Salem, Indiana (August 16, 2021): 13-year-old New Baltimore, Michigan teenager Keegan Sobilo shook off an early season streak of bad luck to finally get to race in his first Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models events of the season and made the most of it by winning the 8-lap heat race and the 25-lap feature Saturday night at Anderson Speedway. The win was Sobilo’s second series feature win after getting a win at Anderson Speedway in 2020.
The Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models are in their third season focusing on a youth movement for short track stock car racing that saw 10 to 15-year-old drivers compete amongst themselves for both experience and recognition in full size late models with an economical drive train and suspension alternatives.
Sobilo had a stuck throttle destroy one car in pre-season testing, then it happened again in open practice for the series season opener at Salem Speedway in May, knocking the front clip off the car. After repairs at FLF Racecars the team came to Anderson Speedway on June 12th, and had the throttle stick a third time in practice. After lengthy repairs on the front clip and the carburetor and hundreds of laps testing to get Sobilo’s confidence back, the team showed up at Anderson Speedway hoping to get back on track and they did that by leading all the laps in both the heat race and the feature.
“We took home the trophy tonight at Anderson Speedway, and it feels great,” remarked Sobilo in victory lane. “We started on the pole in both the feature and the heat race with the invert after qualifying 2nd! Incredible feeling to be back at it and do really well! Thanks to Steve Dorer for making the trip out to spot and help in the pits! Thank you to everyone at FLF Racecars/Finish Line Fabricating for all the work they’ve had to do and helping figure out our issues. Thanks to my dad for the continued support, especially with everything we’ve had happen this season!”
Veteran late model competitor Steve Dorer, a past winner at Anderson Speedway in the Redbud 400 with the ARCA/CRA Super Series and with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, came with the Sobilo team to be a driver coach for Sobilo at the Anderson event, lending his expertise on the fastest way around the fast quarter mile track. Dorer is a customer of FLF Racecars/Finish Line Fabricating and a good friend of Tim Curry, owner of those companies.
14-year-old Mason Surgener would finish in second in his second series event of the season. 12-year-old Carson Lucas, a three-time series feature winner in 2021, would finish in third place, right on the rear bumper of Surgener. 13-year-old Kaden White would finish in fourth place.
Lucas increased his Championship Points lead over White heading into the series Season Championship event at Toledo Speedway on Saturday, September 18th.
More information on the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models is available at www.cra-racing.com.
Photo – John Lund