Salem, IN (April 10, 2020) – Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS officials have announced that VanDoorn Racing Development will partner with CRA in 2020 as the sponsor of the VanDoorn Racing Development Rookie of the Year Award with the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models in 2020. VanDoorn Racing Development will award a VRD Bare Chassis to the highest finishing registered rookie in the 2020 Chase for the Championship with the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models. VanDoorn Racing Development has been a supporter of CRA at some level since the 2014 season.
The Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models will use the same Chase for the Championship playoff format that CRA has successfully used with its other four divisions since the 2017 season. The final three scheduled races will be utilized as the playoffs or “Chase” events. Prior to the start of the three races, the Regular Season Points Champion and the top 5 teams in wins (then points) that have attended 70% of the points events are eligible for the Chase. Prior to the season’s last event, the Regular Season Points Champion and the top 2 Chase for the Championship teams in wins (then points) during the Chase and were at all Chase events, will race for the season’s championship, with the highest finishing team in that event declared the season’s champion.
“We think the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models is going to continue to grow each year and become one of the top series in CRA,” remarked Butch VanDoorn. “2019 was a great first season for the series, there is already more interest for the 2020 season. There are some really good rookie drivers racing with the series this season and we are happy to be able to support the series with the Rookie of the Year Award!”
“We appreciate VanDoorn Racing Development coming on board to sponsor this award,” remarked Glenn Luckett, Managing Partner of CRA. “Johnny and Butch have both been huge supporters of CRA, both as racers and as sponsors for a long time. It’s great to see how those guys have continued to be so competitive on the track and how they have grown their business!”
Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models registered rookies for the 2020 season to date include Iowa native Kody King, Indiana natives Jordon Riddick and Nash Engdahl, Kansas native Dalton Turpin, Michigan natives Mason Surgener and Keegan Sobilo, and Ohio native Carson Lucas.
The Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models was a new racing series in 2019 to focus 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.
Some of the key components for the rule package for the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models will be the mandated use of the $3900 factory sealed Chevrolet Performance 602 crate engine. Teams will also be utilizing less expensive rear ends, transmissions and springs and spec KONI Shocks. The series will also be racing on 8-inch steel wheels and utilizing 8-inch Hoosier Racing tires. The series will compete on 3/8 mile and under racetracks with most events consisting of 8 lap heat races and a 25-lap feature.
Based in their new shop in Muskegon, Michigan, VanDoorn Racing Development provides a variety of services to short track racing. VanDoorn Racing Development was founded by three-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Johnny VanDoorn and three-time CRA Championship winning Crew Chief Butch VanDoorn. They offer complete cars, repair work, one stop setup and shock services. They work with all divisions of racecars from Sportsman to Late Models on asphalt and dirt. Contact VanDoorn Racing Development at 616-414-9071 or follow VanDoorn Racing Development on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vandoornracingdevelopment.
More information on all the CRA Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.