Salem, Indiana (July 12, 2020): 13 year old Dryden, Michigan racer Katie Hettinger made a great pass for the lead on lap four and dominated the rest of the way in picking up her first Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models win Saturday night at the Indianapolis Speedrome. The event was only the second race of the season for the series after COVID-19 pandemic caused several series events to be postponed or cancelled
The Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models is in their second season focusing on a youth movement for short track stock car racing that saw 10 to 15-year-old drivers compete amongst themselves for both experience and recognition in full size late models with an economical drive train and suspension alternatives. Saturday nights event was the second of nine currently scheduled events for the 2020 season.
The Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models teams participated in one practice session on Saturday before heavy rains hit the facility resulting in an almost three-hour delay. The teams then hit the track for a last practice/group qualifying session where 13-year-old Kody King claimed his first ever MPM Marketing Fast Qualifier Award.
After the five-car inverted start 12-year-old Dawson Knaul was on the pole for the feature event that was extended to 30 laps after heat races were cancelled because of the rain. Knaul grabbed the early at the drop of the green flag with Hettinger on his outside, the pair raced side by side for the first lap before Knaul pulled out front. Hettinger dropped in behind Knaul and immediately went to work to find a way around. Hettinger would make that move and grab the lead with an inside pass in turn two to lead lap four. Hettinger would gone to win by over six seconds and picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for her pass for the lead and eventually the win.
“This is awesome to get my first Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models win,” remarked a very happy Hettinger in victory lane. “I have to thank my crew for working so hard to give me a great car tonight. I also have to thank my parents for their support of all my racing. I also have to thank all my sponsors, without their support I wouldn’t be able to do this and get this win!”
13-year-old Nash Engdahl would finish in second. Dawson would finish in third. 14-year-old Evan Varney finished in fourth. King would finish in fifth place.
The next Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models event will be Sunday, August 2nd at the Kil-Kare Raceway. More information on the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models is available at www.cra-racing.com.
Photo by: John Lund – CRA