It was a great year on the track in many ways. There were 11 different winners during the year and 3 drivers captured their first ever Sunoco Super Series victories in 2004. It was also the closest "Rookie of the Year" battle in the history of the series. There was an exciting battle during the last part of the season, as four different drivers battled intensely for the crown.

Finishing 15^th was a driver that is a threat to win at any race, and with a little luck a threat to contend for the championship, a veteran driver that in a shortened season led 83 laps, while qualifying in the Top 5 four times with 1 fast time, 2 Top 5 finishes and 5 Top 10 finishes. Taking 15 place honors is J.R. Roahrig. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $50 certificate from Design 500.

In 14^th place is a perennial top contender that ran a reduced schedule in 2004. That shorter season though, was highlighted by finally getting "the one that got away". Calling Anderson Speedway your home track and having been so close to victory had been a tough pill to swallow…but not anymore. Besides his long awaited victory at Anderson Speedway, this driver recorded 6 top 10’s, 1 top 5, while qualifying in the top 5 four times. Taking 14^TH place honors is Jim Crabtree, Jr. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $50 certificate from Design 500.

In 13^th place we find a team that started with a rookie and ended with quite a veteran. The car owner has been a great supporter of the series, and with his new driver, a former series champion, that they are really looking forward to 2005. As for the season behind them, this team recorded 2 top 5 qualifying efforts, had 2 top 5 finishes, and 3 top 10’s. Finishing in 13^TH place in the final point standing is owner Floyd Fehl and his late season driver Kenny Tweedy. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 certificate from Design 500.

In 12^th place one of the great rookies in 2004 This team probably traveled more miles than anyone, and they are to be commended for that. While he has great success in his home state of Wisconsin, during 2004 lady luck forgot to make the trip with them during the inaugural season with the series. But when is wasn’t bad, it was pretty good as this driver was Rookie of the Race 3 times, and recorded 1 top 5 qualifying effort, to go with 1 top 5 and 2 top 10’s. Taking home 12^th place award honors is Frank Kreyer. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 certificate from Design 500.

Finishing in 11^th place is a driver that has become a fixture with the series, and is taking his time on the track very seriously. While racing his way to 2 top 10 finished and one Hardcharger award during the season, this driver proved that patience pays off and it doesn’t matter where you start, its where you finish, and claimed the Lefthander Challenge Award by improving the most positions during the course of the year. Taking home 11^th place honors and the 2004 Lefthander Challenge award is Tim Phillips. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 certificate from Design 500, and $100 in product from Ringers Gloves, along with a $2500 chassis from Lefthander for improving the most positions over the course of the entire season.

Moving into the Top 10 another team that has been a great supporter of the series, many times helping to put more than one car on the track at different races during the season. In 2004 they recorded1 top 5 qualifying effort, 5 top 5 finishes, and 9 top 10’s. They also led 35 laps during the course of the season and were the hardcharger in 2 events. Next year looks even brighter as former champion crew chief Bill Rievely takes a bigger role with this team and a shot at the 2005 championship. Taking 10^TH place honors is the team of owner Ken Muller and driver Eddie Van Meter. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 product certificate from Hawk Performance and a $30 product certificate from Bassett Racing Wheels. .

Finishing 9^th is a team that was coming off a great season the year before, and it was going to be hard to match. And it was. It was the tale of 2 seasons. While everything when right during their championship season in 2003, just the opposite seemed to happen in 2004. It left them scratching their heads. But even though it was rough, they still had those moments that reminded us that they will always be a team to be reckoned with. In this past season they qualified in the top five 4 times, recorded 3 top 5 finishes and 8 top 10’s. Taking home 9^th place honors is 2003 championship team of owner Tiger Parsley and driver Bobby Parsley. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 in product from Ringers Gloves. .

In 8^TH place another family operation with a young driver that is really starting to show the world his talent and patience. During the season, they recorded 3 top 5 qualifying efforts, 2 top 5 finishes, and 5 top 10’s. The most impressive statistic for this second year driver though, is that he ranked second in laps completed, a very impressive mark for a young driver competing against the group of veterans in the Super Series. This will be another young talent to watch in 05. Finishing in 8^TH place is the father/son owner/driver tandem of Terry Fisher, Sr. and Terry Fisher, Jr. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $125 pair of shoes from Impact Racing.

