Sports and Outdoors

Thursday, April 12, 2012

ARCA/CRA late models set to battle at Anderson Saturday

From Anderson Speedway

ANDERSON – One of the marquee events annually on the Anderson Speedway schedule will be showcased on Saturday, April 14 when the Anderson 125 presented by Great Deals featuring the ARCA/CRA Late Models will take place. Other divisions in action include WMDH ThunderCars and G.W. Pierce Front Wheel Dive Oval

The CRA Super Series Late Models return for their 51st appearance at the high-banked quarter-mile oval. The series has a storied history at Anderson Speedway and the season opening event on April 14th is shaping up to be one of most thrilling in recent memory.

This weekend’s event officially kicks off the new partnership between Champion Racing Association and ARCA with the newly named ARCA/CRA Super Series.

The partnership was officially announced last July 28th at the ARCA Racing Series event at Lucas Oil Raceway. The partnership is providing participants in the ARCA/CRA Super Series with ARCA member benefits, including Participant Accident Insurance. In addition ARCA will provide the 2012 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion and the 2012 ARCA/CRA Super Series Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Year with the opportunity to test an ARCA Racing Series car in the open test at Daytona International Speedway in December 2012.

The entry list to date of 30 cars for the Anderson 125 Presented by Great Deals may have the most talented group of drivers the series has ever had for a season opener or for any regular series event.

The talented list of drivers includes two-time series champion Johnny VanDoorn, multi-time series titlist Scott Hantz, defending Redbud 300 winner Steve Dorer, 2011 CRA South Champion Bubba Pollard, 2010 All American 400 winner T.J. Reaid and former ARCA Racing Series winner Billy Leslie.

Other top drivers racing at Anderson include inaugural series champion Kenny Tweedy, former ASA Late Model Champion and ARCA/CRA race winner Brian Campbell, multi-time track champion Joe Beaver and two-time Anderson winner Rick Turner.

The event will also feature the hard charging Peter Cozzolino along with veterans Terry Fisher Jr., Jason Dietsch and Mason Mingus. Competitors that will make their ARCA/CRA debut at Anderson include talented female drivers Kenzie Ruston and Becca Kasten along with West Virginia’s Travis Braden, CRA Late Model Sportsman graduate Mark Lambert, Canada’s Jordan Sims, Iowa’s Nate Caruth and Ohio’s Johnny Jenkins.

In series history, Brian Ross holds the number one position in victories with scoring a total of eight at Anderson. Other multiple event winners include Tweedy (4), Junior Hanley (4), Hantz (4), Jeff Lane (3), Bobby Parsley (3) and VanDoorn (3). Drivers that have claimed two victories include Jim Cooper and Rick Turner. Seventeen competitors have scored at least one win on the quarter-mile oval.

Alexandria driver Hannah Lundy made track history by beating Lonny Burton to capture the WMDH ThunderCar championship in 2011. Lundy became the first woman driver to win a track title. During the season Lundy set fast time eight times during Herald Bulletin qualifying, recorded three feature wins and finished in the top five a total of 13 times.

The G.W. Pierce Front Wheel Drive Oval division will make their second appearance of the young season. Jerry Dane won the season opener on April 7 after making a late race pass on Andy Jennings. Third at the checkered flag was Kevin Harmon with Ron Phipps and Chris Jennings completed the top-five finishers.

On Saturday, April 14, spectator gates open at 3 p.m. with the racing beginning at 7. Admission is $15 for adults and $4 for kids ages 6-12. Children five and under get in free.

For additional information on Anderson Speedway, visit www.andersonspeedway.com or contact Anderson Speedway at (765) 642-0206.

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