18-Year-Old Erik Jones Goes Back-To-Back; Wins 43rd Running Of The Winchester 400
Travis Braden Wins Second Straight ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship; Also grabs JEGS/CRA Triple Crown Series Title
Wes Griffith Jr., locks up Rookie of the Year honors
Winchester, Indiana (October 12, 2014) – One of the most prestigious races in the
country closed out the 2014 racing season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series
Powered by JEGS. The 43rd running of the Winchester 400 was at the famed 1/2
(0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of Winchester Speedway, located west of the
Indiana / Ohio state line and east of Muncie in Winchester, Indiana on Sunday,
October 12. The ARCA/CRA Super Series crowned the 2014 Series Champion and
Rookie of the Year as well as the 2014 JEGS Triple Crown Series Champion at the
conclusion of the 400.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Eastern Indiana, the prestigious event also
marked the 40th all-time appearance at the famed high-banks and the 10th time in
the Winchester 400's storied history that the race was an ARCA/CRA Super Series
sanctioned event. Standing in victory lane at the end of 400 grueling laps would be
18-year-old driving sensation, Erik Jones who withstood a furious battle over the last
40 laps with defending series champion and points leader, Travis Braden to score
his second consecutive Winchester Rifle for winning the 43rd Running of the
Winchester 400.
"We got the toe knocked out a little bit on the last restart. It just made the car way,
way too tight, tighter than it had been all day. But we fought hard, raced hard with
Travis (Braden) and it was good, clean, hard racing. I’d call it 'short track style'."
Smiled the Byron, Michigan standout after climbing out of the car to the roar and
approval of the packed house on hand. "It was cool to battle hard and pick up our
second 400. We come here for one reason and that’s to win these races and to do
it means a lot to us." He added.
The Great Lakes State teenager began making a name for himself with CRA in the
first year of the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by winning the inaugural series
title in 2011. Since then he has scored two Winchester 400 triumphs, two Snowball
Derby Wins, also in back to back years. His first Derby win came against NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series star, Kyle Busch, who would later sign a then 16-year-old to drive
for his Kyle Busch Motorsports program. In 2014, Jones has two NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series wins and three overall to go with his first career truck triumph in
2013. He has also made two starts for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series recording two top 10 finishes.
"I honestly felt like we had a little bit better car this year, at least up until we got the
toe knocked in. Luckily, being in the lead we were able to hold him off and kill off his
momentum on the bottom." Continued Jones as he was surrounded by his crew,
family and friends and a mass of media. "Like I said, I think we were a bit better this
year but we also had to fight harder for it. That was definitely a lot of fun today
battling with Travis (Braden). He's really good everywhere, but especially here." He
ended.
While settling for a hard fought second place finish, Travis Braden could make a
claim for being just a happy as Jones after the race as the Wheeling, West Virginia
driver in his #01 West Virginia University / Braden's A-1 Towing & Collision /
Chevrolet clinched his second consecutive ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship.
In holding off Ross Kenseth for his second straight title, Braden scored his 11th
consecutive top five finish to propel him to the crown. The 20-year-old joins Three-
Time Series Champion, Johnny VanDoorn as the only other driver in the series' 18-
year history to win titles in back to back seasons. VanDoorn's consecutive titles
came in 2009 & 2010. He would later win his third in 2012.
"We made some unbelievable calls today. We had older tires on all day banking on
that we would have newer ones at the end and we did. I don’t know versus Erik
(Jones), but versus those other guys I know we had fresher tires and it showed."
The jubilant repeat champion stated after the race. "It came down to that last 40-lap run. I wasn’t going too well on restarts, but finally started getting going the longer the green stayed and that made it a good race. It just came down to who could get the lead on that restart. The outside was the place to be. But Erik made it happen on the inside that one time and that’s how he got us." The West Virginia University Engineering student added.
