Winchester kicks off '08 with CRA and USAC
Winchester, IN - April 16, 2008
By: Glenn Luckett
Winchester Speedway is set to kick off its 2008 racing schedule with the season opener this Sunday, April 20. High Bank racing fans will get a double treat as the USAC National Sprint Cars come to compete in the Rich Vogler Classic and the CRA Super Series late models in the Manning Service 100 along with action from the MAX 93.5/96.7 CRA Street Stocks and Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts.
Sunday's Rich Vogler Classic will be the first pavement event of the season for the USAC National Sprint Cars who are scheduled to compete on the dirt at Gas City on Friday and Saturday night. In last years Rich Vogler Classic, Marc Jessup wasn't exactly sure how his day was going to end up following what started out as a pretty successful Sunday at Winchester Speedway. After setting fast time in his first stint in a Keith Kunz Motorsports machine, the Camby, Ind. native flipped on the first lap of his heat race, but the Kunz team went to work repairing the car in time to take the green for the feature were Jessup put together a nearly flawless effort following his team's hard work in the 30-lap event to score his first USAC National Sprint Car Series victory.
Jessup took the lead on Lap 7, coming from third on that lap after passing Dave Steele early in the lap for second, and going inside of Daron Clayton as leader Dave Darland went high to take the point. He was unchallenged, except momentarily on the restart laps, en route to taking the checkered flags. His biggest pressure came on Laps 17 and 18, when Steele drove past Darland on a restart, and ever so slightly tapped Jessup in Turn 2. That would be the closest anyone would get to Jessup thereafter, however, as he opened up another half straightaway lead he had established in the opening half of the race. Dave Steele would take second followed by Darren Hagen in third, Tracy Hines in fourth and Eric Gordon in fifth.
2007 USAC National Sprint Car Champion Levi Jones heads a strong list of competitors entered for Sunday's Rich Vogler Classic. Jones will compete once again for Tony Stewart Racing along with open wheel veteran Tracy Hines from near by New Castle, Indiana. Former winner Dave Darland is entered along with Bobby East who has returned to compete in some open wheel events this season after concentrating mostly on NASCAR Craftsman Trucks the past several seasons. Daren Hagen and Cole Witt will pilot the Keith Kuntz machines Sunday. Jerry Coons Jr. will be behind the wheel of the famous #69 Hoffman Sprinter while young Brady Bacon will drive for Kasey Kahne Motorports. Other notable entries include Shane Cottle, Brian Gerster, Chad Boat, Damion Gardner, and Brady Short.
Muncie, Indiana native Aaron Pierce will do double duty on Sunday driving a USAC Sprint Car and making his first ever points start with the CRA Super Series. The only other driver to do double duty in a USAC Sprint Car and a CRA Super Series late model on the same day was Chet Fillip in June of 1998 at Winchester Speedway. Fillip broke in the Sprint car event but won the 100-lap CRA Super Series event, a feat that brought the open wheel and stock car fans to their feet cheering his victory. Pierce will be running for K & N Filters Rookie Of The Year honors for Muller Motorsports with the CRA Super Series during the 2008 season.
The CRA Super Series will return to action at Winchester Speedway with the Manning Service 100 on Sunday afternoon. Tommy St. John has developed a knack for being fast at High Banked racetracks, and he showed that again by winning last season's Manning Service 100. St. John started the day by being the events Appleton Rack & Pinion Fast Qualifier, then powered by Scott Hantz from his fourth starting position to take the lead on Lap five to lead the rest of the way. Jeff Lane would make a late charge to the front almost catching St. John whose car slowed over the last 5 laps, but St. John held on to get the victory, his second with the CRA Super Series, the first came on Labor Day Weekend in 2006 at Winchester Speedway. Brian Rievley finished third, with Chris Gabehart fourth and Evan Jackson fifth
St. John leads the list to date of entries for Sunday's Manning Service 100. Two time CRA Super Series Champion Scott Hantz is entered, as is 2007 Rookie Of The Year John VanDoorn along with Bull Baker who is the current active leader in CRA Super Series victories at Winchester Speedway with three. 1997 series Champion Kenny Tweedy and 1998 series Champion Brian Rievley are both entered, also driving for the Muller Motorsports team with Brian's father Bill turning the wrenches on all three team cars.
Other notable entries for Sunday's event include veteran High Bank series drivers Jeff Lane, Rick Turner, JR Roahrig, Jason Shively, Jason Dietsch, Terry Fisher Jr., Sean Matthuis and A.J. Ganino. A strong Rookie class will test the High Banks on Sunday, besides Aaron Pierce, the other rookies entered include Tommy Cook, Zach Taylor, Robert Maynor, Josh Bauer, Nick Baran, Donald Karr Jr., and Adam Purdy.
The MAX 93.5/96.7 CRA Street Stocks will have their season opener this Sunday at Winchester Speedway were 2006 and 2007 series Drivers Champion Joe Beaver looks to start on getting his third straight Championship in the series. The Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts will also have their first event of the season after a very successful inaugural season in 2007 that featured some of the best racing of the season on the High Banks.
There will be an open practice on Saturday at Winchester Speedway, pits open at 9am, practice will run from 12noon until 5pm. Pit gates will open on Sunday at 8am, spectator gates at 9:30 am with practice beginning at 10am. Qualifying will follow at 12:15pm. The race program will begin at 2pm with heat races from the USAC National Sprint Cars and CRA Street Stocks followed by the 30 lap Rich Vogler Classic for the USAC National Sprint Cars, the Manning Service 100 for the CRA Super Series late models, the MAX 40 for the CRA Street Stocks and the Vores Welding & Steel 20 for the Vores Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts. Advanced tickets can be purchased on line at www.winchesterspeedway.com.
