a lap 380 caution on a restart win leader Dalton Armstrong and defending Redbud 400 winner Carson Hocevar made contact on the front stretch resulting in Hocevar spinning and making hard contact with the wall in turn one and Armstrong going to the tail of the lead lap cars after drifting up in his lane and pinching Hocevar into the wall prior to the spin. Armstrong had led from lap 89 through lap 380 after passing Hocevar for the lead.
On the final restart Crump used the bump and run on Nason entering turn one with Nason drifting up the track allowing Crump to make the pass to take the lead and Sammy Smith to move into second. Crump would go on to get the biggest win of his career with a battered race car and his second victory with the ARCA/CRA Super Series.
Crump was penalized by series officials earlier in the event when he stopped on the track to create a caution after having a flat tire. Crump was awarded two free passes after being the first lap car eligible for the free pass on two cautions. Crump was then able to work his way to the front and be in the right place at the right time to race for the win.
Crump added,” We had a great long run car, I thought our race was over after we lost those two laps, but we got some luck and got two free passes and I was able to get back into a position to be able to race for the win!”
Besides the $15,000 first place prize money, Crump’s team picked up the PitBoxes.com Pit Crew of the Race Award after making hasty repairs on pit road to the front of the car giving Crump a chance to race for the win.
Smith would finish in second place after starting 17th earning a Hoosier Race Tire Performance Award and the Progressive Racing Engines Hardcharger Award. Nason would hang on to finish in third place. 2019 series Champion Greg Van Alst would battle back from a lap down to finish in fourth place. Stephen Nasse would recover from a late race caution to finish in fifth place.
Three time Little 500 winner at Anderson Speedway Kody Swanson would survive after losing power steering to get a sixth-place finish and earn the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award. Armstrong would finish in seventh after being involved in two other late race cautions. JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour regular James Krueger would come from his 22nd place starting position to finish in eighth, earning a Hoosier Race Tire Performance Award and the Sweet Manufacturing Sweet Move of the Race Award. Hamke Race Cars Fast Qualifier Jesse Love would finish in ninth place with Mason Keller rounding out the top 10.
Additional information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series can be found at www.cra-racing.com.
Photo – John Lund