In addition to scoring his second straight ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship, Braden would also leave Winchester, Indiana with the 2014 JEGS/CRA $100,000 Super Late Model Triple Crown Series title and the $5,000 bonus that comes with it. The series is marked for the $100,000 challenge to any driver that can win all three designated Triple Crown series events, or score two of the three wins for a $10,000 bonus. If no one wins more than one, then the series reverts to the points standings kept for those three races and it was Braden beating 2014 Southern Super Series Champion, Bubba Pollard for that title.
"I just can't believe we're standing here with two championships, especially after the way this season started," Continued the appreciative 20-year-old standout. "The first three races were a disaster with the electrical issues we kept having. Three DNF's is not the way you want to start the year if you want to try and repeat. But this team kept working hard and kept digging and we got the problems fixed in time for the first Berlin (Raceway) race (May 31st). Since then, it's been unreal how things have gone and I'm so very fortunate to be in the position I'm in now. Two titles in a row, Wow!" The Mountaineer State driver ended.
The one honor that was decided early on in the event would be the 2014 ARCA/CRA Super Series Rookie of the Year title. Crown Point, Indiana driver, Wes Griffith Jr., took the green flag for the Winchester 400 and was officially named the top freshman. Unofrtunately in the race, the 47-year-old driver in his #33 Solid Steel Incorporated / VanDoorn Racing Development / Ford slammed the turn three wall on lap 101 ending his day early. He would also finish the season third overall in the final points standings.
As for the race itself, Jones had actually started the weekend off by winning his first career Winchester 400 Pole Award / EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award. He would choose the outside lane on the initial start along-side fellow Michigan driver, Johnny VanDoorn, who along-with Daniel Hemric, has a chance at the $10,000 bonus from the JEGS/CRA $100,000 Super Late Model Triple Crown Series if either driver were to win the 400. Jones beat VanDoorn and the rest of the pack to the first turn to take the lead while the rest of the 33 starters would scramble into position on the track in anticipation of a long green flag run,
Ross Kenseth, the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star, Matt Kenseth and the only other driver mathematically eligible to catch Braden in the chase for the 2014 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship, would skate past Jones on lap 88 to take the lead for the first time. He led until lap 96 when most of the leaders came down pit road for the first time for fresh Hoosier Tires and a tank full of Sunoco Race Fuel. Williston, Vermont veteran, Brian Hoar, an eight-time American-Canadian Tour (ACT) Champion who was making his ARCA/CRA debut, stayed out to inherit the lead. Hoar would stay out in front until lap 123 when Kenseth came charging back and reclaimed the lead for himself.
The first disappointment for the partisan Hoosier State fans occurred on lap 131 when Yorktown, Indiana veteran, Rick Turner, who rewrites the record books every time he makes a start in the series, pulled into the infield and off of pit road done for the day due to extensive damage to his machine. All the while Kenseth stayed out in front until lap 177 when Braden grabbed the top spot for the first time of the afternoon only to see Kenseth recoil and get back out front on lap 184. During this time, VanDoorn's chance at a $10,000 bonus was thwarted as rear end issues on his machine ended his afternoon. Kenseth's entry would lead through the halfway point collecting the Hamner Racing Engines/DUBZ Engine Cooling Halfway Leader Award worth $500.
As the race wore on, Daniel Hemric, the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion began to make his presence known after starting deep in the field in 29th after electrical problems the day before in Pole Qualifying. Hemric completed his path towards the front by steering his ride to the lead on lap 271. A competition yellow was thrown on lap 284 which proved to be pivotal in more ways than one. After pit stops were completed, Kenseth's car suddenly slowed on the race track and he would have to be pushed back to pit road. As the crew worked frantically to discover the issue, his championship hopes would soon disappear as it would take 13 laps of green flag racing to find a fuel pick-up problem and send him back out, ending any chance at a title.