Finishing in 7^th place was one of the most intense and dedicated rookies seen in Sunoco Super Series. Not since 2000 series champ Scott Hantz has a rookie contender won a race in his inaugural season, but this talented driver did. During his great season, he also qualified in the top 5 once, had 4 top five finishes and 7 top 10’s. He was also rookie of the race a series tying 6 times, on his way to an awesome and well respected rookie battle. Taking 7^TH place honors and runner up in the Rookie of the Year battle is Steve Moenck. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $400 product certificate from C & R Racing.

The next place team is one that was one of our original founding teams and has been a major supporter each and every year since the series began. It was truly fun to watch this group in 2004 because they had their best year ever. It seemed like a new focus by the team, and a new engine package was the combination this group needed to have one of there most enjoyable years. During the season this driver qualified in the top five 3 times, had 8 top 10 finishes, and most impressively, ranked 3^rd among all teams in laps completed. Taking home 6^th place honors is the "Y-Town Hustler" Rick Turner. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 product certificate from AFCO Racing Equipment.

Moving into the Top 5, a team that has the most unique combination of owner and driver it is CRA’s version of the old TV Show: "The Odd Couple". On the owner’s side, we have a weathered and proud industry veteran who has put winning drivers in his winning cars for years while talking the ups and downs of this industry year after year. There is not much this owner hasn’t done or seen and it shows in his understanding of the business and in the top quality team he puts on the track. On the driver’s side, we find a talented and educated rookie, who carries himself like a gentleman and a professional…an example that many veterans could learn from. During the year this team had two fast times, qualified in the top 5 nine times, had 5 top 5 finishes and 10 top 10’s. Add to that being named rookie of the race 6 times, and you have an impressive season that was highlighted by a great run in the World Cup 300 where victory was only a few feet away. Taking 5^th place honors is car owner Jim Winters and driver Chris Gabehart. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $200 check from Scott Performance Wire, a $400 product certificate from Advanced Racing Suspensions and a $30 product certificate from Bassett Racing Wheels.

Next is a driver that has become part of the culture this Series. It takes "Character" and "Characters" to define a "group"…and this driver brings both to the table…not to mention his reputation as one of the sport’s greatest drivers ever. During his season, he had two fast times, and qualified in the top 5 five times. While only taking one victory during the year, he made it a big one, and added his name to a great list of winners of the historic Anderson 400. Most of the racing during they year you would find him up front as he recorded 7 top 5 finishes and 12 top 10’s, and he proved he could do it from anywhere on the track as he proved he could do it from the front by leading the series with 5 "Hard Charger Awards and proved he could do it from the front by finished second in the series in the laps led category with 405. Taking home 4^th place season award honors is the legendary Junior Hanley. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $300 check from Scott Performance Wire, a $400 certificate from Pit Boxes.com, a $200 product certificate from Hinchman Racing Uniforms and a $100 product certificate from ATI Performance products.

NOW TO THE TOP 3…

Moving to 3^RD Place, a team that has moved into the elite category of competitors over the past few years and has proven to be a threat for a victory every week, as evident by his series leading 3 victories during the year. It’s interesting to note that last year they led the series in the number of fast times, this year they led in the number of victories and the number of top 10 finishes with 13. They were also 3^rd in laps lead with 279 and garnered one hard charger award. Garnering their first top 3 series points finish with things only looking better, this group is a top contender for the championship next year. Taking 3^rd place honors for the 2004 season is owner Hayden Butler and driver Jeff Lane. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $100 pair of racing gloves from Impact Racing, a $100 certificate from Performance Friction Brake Pads, a $400 product certificate from Quarter Master, a $100 product certificate from PitStop.com, a $100 product certificate from ATI Performance Products and an $1800 body from 5 Star for winning the Five Star Challenge.

Now for the runner-up team. In five seasons of competition with the Sunoco Super Series this team has never finished outside of the Top 3 in the final standings. They took the championship in their rookie season, and have finished 2^nd in the final tally in 3 of the 4 years since then. If not for a couple of bizarre accidents near the end of the past two seasons, which were out of their control, they might have been the only 3 time series champion. But to their credit, they battle with grace, courage and professionalism that helps define this series. During the 2004 campaign, this team had 1 fast time and qualified in the top 5 nine times. They garnered two victories and recorded 9 top five finishes (which tied for the most in the series), but they led all other competitors in the categories of laps completed and laps led. Those are all great numbers that you are bound to get with a talented driver and a committed owner. Everywhere they travel they are great representatives of this series and for that we are truly appreciative. Taking runner up honors in the Sunoco Super Series for 2004 is owner Dick Poe and driver Scott Hantz. In addition to point fund monies, the team is receiving a $200 product certificate from Performance Friction Brake Pads, a $100 product certificate from ATI Performance Products and a $400 check and $150 product certificate from Scott Performance Wire.

