Special from Anderson Speedway

Defending race winner and NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch leads an impressive list of 33 entrants into the CRA Super Series Late Model event. The number of entries marks one of the highest to ever pre-enter this event. Drivers from 11 states will be part of this legendary stock car event.

Busch, of Las Vegas, is one the favorites after a remarkable run of winning the premier Late Model events in the last year in addition to his successes in the top three NASCAR divisions. Busch has earned victories at the Winchester 400, Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway, Speedfest at Lanier National Speedway, most recently the Rowdy Revenge 251 at Berlin and the for mentioned Redbud 300.

Long-time NASCAR competitor Ken Schrader makes his return to the world’s fastest quarter-mile oval with goals of a stop in the winner’s circle. Schrader won the 1999 ARCA event beating Brian Ross, who has won the most CRA events ever at Anderson.

Other NASCAR connections that will be part of Monday’s event include Ross Kenseth, son of 2003 Sprint Cup Champion Matt. The younger Kenseth earned a victory at Winchester Speedway in May with the CRA Super Series. Bill Elliott’s son Chase will drive the No. 9 entry. Elliott scored his first career Late Model victory in March of 2009 and has produced strong runs with several touring series in 2010 including the CRA circuit.

Florida’s Mario Gosselin will wheel the No. 12 entry for Muller Motorsports. Gosselin, a very accomplished Late Model competitor, now races full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Defending CRA Super Series Champion and current points leader Johnny VanDoorn tops a strong list of series competitors. He is the most recent driver to win a CRA event on the quarter-mile. He took top honors in the April event and has recorded two wins and a fourth place finish in his last three outings at the Madison County track. In the 2010 standings, VanDoorn leads Jason Dietsch by 42 markers.

All-time CRA Late Model victory leader Scott Hantz will aim for his 27^th checkered flag and third at Anderson. He finished sixth in last year’s Redbud 300. Yorktown’s Rick Turner drove to a runner-up showing last year and has scored two wins at Anderson.

Ohio’s Jason Dietsch ranks second in the standings with Northern Indiana’s Terry Fisher Jr. in third position. Tommy St. John won at Angola in July and ranks fourth in the points with former ASA Late Model champion Brian Campbell rounding out the top five. Campbell won at his hometrack of Berlin earlier this year.

Late Model standout Eddie Hoffman returns to Anderson this year after turning in a strong performance in 2009. Hoffman won the most recent CRA event at Plymouth Speedway two weeks ago.

Other top driers that will compete in the Welch & Wilson Motorsports Redbud 300 include Knightstown’s Jeff Lane, a former winner of the Redbud 300, inaugural series champion Kenny Tweedy of Greenfield, Pay Less Little 500 runner-up Aaron Pierce, Muncie’s Jim Crabtree Jr. and Mishawaka’s Tyler Roahrig. Several other top Late Model competitors will be part of Monday’s 300-lap CRA Super Series Late Model event.

The Welch & Wilson Motorsports Redbud 300 presented by Ed Martin Toyota and Great Deals Savings Magazine is sanctioned by the CRA Super Series, but the Redbud 300 actually began in 1967. The earliest recorded results from the speedway archives are from 1974, when one Tiny Lund won the event. In the ‘90’s the event became a 400-lap race, known as the Anderson 400. The last ASA sanctioned race was 1999; Georgia short track veteran Mike Miller won, 2-time ASA champ Gary St. Amant won the pole, and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson started tenth and finished 16th.

In the 2009 event, Busch turned in a dominating performance in his first race at one of the nation’s toughest short tracks. Busch led 209 laps and took the lead on lap 191 with an outside pass of Eddie Hoffman through the third and fourth corners and was never seriously challenged to the checkers.

While Busch was driving away there was a good battle for second between Hoffman, Turner, Pierce, VanDoorn, Chuck Barnes Jr. and Hantz. Several times the drivers ran side by side fighting for position while trying to avoid lapped traffic.

Busch won by 4.328 seconds. At the finish Turner finished second followed by Pierce, VanDoorn and Barnes rounding out the top five.

"The car was great," Busch said after last year’s victory. "I love coming out to the short tracks. We'd race every night of the week for sure."

Advance tickets for the Welch & Wilson Motorsports Redbud 300 presented by Ed Martin Toyota and Great Deals Savings Magazine at Anderson Speedway on Monday, July 26th, are available for $20. Tickets can also be purchased on race day at the track for $25 with kids 6-12 admitted for $10. Children five and under are admitted free.

Spectator Gates open at 4 p.m. with a special autograph session taking place at 6 p.m. that will include future NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott. Racing action begins at 7:30.