Salem, IN. (September 17, 2017) – Three time ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS Champion Johnny VanDoorn took a big step towards trying to become the first to ever driver to win four series Championships by winning Saturday’s ARCA/CRA Super Series portion of the Central Transport Glass City 200 presented by the Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn and Courtyard by Marriott at Toledo Speedway, in front of a big crowd at Toledo Speedway. This was the first time the series had been a part of the prestigious event that also featured a 100 lap event for the ARCA Outlaw Late Models, which was won by former CRA competitor JR Roahrig.
“It’s great to get the win in the first ever Glass City event with the ARCA/CRA Super Series,” remarked a joyous VanDoorn in victory Lane. “I love this track, it’s always fun to race here. The car was really good, that was a long run and we just kept passing cars until the end. It’s great to be locked into the series Championship event, which is also the Winchester 400, a win at that race would be awesome!”
VanDoorn started the day by capturing the PlayZone of Toledo/EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award, which was worth $600. He then drew a nine for the events inverted start, placing rookie Kyle Crump on the pole. Crump shot to the lead at the drop of the green flag, while the rest of the field battled for positions behind him. The events only caution flew on lap 10 when Rapheal Lessard, Dalton Armstrong and Tristen Van Wieringen got together with Lessard and Armstrong both receiving damage, all three cars pitted and were able to come back out and race.
The big surprise on the lap 10 caution is when leader Crump suddenly pulled down pit road with a steering problem, handing the lead to Spring Toledo series winner Brian Campbell. Campbell would keep the lead on the lap 11 restart, with VanDoorn coming through the field quickly to start his pursuit of Campbell. It looked like it would be another classic Campbell and VanDoorn battle for the win when Campbell’s car started to show smoke and slowed to come to pit road on lap 29, with his day ended.
VanDoorn grabbed the lead on lap 28 from the slowing Campbell and started to distance himself from the rest of the field with only Harold Fair Jr. in pursuit. Both cars raced through the field, lapping through fourth place before VanDoorn took the checkers, almost two seconds in front of Fair Jr. VanDoorn collected the $5000 first place money, the $600 Fast Qualifier bonus and the $200 Team Construction Clean Sweep Award bonus. The win was VanDoorn’s third win of the season putting him in a three way tie for most series wins in 2017 along with Campbell and Travis Braden.
Fair Jr. got his second series runner up finish in the three series events he has raced in 2017. Fair Jr. lost an oil line in the series last practice session and looked to be questionable on racing in the event, but his crew went to work and got the car ready to qualify and eventually race. For their efforts Fair Jr.’s crew picked up the PitBoxes.com Pit Crew of the Race Award. Fair Jr. also picked up a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award and the Hamner Racing Engines Hardcharger Award after advancing 10 positions in the race.
Tyler Ankrum battled in the top five throughout the race and got a third place finish, earning the FLUIDYNE Cool Under Pressure Award. Senneker Performance Rookie of the Year competitor Hunter Jack finished in fourth and earned the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Race Award and the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for his late pass of fifth place finisher Brett Robinson. Robinson picked up the Sweet Manufacturing Sweet Move of the Race Award after gaining eight positions to get his fifth place finish.
With the win, VanDoorn joined Armstrong as the two Chase winners in the first three events of the series Championship Chase, earning each of them an automatic berth in the series Championship event, the Winchester 400 on October 8th. Sixth place finisher rookie Logan Runyon and 12th place finisher Wes Griffith Jr. earned the other two spots to race for the Championship at Winchester by being third and fourth in Chase points after Toledo. The highest finisher of those four drivers in the Winchester 400 will be crowned the 2017 series Champion. Jack was the only other Chase driver, but came up short on points to advance to the Championship event.
The next ARCA/CRA Super Series event will be the 46th Annual Winchester 400 on the famous High Banks of Winchester Speedway on Sunday, October 8th. Additional information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series can be found at www.cra-racing.com.
Photo by: Level Pebble Racing Pics
