It was wild in Whittemore as JEGS / CRA All-Stars Tour drivers took to the track for the eighth time in 2024, as the Instacoast Fourth Up North 104 marked the six-points-paying round of the year. With qualifying being rained out the grid would be set based on owner points with Chase Pinsoault (No.14) and Blake Rowe (No.71) leading the field to green.
With the sellout crowd on their feet, Pinsonault and Rowe went right to work fighting for the top spot. Rowe would narrowly lead lap one and remain the leader through most of the race. Trouble didn’t take long to brew as 2x JEGS / CRA All-Stars Tour champion Dan Leek went for a spin-off turn 2. The race would restart with 101 laps to go. Blake Rowe would pull away looking like the clear favorite as the action picked up from third on back. Chase Burda (No.18) and Brandon Varney (No.61) continued to bump for position as Steven Ulman who started 12th would quickly drive into the top 5 as he would be one of the few drivers to find speed in the second groove.
The Competition Yellow would fly with 51 laps to go, as Blake Rowe would once again have his championship competitors ready to strike. After the restart, Matt Hogan (No.12) would spin in turn 1 giving the field a shot to make up spots. Another restart would entail as fireworks went off in the distance sparks flying on the track. Chase Pinsonault would be stuck on the outside as Chase Burda, Brandon Varney, and Steven Ulman would sneak through.
The caution would once again come out when Evan Varney (No.16) went for a loop in turn 4. Chase Burda would restart second sizing up the wildest restart of the night as Rowe and Burda would get together coming off turn two. Rowe went over the backstretch berm parking it near the access road leading towards the back pits. Blake would not get his spot back as replay showed the 71 coming up into Burda’s 18 with little room to run.
Yet another restart would have the field charge into turn 1 with now Steven Ullman challenging Burda for the lead. Brandon Varney would make it three wide on the bottom with Ullman speeding off the outside lane to take the top spot. Brandon Varney would close the gap to a car length but would be too late for a move as Steven Ullman would take the checkered flag victorious in Whittemore.
Steven Ullman would become the 8th different JEGS / CRA All-Stars tour winner of 2024 continuing the streak of nobody repeating victory this year. Next, the JEGS will make its way to Toledo Speedway on Friday, July 26th for the 9th race and 7th points-paying event of 2024. Will we see a new favorite for the championship? Find out in less than three weeks as the title fight continues.
