2015 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year heading to Florida
Avon, Indiana (Tuesday, December 1, 2015): In an effort to get a leg up on the competition in anticipation of a full run in 2016, 19-year-old Quinnton Bear made four ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS starts in 2015. Two of those were behind the wheel of the Travis Braden Motorsports #01 West Virginia University ride and two more were in his own JEGS/CRA legal car utilizing a crate motor. With the racing season mostly done, except for one more rather important race, Bear has put together a one-race deal in that one event; which just happens to be the 48th annual Snowball Derby.
For the Derby, to be held at the fast 1/2 (0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, Bear has teamed up with the championship and rookie of the year winning team for the 2015 racing season in Downey Racing. 16-year-old Grant Quinlan took the familiar black and blue machine to both titles during the year becoming the youngest driver to do so. Now Bear will climb behind the wheel of the renumbered #94 with hopes of bringing the coveted Tom Dawson Trophy back to Avon, Indiana armed with not only the championship winning team, but with Port City Racecars own, Zach Dunson calling the shots on top of the pit box as crew chief.
“We’re very exciting to be teaming up with Brent Downey and his entire Downey Racing Team for the Snowball Derby. It will be my first time down there and man is the field stacked,” Offered the 19-year-old Hoosier State teenager. “I’m very excited for the opportunity. Downey has A+ equipment and it would be such an accomplishment to even make this show let alone have a chance to win the whole thing. The Snowball Derby is the biggest race in the country for Super Late Models and we’re really excited to head down there and show those guys what we can do.” He added.
In the four ARCA/CRA Super Series races that Bear participated in during the 2015 campaign, he was impressive in recording two top five finishes including a career high second place finish during Kalamazoo Klash XXIII in the Boyne Machine Company 125 at Kalamazoo Speedway (MI) on August 12th. He also has three top 10 showings and with only five total ARCA/CRA races on his resume, including one start in 2014, Bear is still able to keep his 2016 Rookie eligibility intact for the full schedule next season in the Port City Racecars House Car.
His accolades and accomplishments throughout the 2015 racing season haven’t gone unnoticed. For the 2016 campaign, Quinnton Bear Racing and Port City Racecars have teamed up to put Bear into the coveted slot behind the wheel of the famed Port City Racecars House Car for a run at the 2016 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship and Rookie of the Year titles. With backing and support from the esteemed Muskegon, Michigan based chassis builders, Bear will concentrate on Champion Racing Association (CRA) Powered by JEGS premier tour starting next season with the possibility of more events to be added before and after the 2016 CRA campaign.
“The opportunity to team up with Port City Racecars and for Quinnton to become the house driver for the upcoming 2016 ARCA/CRA season is a dream come true for us.” Stated proud Father, Fred Bear. “Port City is for sure a powerhouse in circle track racing and for sure builds some rockets on the track. Port City Racecars have been around for many years and for the company to recognize the talents of Quinnton is awesome. We are so happy for Quinnton to see his hard work on the track and off the track finally being noticed in a big way. I know my wife, Tina and I are very blessed to see our son have the opportunity to continue his racing dream with the support of Port City. We are so proud of him and we are behind him 100% in his racing.” The elder Bear remarked.
The Hoosier State teenager clinched the coveted Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance in 2015. In his last JEGS/CRA race, he had a chance at also securing the overall runner-up position in the final drivers points standings. After qualifying second quick out of 25 cars, a flat tire on the pace laps forced him to pit and restart at the tail of the field. Bear responded by battling his way back towards the front and came away with a fourth place finish to clinch the second place spot in the final JEGS/CRA Drivers points.
Bear was the only driver to compete in all 12 JEGS/CRA races in 2015 including the non-points SpeedFest 2015 back in January at Watermelon Capital Speedway (GA). He racked up an impressive six top five finishes, all within the last eight JEGS/CRA races including a season high second place finish at Dixie Motor Speedway (MI) on July 10th in the Dixie 100 Presented by JEGS.com. He also collected seven top 10 finishes and eight showings were at least a top 15 showing.
For the 48th Annual Snowball Derby, Bear will be driving the Downey Racing / Chevrolet that Grant Quinlan drove to the 2015 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship and Rookie of the Year titles. It will be renumbered #94 for the Derby and will carry sponsorship decals from Sparco as well as Buzze Racing, Bear’s Lawn Service, Bassett Racing Wheels, PGG Enterprises and McGunegill Engine Performance.
For more information and to inquire about additional sponsorship opportunities for 2016 campaign and a full schedule of events within the ARCA/CRA Super Series, go to the team website at: www.quinntonbear.com You can also go to the Facebook Fan Page at: www.facebook.com/bearracing94 on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/QuinntonBear94 and on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/bearracing_94
