Special from DuroByte Motorsports – (April 26, 2018): DuroByte Motorsports, with 15 year old Ortonville, Michigan teenager Michael Clancy Jr. behind the wheel, are ready to start the 2018 racing season with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance in the series 2018 season opener this weekend at Birch Run Speedway. This will be the eighth season of competition for the crate late model touring series that ran its first event in 2011 and whose past champions include current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitor Erik Jones and current NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor Daniel Hemric.
The team recently signed NAPA Auto Parts as a Primary Sponsor in their quest for the 2018 Championship and their first win with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour. The team started their 2018 season with a trip down south to New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, for the 52nd Annual World Series of Stock Car Racing, were Clancy Jr. competed in the Pro Late Model Division.
“I’m really excited to get the season started for the year!” remarked Clancy Jr. “I’m very proud to have NAPA Auto Parts as a new sponsor for 2018. Our main goal for the year is to bring home the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship. We finished 2nd in 2017, so I am really wanting the championship this season!”
DuroByte Motorsports, owned by Murray Van Wieringen and spear headed by Crew Chief Jimmy D Smith, has a proud history of fielding competitive racecars with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour and ARCA/CRA Super Series since the 2013 season. DuroByte Motorsports has fielded cars for former NASCAR K&N Pro East Series competitor and JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event winner Dominique Van Wieringen, her younger brother Tristan Van Wieringen and Michael Clancy Jr. during the 2017 season. Tristan Van Wieringen will compete with the ARCA/CRA Super Series during the 2018 season.
“We are happy to have Michael Clancy Jr. back with us for a second year!” remarked Jimmy D Smith. “Our team will pick up where last season left off and continue to work hard to be competitive and consistent at every race this year to work towards the Championship. Birch Run Speedway is putting a lot of work into the facility which is great to see and we are looking forward to running there this weekend!”
2018 will be Clancy Jr.’s third season to compete with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, his second with DuroByte Motorsports. Clancy finished second in the series 2017 Championship Chase after getting a season high fifth place finish in the series Season Championship event at Winchester Speedway. Clancy had eight total top ten finishes with the series in 2017, including a streak of six straight top ten finishes, that helped them get into the Chase final four to race for the Championship. Clancy Jr. was the Fast Qualifier at two series events during the 2017 season, once at the Masters of the Pros 144 event at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and at the legendary Lucas Oil Raceway at the CRA Fall Brawl event.
DuroByte Motorsports will campaign Howe Racing Chassis Ford’s again in 2018 with Ford engines by Phil Harper. The team will have primary sponsorship from NAPA Auto Parts and the support of Made In Detroit for the entire 2018 season.
This weekend’s JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event will kick off with four 30 minute practice sessions on Saturday starting at 12:30pm. Qualifying will begin at 6:15pm. There will be an on track autograph session with all the race teams on Sunday starting at 12:30pm. Racing action will begin at 2pm with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour 15 lap last chance race. The race program will also include the Dixie 100 for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour. There is a stout field of 33 cars already entered for this weekend’s JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour season opener.
More information on DuroByte Motorsports is available at www. durobytemotorsports.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/durobytemotorsports. DuroByte Motorsports now features a new line of fan apparel which is available to order on their website.
More information on Michael Clancy Jr. is available at www.michaelclancyracing.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Michael-Clancy-Racing.
