Series News & Notes – September 9, 2010
By Kyle Larson
The CRA Super Series returns to one of the
original stops on the tour on Saturday, September 18 for the Welch &
Wilson Motorsports Rock N Race 100 at O’Reilly Raceway Park. The
.686-mile oval will host the 17th event for the series in
the 14-year history of the Late Model circuit.
Wilson Earns First EDCO Welding Fast Time Award
Donnie Wilson, of Oklahoma City, Okla., earned his first career fast
time award during qualifying for the McGunegill Engine Performance 100
at Winchester Speedway. Wilson became the 74th driver to
earn a fast time award after lapping the half-mile oval in 15.365
seconds at 117.149 mph to top the 28 drivers on hand for the Labor Day
Classic. Wilson started in the seventh position after the inversion
and began advancing to the front of the field when engines woes ended
his bid for a strong finish. He retired from the event after 35
circuits.
Reaid’s Close in First Appearance
Georgia’s T.J. Reaid turned in an impressive performance in his debut
at Winchester Speedway. Driving the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51
Toyota, Reaid led the opening 36 circuits and relinquished the top
spot going down the backstretch. He backed out of a possible four wide
move heading into turn three when John VanDoorn took over the top
spot. Reaid then caught up to VanDoorn with a handful of laps
remaining and appeared to be making a challenge for the lead when the
motor let go and he finished in 19th position.
Tough Luck
Two drivers experienced bad
fortune before the event at Winchester really got going. Justin Matson
was looking to make his season debut, but a broken shock during the
pace laps forced him to miss the start of the 100-lap event. Then on
the opening circuit Adam Purdy took evasive action to avoid contact
with another competitor and made hard contact with the turn 4 outside
wall. It was the second consecutive week that Purdy was attempting to
miss another competitor that led to contact with the wall. He finished
in 23rd position.
Top 10 Streak Continues
Brian Campbell continued his streak of top 10 performances to close
the 2010 season. Campbell started in the third position and ran among
the top five for a majority of the McGunegill Engine Performance 100.
Campbell posted a fourth consecutive top 10 and fifth of the season
after finishing sixth.
Successful Return
Indianapolis competitor Eddie Van Meter drove the No. 23 Skiles
Country Auto Parts/Advance Auto Sales/EDCO Welding Chevrolet to a
fourth place finish in his third start of the season. It marks his
second top five finish at Winchester in 2010. Van Meter plans to
compete in the 39th Annual Winchester 400 on October 16-17.
Van Meter gave credit to his team on the
strong finish after lining up 15th on the starting grid.
"I have to thank Bobby Blount and all the
guys for putting this car back together. It got hurt a little bit at
Toledo. We just started to far back. It’s hard to make those spots up
on the racetrack. We need to do that in qualifying," said Eddie Van
Meter.
Steady Performance
Nick Lay wheeled his No. 98 Perfect Wireless/Perfect
Power/Murray's Body Shop car to a eighth place finish at Winchester.
It marked his eighth top 10 finish of the season and his second top 10
at the half-mile oval this season.
Great Comeback
1998 CRA Super Series Champion Brian Rievley completed a nice
comeback from the start of the 100-lap event to the checkered flag.
The Alexandria, Ind., native started in the 21st position
and patiently worked through the field finishing in the seventh
position, the first competitor one lap off VanDoorn’s winning pace.
Rear End Troubles Plague Two Veterans
Former Winchester Speedway feature winner Jeff Lane and 2009
Winchester 400 podium finisher Terry Fisher Jr. both experienced rear
end troubles, forcing both drivers to drop out of the event at
Winchester. Fisher finished 20th with Lane one spot behind.
8 Winners in 16 Events
O’Reilly Raceway Park has produced eight winners in the 16 events
held in series history. Inaugural series champion Kenny Tweedy won the
first event held at the track in June of 1997. Other winners include
Brian Ross (5), Junior Hanley (3), Scott Hantz (3), Chris Gabehart
(2), along with single event winners Fred Campbell, Evan Jackson and
most recently Jeff Lane.
Rearview Mirror
In the most recent event held at O’Reilly Raceway Park in
September of 2008, Jeff Lane earned the victory over three-time series
champion Scott Hantz and Tennessee competitor Zach Taylor. The Circle
Track Classic 100 presented by US Army began with Terry Fisher Jr.
pacing the opening eight circuits. Taylor then led from laps 8-28 with
Lane then taking command of the field from his fourth starting spot.
He finished just 0.113 second ahead of Hantz at the checkers.
