Winchester, IN – As teams continue to prepare for their respective races during the 53rd Winchester 400 Weekend Presented by Vore’s Welding & Steel, one Michigan based operation is putting in hours of extra work to try and accomplish something that hasn’t been attempted since 2022, and no driver since 2011 has completed all the scheduled laps. Chris Shannon, the driver from Lawton, Michigan will attempt to complete the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Winchester 100 on Friday, the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Winchester 40 on Saturday, and the 53rd Running of the Winchester 400 on Sunday.
Shannon is no stranger to the high banks of Winchester, Indiana and has found great speed at the track in recent years. In 2021, the No.32 found victory lane in the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman contest after taking the lead 14 laps into the 40 lap main event. A former regular at speedways in Michigan like Kalamazoo and Springport Mid-Michigan, Winchester offers a very unique set of challenges that are unlike anything Shannon is used to seeing. He says, despite that, Winchester Speedway is right up his alley.
“Statistically, now that we’re not racing Kalamazoo and Springport and all these other places, Winchester is my best race track,” Shannon said. “We’ve parked it on the podium and been able to win down there once. I think the biggest key to that place is saving your equipment until the time comes – there’s a lot of patience involved.”
Since 2014, four drivers have attempted the triple but fortune hasn’t been on anyone’s side in their quest to complete over 500 laps of racing in one weekend. The first driver to make the effort was Tommy Cook in 2014. Carburetor issues plagued his efforts in the JEGS Tour event and the 400, but a 9th place finish in the 50 lap Late Model Sportsman contest was the highlight of the weekend. In 2015, Jon Beach came the closest to seeing the checkered flag in all three events. He crossed the line 13th in the 400 and finished 5th in the Late Model Sportsman race. However, an issue in the JEGS Tour race took him out after just 18 laps. In 2017, Jack Smith attempted the triple but only saw five laps of racing in the JEGS Tour and 78 laps in the 400 with a runner up finish in the Late Model Sportsman. Brandon Varney has attempted the feat three different times (2018, 2020, 2022) with his best effort coming in 2020 when he completed 114 laps in the 400, all 50 laps in the Late Model Sportsman, but was involved in an accident just 19 laps into the JEGS Tour race.
Many drivers who have attempted the triple in the past put their focus into having strong runs in one or two of the contests throughout the course of the weekend, with plans to “start and park” the 400 or run until a certain part of the race and then pull in. For Shannon, he says they were considering that in their early conversations, but then decided they have as good a shot as anyone to make history.
“We were going to maybe start and park the 400, but then we heard there was a crate engine bonus and I’ve always wanted to run the 400,” Shannon explained. “So, we’ll cut back on the beer drinking and find some extra crew and it should be a ton of fun,” Shannon said on the decision to add the 400 to his weekend of racing.
With over 500 laps of on track time for Shannon and his No.32 team, he’ll have as many laps around the speedway as any of his competitors during the weekend. After a crash at Owosso Speedway that resulted in his car flipping down the front stretch, he’ll also bring a brand new race car to the famed ½ mile. Because of his history with the track and the brand new piece from VanDoorn Racing Development, Shannon and his team have set high expectations for the weekend.
“The car owner told me he wants at least two top fives, if not a couple wins out of the deal and I don’t think that’s too far out of the question,” Shannon said.
Another Michigan driver will turn a fair amount of laps around Winchester Speedway October 11th-13th as well, as Chris Munson plans to race in all three divisions. Historically known as a JEGS Tour or Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman driver, Munson will tag on for the Winchester 400 on Sunday as well. In fact, Munson plans to race twice on Friday night, going for the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman New Stars win after racing in the JEGS Tour’s Winchester 100. He’ll then enter the Late Model Sportsman Winchester 40 on Saturday before attempting to make his fourth Winchester 400 start on Sunday.
The 53rd Winchester 400 weekend is Friday, October 11th through Sunday, October 13th featuring the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance on Friday, the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman and CRA Street Stocks on Saturday, and the ASA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS with the ASA STARS National Tour on Sunday for the Winchester 400. A full schedule of events, Entry Form, and ticket information is available at CRA-Racing.com. Find CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and follow @CRARacing on X.
