(June 6, 2018) – DuroByte Motorsports and 15 year old Ortonville, Michigan teenager Michael Clancy Jr. are ready to compete in this Friday’s Masters of the Pro’s 200 with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance at Birch Run Speedway located in Birch Run, Michigan, one of the closer events to the DuroByte Motorsports shop.
The Masters of the Pro’s 200 will pay $10,000 to win plus bonuses, making it the highest paying Pro/Crate Late Model event in the country currently scheduled for 2018. In addition, the winner will be awarded a signature green jacket, similar to the one that is known for adorning the champion of golf’s Masters event. The Masters of the Pro’s event will be 200 green flag laps, utilizing controlled cautions, and is an eight tire race, with teams only allowed to change a max of two tires per yellow.
2018 will be the sixth edition of the Masters of the Pro’s and for the first time, the event will be contested at the four tenths mile Birch Run Speedway. Fifty sSix laps have been added to the traditional 144 lap distance, making this 200 lap race the longest race in JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour history. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitor Chase Elliott won the inaugural Masters of the Pro’s event in 2013. Georgia teenager Anderson Bowen won the 2014 edition. NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor John Hunter Nemechek, son of NASCAR competitor Joe Nemechek, won both the 2015 and 2016 events. Borden, Indiana’s Cole Williams won the 2017 Masters of the Pro’s.
“I love racing at tracks in my home state of Michigan,” remarked Clancy Jr. “We have lots of family, friends, and sponsors who come out to support us, which is a lot of fun. I can’t do any of this without them so it’s great being able to have everyone at the track with us! We had a great car for the last Birch Run race so we are looking to pick up from there and hopefully bring home a good finish!”
Clancy Jr. qualified third out of the 30 cars on hand for the Dixie 100 series season opener on April 29th at Birch Run Speedway. Clancy Jr. was involved in an early caution, sending him to the tail of the field. Clancy Jr. took his time and worked his way back to the top five, when he was involved in another caution after trying to make a pass for second place. Clancy Jr.’s car was too damaged to continue.
“It’s great to see a big event like the Master of the Pro’s come to Mid-Michigan,” remarked Jimmy D Smith. “Birch Run Speedway is making a lot of improvements to the facility and this race is bringing in some very talented late model drivers from all over. It will be great late model racing and our team is really looking forward to this event. Michael did a great job at the last Birch Run race so we have high hopes for this weekend!”
The Masters of the Pro’s has an entry list full of talent including former NASCAR Cup legend Sterling Marlin, Southern racers Bubba Pollard, Jeff Choquette and Stephen Nasse, along with top Northern racers Brian Campbell, winner of the season opening Birch Run event, three time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Johnny VanDoorn, Harold Fair Jr., Jack Dossey III and Jack Smith.
The team competed in the series second event of the season, the WCIParts.com 100 at the Short Track U. S. Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, May 18th. Clancy Jr. qualified seventh fastest out of the 30 cars on hand for the event. Clancy was in great position racing with leader Jack Smith with eight laps to go. On a restart on lap 92 Clancy Jr. was looking to pass Smith on the outside, when another car made contact with Smith causing him to spin and collected Clancy Jr. The car was again too damaged to continue. Clancy Jr. hopes to end his string of DNF’s on Friday!
Clancy Jr. is currently fourth in series Championship points after two events. He is only 20 points behind point’s leader Mason Keller.
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 in selected ARCA/CRA Super Series events during the 2018 season.
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.
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.