The 2004 Championship teams is from Louisville Kentucky where horse racing is popular of course, thanks to the Kentucky Derby. And in horse racing they talk about a "run for the roses"… the process that it takes to become a champion. From his days in go-karts to his first days of street stock racing, this was one horse you could bet would be a champion, and he is. During their championship effort, this team led the series with 5 fast times, and led the series again by qualifying in the top 5 an incredible 13 times. Their 9 top five finishes and 12 top 10’s provided the consistency needed to compete for the championship, and their two trips to victory lane were another special piece of their great season. This team struggled with the highs and lows like most championship teams do, but it was there ability to overcome the hurdles and finish strong that made the 2004 season so special. At the season’s final race, with the championship on the line, they would take fast time, establish a new track record, and record another top 5 finish, to secure the championship…and all in front of fans at his home track. The icing on the cake would come just two weeks later where our series champion claimed a victory in one of our sports greatest events, our Kentucky Derby: the All-American 300 in Nashville. It truly was a great "run for the roses", for the championship team of owner Chuck Barnes, Sr. and the 2004 Sunoco Super Series driver Chuck Barnes, Jr. In addition to point fund monies, the team received a $400 from Holley Performance Products, a $400 product certificate from Penske Racing Shocks, a $1600 body from ARP Bodies, a $400 product certificate from K-Motion Valve Springs, a $300 product certificate from High Performance Racing Cards, a $300 product certificate from Bassett Wheels, a $300 product certificate from Dynatech Headers, a $400 product certificate from Hypercoil, a $200 product certificate from Performance Friction brake Pads, a $200 product certificate from AFCO Racing Equipment, a $400 product certificate from Pro Shocks, a $300 Leather Champion’s Jacket from Goodyear dan Larry Robinson Enterprises, a $150 product certificate from Scott Performance Wire, a $200 product certificate from U.S. Brake, a $500 racing suit from RJS Racing Equipment, a $400 product certificate from Port City for being the highest finishing Port City team, A $200 product certificate from ATI Performance a $400 product certificate from Corteco, a $500 helmet from Impact Racing and a $1,000 check from Corteco as Fast Qualifier of the year winner. All totaled awards received approach $19,000.

Speed51.com introduced, managed and promoted a new award for the 2004 season, the Speed51.com "Most Popular Driver Award" is presented to Chuck Barnes, Jr.

Scott Hantz and Junior Hanley were presented a set of Harris Torches by Brandon Gerke, of Harris Torches, for leading the most laps during the 2004 season winning the Harris Torches Lap Leaders Awards.

The Gladiator Garageworks Crew Chief of the Year Award had its first ever tie. This year’s winners will each receive a $500 certificate from Gladiator Garageworks. Both of these gentlemen have been a great part of the Sunoco Super Series for years, the 2004 Gladiator Garageworks Co-Crew Chiefs of the Year are Pat Anderson and Hayden Butler.

The next award is the Backstretch Performance/Blake Carburetion/Reed Cams "Rookie of the Year". Looking at some of the recent winners of this award, Scott Hantz, Joel Kauffman, Chuck Barnes, Jr. are all successful and all winners and they are all series champions as well. This year’s "Rookie of the Year" could easily see the same success and more in the near future. The next in a line of talented "Rookie of the Year" winners, the 2004 CRA Sunoco Super Series Rookie of the Year is Chris Gabehart.

For taking Rookie of the Year honors Gabehart will receive: $1000 check from CRA, $2000 carburetor from Blake Carburetion, $500 Racing Cam from Reed Cams, $100 product certificate from AFCO Racing Equipment, $1800 certificate for a body from Five Star Stock Car Bodies, $30 product from Bassett Racing Wheels, $200 product certificate from RJS Racing Equipment, $100 product certificate from U.S. Brake, $200 product certificate from Dynatech Headers, $100 product certificate from Pitstop.com, $1500 website from Speed Media, $125 product certificate from Ringers Gloves, $300 product certificate from High Performance Racing Cards, $100 product certificate from Performance Friction Brake Pads, $100 product certificate from Hawk Performance, $100 set of belts from Impact Racing, $500 race suit from Hinchman Racing Uniforms. All totaled, cash and prizes for his position and Rookie of the Year Honors Chris won over $10,000.

In honor of the outstanding display of sportsmanship on the track by this driver and outstanding display of sportsmanship and patience in the tech line the TDR Screen Graphics "Sportsman of the Year Award" was presented to Jeff Lane.

Watch for more information about the 2005 season and other announcements here soon!