Burch Run, MI – A packed house witnessed Birch Run Speedway’s “Big One” featuring the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance and Reveal The Hammer Outlaw Super Late Models. Both series were making their final visits in 2023, with the Triple Crown Championship up for grabs for JEGS/CRA and the Reveal The Hammer portion was their next-to-last points event.
Kyle Crump was fast qualifier over the 18-car JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour field. However, after the redraw, Brandon Varney started on the front row alongside David Liaeff for the 100-lap affair. Varney claimed the lead at the start as the field jockeyed for position behind. Fourth place starting Crump moved into second, going around Liaeff on lap two. The field strung out and by lap 10 the top five were Brandon Varney, Crump, Liaeff, Kevin Cremonesi, and Evan Varney. Dan Leeck closed on the top five by lap 12, after passing Barrett Polhemus with Jimmy Tucker, Steve Dorer, Ethan Stadnuczik, and Chase Burda battling behind.
Points leader Burda moved past Stadnuczik and then got around Dorer on lap 27 and then ten laps later, got by Polhemus on the outside on lap 37 to move into seventh. Brandon Varney continued to hold the lead over Crump, with Liaeff challenging Crump for second on lap 47. Burda continued his climb to the front, getting by Leeck out of turn four. The caution then flew at lap 50, as the series has a rule that when they run 50 consecutive green flag laps, they have a competition yellow. Leeck, Guy Fire, Jeff Vrsek, and Dorer all came pit side and rejoined the field at the tail of the lead lap cars.
Varney chose the inside of the restart, but Crump got a better start and was able to take over the top spot. Burda would maneuver his way from sixth on the restart to second but was unable to overcome a three-second deficit as Crump crossed the line first in his TK Racing/Lisa Thomas Salon/VanDoorn Racing Development #71. By virtue of his second-place finish, Burda secured the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship as well as the Birch Run Speedway Triple Crown Championship! David Liaeff completed the podium with Kevin Cremonesi and Evan Varney rounding out the top five.
With the second place finish, Burda was able to capture the Triple Crown Championship for the second consecutive time. Plus, by virtue of starting Saturday’s race, Burda also had mathematically clinched the 2023 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Championship.
The next event for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour is Friday, October 13th at Winchester Speedway. For more information on the JEGS Tour or Champion Racing Association, log onto www.cra-racing.com. Find CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and follow @CRARacing on Twitter.
