Salem, IN (September 28, 2020) – Owensboro, Kentucky’s Brett Hudson finally got his dream win at Bristol Motor Speedway in Saturday night’s Pinty’s U.S. Short Track Nationals Presented by Vore’s Welding & Steel at Bristol Motor Speedway with the Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks Presented by JEGS. Hudson had watched rival Chuck Barnes Jr. get the win at Bristol the last three years, but this time it was Hudson’s turn to hold the victor’s sword!
“We finally got it done at Bristol,” remarked a jubilant Hudson in victory lane. “With the rain Friday we didn’t get much practice to work on the car we had a lot of plans to make a lot of changes but just didn’t have time. We were way loose every time we hit the track and after qualifying, we knew we had to take a swing at it or we had no shot, so we got the scales out and went to work. Got to thank Cliff Gaumond with his adjustment he suggested. Started 9th and patiently made my way to the front after several cautions and restarts and we were able to hold off Chuck Barnes Sr, he was pretty good on the short run and I was little better on long run.”
Hudson added,” I hate Barnes Jr. had problems and fell out but, I’ve lost several the same way, we were in the right place to get the win today. I got to thank my Mom and Dad for this opportunity and my whole crew for all the work and time they put in this weekend. It feels really god to be a winner at Bristol!”
Barnes Jr. had won the past three Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks events with the Pinty’s U.S. Short Track Nationals, and looked to have the car to beat Saturday after being the Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier of the 47 cars on hand for the event and receiving a $100 cash bonus for setting fast time from Mt. Lawn Speedway. Barnes Jr.’s day would end on lap 18 after blowing out a transmission seal.
Hudson patiently worked his way to the front from his ninth place starting position to grab the lead from Salem Speedway competitor David Bayens on lap 26. Hudson had to survive several restarts with Chuck Barnes Sr. right beside him, but would go on to get the win by a little over 1.2 seconds over Barnes Sr. For his pass for the win, and ability to hold off all challengers, Hudson was awarded the KRJ Race Products Sweet Move of the Race Award. The win was Hudson’s series leading third win of the 2020 season with the Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks.
Barnes Sr. would finish in second, tying his best finish in the event when he finished second to his son last year. Barnes Sr. was a winner at Bristol in the former Kimmel Street Stocks Series.
Andrew Teepe would finish in third, highest among the series Chase for the Championship competitors and locking himself into the final four drivers who will race for the series Championship at Winchester Speedway on October 10th on Winchester 400 Weekend Presented by JEGS.
Florida driver Bubba Winslow would come from his 16th place starting position to finish in fourth and picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for his charge to the front. Former series Champion Jeff Lane debuted a brand-new car and brought it home in fifth place.
Leading series Rookie Brandon Roberts would finish in sixth, locking himself into the four drivers racing for the series Championship at Winchester. Josh Poore would finish in seventh, also locking himself into the final four drivers to race for the series Championship.
The fourth of the four drivers to race for the series Championship is Jason Atkinson, who was locked in by winning the series regular season Championship and winning the Chase event at Lucas Oil Raceway. Atkinson crossed the finish line in third at Bristol but did not pass post-race inspection.
Salem Speedway regular Brian Bayer finished in eighth after having to make extensive repairs to his car after an on-track incident in Friday’s practice. Florida racer Kenny Gibson finished in ninth place with Ohio’s Josh Way in tenth.
The next Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks event will be the series Season Championship 50 lap event on Saturday, October 10th at Winchester Speedway. Additional event information and information on all the CRA Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
