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Winchester
Speedway Set For 2007 Season Opener With USAC Sprints and CRA Super
Series Late Models
Winchester, IN (April 16, 2007)
– Winchester Speedway is set to kick off its 2007 racing schedule with
the season opener this Sunday, April 22. 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.
With last weekends cold and rainy
weather canceling the two opening USAC National Sprint Car events,
Sunday’s Rich Vogler Classic will be the second event of the season
after this Saturday night’s season opening event in Lawrenceburg and
will be the first pavement event of the season. A young 16-year-old
Bryon Clauson claimed the victory in last season’s Rich Vogler Classic
in his first ever race at Winchester Speedway. Clauson showed no fear
in grabbing the early lead from his pole position-starting place over
outside started Levi Jones as Eleanor Vogler, mother of Rich Vogler,
waved the green flag to start the race that honors her son. Clauson
was in awe when he arrived at the track that is known for it’s High
Banks and overall speed in a Sprint Car, but showed a steady hand in
leading all 30 laps to get the victory over his best friend Darren
Hagen, who finished in second holding off veteran open wheel racer
Dave Steele who finished in third.
Byron Clauson has moved on to attempt
a career in stock cars as a Development Driver for Chip Ganassi, but
Sunday’s field will have no shortage of talent lead by Dave Steele a
two-time winner of the Rich Vogler Classic in 1999 and 2002. 2005
winner Dave Darland is also entered as well as New Castle, Indiana
native Tracy Hines who will drive the entire 2007 season for Tony
Stewart Racing as a teammate to
Levi
Jones, who finished second in season points in 2006 to teammate Josh
Wise, who has also moved on to race stock cars. Other notable entries
to date include Darren Hagen, Eric Gordon, Brian Gerster, Daron
Clayton, Brady Short, Mat Neely, Damon Gardner and two time King Of
The Wings Champion Cameron Dodson.
Veteran open wheel driver Ron Gregory
will do double duty driving a USAC Sprint Car and making his first
ever 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. In all there are 26 cars entered to
date for Sunday’s Rich Vogler Classic.
The CRA Super Series will return to
action at Winchester Speedway with the Manning Service 100 on Sunday
afternoon. Veteran racer Jeff Lane had been victorious at Winchester
Speedway in a Modified, an Outlaw Late Model and a Street Stock, but
had not found victory lane with the CRA Super Series at Winchester
Speedway until last season’s Manning Service 100. Lane took full
advantage of his pole starting position, bolting to the early lead
over outside pole sitter JR Roahrig. Lane never looked back in leading
all 100 laps of the Manning Service 100. Chris Gabehart would mount a
charge in the middle of the race, but used up his tires early and had
to fight off the hard-charging Brian Rievley to get second. Rievley
would
get third followed by Zach Taylor in fourth with Tommy St. John in
fifth.
2006 CRA Super Series Champion Scott
Hantz leads the list to date of entries for Sunday’s Manning Service
100. Hantz was the winner in last season’s return of the Winchester
400 in October, claiming the victory and the season championship in
that event. Last years Manning Service 100 winner Jeff Lane is entered
along with Bull Baker who is the current active leader in CRA Super
Series victories at Winchester Speedway with three. Former CRA Super
Series winners at Winchester Speedway Chris Gabehart and Evan Jackson
are also entered along with former winner and 1998 series Champion
Brian Rievley. Other notable entries for Sunday’s event include
veteran High Bank series drivers Eddie Van Meter, Rick Turner, Kenny
Tweedy, JR Roahrig, and Jason Shively. A strong Rookie class will test
the High Banks on Sunday including John Van Doorn, Jeff Bozell, Nick
Baran, Sean Matthuis, Ray Mooi, Donald Karr Jr., and Tom Knippenburg.
The MAX 93.5/96.7 CRA Street Stocks
will have there season opener at
Winchester
Speedway on Sunday were Owensboro, Kentucky native Beau Mitchell is
expected to try and continue his streak of five victories in the five
events he ran at Winchester Speedway last season. 2006 series Champion
Joe Beaver leads a strong group of competitors who look to end
Mitchell’s streak. The Vore’s Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts will
have their inaugural event this Sunday on the High Banks after some
successful test races in 2006 that had some of the best racing of the
season.
There will be an open practice on
Saturday at Winchester Speedway, pits open at 9am, practice will run
from 12noon until 5pm. On Sunday pits open at 8am, spectator gates at
9:30am, practice will begin at 10am with qualifying starting at
12noon. The race program will begin at 2pm. Go to
www.winchesterspeedway.com
for more information or to order advanced tickets.
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