Winchester, IN (August 9, 2011) – Family
Fun
Day at Winchester Speedway this past Sunday featured the close racing
from Sullivan RV CRA Late Model Sportsman, EDCO Welding CRA Street
Stocks and the Vore’s Welding and Steel CRA FWD Compacts as well as
typical Indiana weather with a thunderstorm to delay the day a couple
of hours.
There was a clean start to racing at
Winchester Speedway. The Sullivan RV CRA Late Model Sportsman up for
the first feature, ran a straight 40 laps with no cautions on the
track. Steve Blair started on the front row and took off to the early
lead. He fought to keep his lead but was eventually passed by Keith
Sterkowitz and Bob Sibila Jr. halfway through the race. It was an
impressive move for both, more for Siblia who had suffered a close
call, making contact with the wall earlier in the race. This is
Sterkowitz’s third consecutive win for the Sullivan
RV
CRA Late Model Sportsman and fourth victory of 2011. Sibila took home
second, Steve Blair third, Mark Lambert fourth and Dave Bice fifth.
Then the storm clouds moved in.
"This car is so good." Sterkowitz commented.
"I have to thank my owner, my crew and especially my family for
allowing me to come race."
Sterkowitz started the day by earning the
Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier Award with a lap of 17.549 seconds
just .050 second faster than Sullivan RV CRA Late Model Sportsman
points leader, Jason Atkinson who started the day 51 points ahead of
second place Sterkowitz. Atkinson hit the wall hard during his second
qualifying lap, nearly ending his day.
Bice and Sterkowitz put on a show in the
first heat race, with Bice starting on the pole he ran out to the
early lead, with Sterkowtiz charging to the front from the last place
in the field. Bice and Sterkowitz raced side by side for the last
three laps of the race before Bice prevailed for the win. In the
second heat Blair and Lambert charged to the front from the rear of
the field with Blair taking the win and Lambert second.
For saving the car after banging the wall,
Sibila took home the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award. Sterkowitz
also took home the AFCO Racing Products Hardcharger Award after moving
from 10th to the win. He also earned the Turn One High
Performance Steering Award for leading the most laps.
After the rain delay the Vore’s Welding and
Steel CRA FWD Compacts were next
up
on the card. Justin Brown’s team mate owns the Vore’s Welding and
Steel CRA FWD Compacts track record at Winchester Speedway, and while
he could not break the record Brown did out run him to become the
fastest qualifier with a time 21.109 seconds. Chad Richardson in his
first race with the series was second fast at 21.205.
Jeff Shelmadine had
won the only series race at Winchester so far this year by
only inches and he took off from the second row to
lead the first few laps. Cary Abrell overtook him before dropping out
due to engine problems. Shelmadine retook the lead and held on until
the 16th lap when Richardson took over as he ran it
out to the end. Brown was in second and had started to make
a move around Richardson when the caution flag flew just before the
leaders took the white flag.
That was the last thing Brown
wanted to see as his car was noticably faster on the longer runs
Shelmadine and Stephanie Bigelow took the
heats. This is Bigelow’s first victory of any kind in the series.
Jeff Lane began the EDCO Welding CRA Street
Stock day in a familiar fashion as he earned his sixth Allstar
Performance Fast Qualifier Award in the nine races in 2011 with a time
of 18.212 seconds. Calvin Parham in his first race this year and a
brand new car was the second fast qualifer at 18.724.
Jimmy Kirby started on the outside of the
front row and took the early lead. The race was halted by the first of
four cautions on the eighth lap when Tyler Marsh slapped the second
turn wall making him the DJ Safety Hard Luck Award receiver as the
first car out of the race. As the race restarted Lane moved up to
follow Kirby very closely until the 16th lap when he moved
around him to take the lead. Parham followed Lane past Kirby and hard
racing Brian Hopkins who found himself in third. Lane never looked
back with Parham taking second, Hopkins ending up third, Josh Poore
fourth and Kirby fifth.
"I knew the car was fast in practice and
qualifying." Lane stated. "But I did not know if it would race very
well. It did, great car to drive today."
Lane earned the Turn One High Performance
Steering Award for leading the most laps and the Crumine Buckle
Manufacturing Award a very unique award of a belt buckle commemorating
the win for every EDCO Welding Street Stock winner. The heat race
winners were Poore and Marsh. Poore started the race in second place
in the point’s race behind Lane.
The next event for the
Sullivan RV CRA Late Model Sportsman will be at Anderson Speedway on
August 27. The EDCO Welding CRA Street Stocks will be traveling to
Anderson Speeday on August 20. Vore’s Welding and Steel CRA FWD
Compacts will return to Winchester Speedway on August 20 along with
the JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts. For
more information go to
www.craracing.net.