Final Four Set for the Chase for the Championship
Salem, IN (September 30, 2019) – Multi-time Anderson Speedway late model Champion Jeff Marcum used all his experience to grab his second win of the season with the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS Saturday night at Anderson Speedway. Marcum powered by early leader Cassten Everidge to grab a lead he would keep the rest of the way.
“I knew that was my chance to take the lead,” Marcum remarked. “The field was so tight in qualifying and I wanted to take advantage of fresh tires at the beginning of the race. I expected to see the 53 (Tinkle) car behind me if there was a late caution, he’s been really tough this year. It’s always good to get a win when CRA is here at Anderson, there’s always a good group of racers here for these races!”
Everidge grabbed the early lead from his outside pole starting position after Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier Ronnie Rose drew a six for the events inverted start. Everidge got to start on the pole after scheduled pole sitter Cory Setser found a blown head gasket after qualifying and couldn’t start the feature.
Marcum fell in behind Everidge and immediately started applying pressure to get by when the first caution of the event flew on lap four after contact between Brandon Varney and Rose resulted in Varney spinning. Both competitors had to restart at the tail of the field.
On the restart Marcum powered into the lead with an outside move entering turn one. From there Marcum opened a comfortable lead but there was a heated fight for the second position between Everidge, Zachary Tinkle, Austin Coe and Varney.
The second caution flag waved on lap 68 when Coe spun on the back straight after several cars checked up. Marcum maintained the lead over Everidge on the restart while Tinkle was looking for a way to move into the second spot. The caution flag waved for the third and last time for debris on lap 69 setting up a six-lap run to the finish.
Marcum again held off Everidge at the drop of the green on the events final restart, but Everidge was under fire from Tinkle, who knew he needed every point he could get to advance to the final four of the series Chase for the Championship. Tinkle moved into second place on lap 71 with an inside pass of Everidge after some contact between the two competitors. Tinkle started to close on Marcum but came up .467-seconds short at the finish.
With the win Marcum is now tied for fifth in all-time series wins with Steve Minich Jr, with six.
Tinkle finished in second, after starting in eighth place. Tinkle said his crew continues to work on the race car that suffered heavy damage during the Fall Brawl at Lucas Oil Raceway earlier in the month.
“The crew keeps working to make the car better,” Tinkle said. “We’re still off a little bit. It’s always tough to beat Jeff (Marcum) at Anderson.”
Tinkle picked up the Spillers Towing Hardcharger Award for advancing a race leading six positions and the KRJ Race Products Sweet Move of the Race Award for his late pass of Everidge, which got him the final position in the four drivers who will compete for Chase for the Championship.
Everidge finished in third place. Everidge said he used up his rear tires during the battle for second and wasn’t getting enough grip coming off the corners.
“I thought tonight might be my chance at a first win,” remarked Everidge. “We keep getting better at every race.”
Varney would finish in fourth place and was awarded the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for several good passes he made to get back into the top five after coming from the tail of the field. Coe would come back and finish in fifth place.
Setser was already locked into the final four Chase for the Championship drivers as the Regular Season Points Champion. 2007 series Champion Billy Hutson was also a lock after his win in the first Chase for the Championship event at Winchester Speedway on Labor Day Weekend. Coe and Tinkle were the final two drivers locked into the final four by the points they accumulated in the first three races in the Chase for the Championship. The highest finisher of those four drivers in the series Season Championship event will be crowned the 2019 series Champion.
The next Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman event will be the Season Championship 40 lap feature at Winchester Speedway on Saturday, October 12th as part of the Winchester 400 Weekend. Information on all the CRA Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