17 laps later and after lagging back in the middles stages of the race, Jones returned to the top fold and would slip past Hemric to grab the lead once again. Braden emerged back into challenger mode by lap 325 as he would slip past Jones for the first time on a restart to reclaim the lead for himself. This set up the showdown between Jones and Braden who certainly didn't disappoint. The field would be slowed though on lap 351 with the hardest crash of the afternoon. Scott Neal, another one of the hometown favorites from near-by Middletown, Indiana slammed the turn three wall and went careening into the infield grass due to the heavy contact. He was ok, but his car was destroyed.
Then with 27 laps to go, Hemric's bid at the $10,000 bonus came to an end when his machine lost oil pressure. With Kenseth out of contention and both VanDoorn and Hemric out of the event, Braden was now looking at two championships within his grasp. With 13 laps to go, Kenseth was officially eliminated from title contention which sealed Braden's second straight championship. With both titles in his back pocket, he made a bee line for Jones and the battle that ensued will be talked about for years to come.
With the go signal given, Braden went after Jones and with 10 laps to go, he let the defending race winner know he was there as they drove into the corner. Braden gently shoved Jones up the banking to retake the lead only to see Jones recoil and return the favor in the very next set of corners. Braden regrouped and began reeling Jones back in with the crowd on their feet. As the white flag came out, Braden got back to Jones' back bumper and when the duo drove into turns three and four for the final time, Braden dive bombed the corner, but came up just inches away from Jones' back bumper as Jones drove off of turn four to the checkered flag to claim the hard fought victory.
In addition to his second consecutive Winchester Rifle, Jones would leave the legendary high-banks with a plethora of awards and accolades. Amongst the bonuses included an impressive $4,125 for leading 165 laps at $25 apiece. By leading the most laps he also won the VanDoorn Racing Development Lap Leader Award. He also grabbed the $200 Team Construction Clean Sweep Award for winning the EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award and then the race. The AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award for his winning pass on Braden with 10 laps to go. Finally he grabbed the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap of the Race Award for turning the fastest lap of the race.
As for the accolades, Jones now moves into an impressive six-way tie for third all-time in career Winchester 400 victories as he joins the likes of Mike Eddy, Mark Martin, Butch Miller, Gary St. Amant and Dave Sorg. In addition and in winning the race in consecutive seasons, he joins three other drivers who have ever won in back to back years; The legendary Bob Senneker who won five in a row (1974-1978) out of his seven career Winchester 400 triumphs. His other two wins occurred in 1984 & 1990. Mike Cope, the most recent back to back winner, scored three consecutive wins from 1993-1995. Finally, Martin who won his only two 400s in back to back seasons (1985 & 1986).
By leading three different times for a total of 165 laps, Jones swept past his boss, Kyle Busch for the all-time lead in career laps led when the Winchester 400 has been an ARCA/CRA Super Series race. He's also an impressive eighth place all-time in career laps led overall with his 367 laps ahead of the pack. That mark is just one lap behind the late Dick Trickle on the all-time list, 80 laps behind sixth place Mark Martin and 124 laps out of the coveted top five. David Stremme is fifth on the list with 491 circuits.
As for Braden and in addition to his second ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship and the 2014 JEGS Triple Crown Series title, he also has a third crown to wear as he picked up the Inaugural Boyne Machine Company Michigan Challenge Series Championship. In the Winchester 400, he also picked up the FLUIDYNE High Performance Cool Under Pressure Award while earlier in the weekend, Braden visited victory lane in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race on Friday, October 10th by winning the series' season finale.
Claiming the final podium position while enjoying a relatively quiet day in the Winchester 400 was Southern Super Series star, Donnie Wilson who finished in third in his #2 Wilson Ford Parts / Oklahoma City Auto Works / Ford. The 43-year-old driver, a three-time event winner in 2014 in SSS, started in seventh and never left the top 10 throughout the entire day en route to his best career Winchester 400 finish. Earlier in the weekend, Wilson scored the VanDoorn Racing Development Fastest Practice Lap Award.
Overcoming going down two laps at the mid way point of the race, 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion, 18-year-old Cody Coughlin earned the Hedman Hedders Husler Award by finishing in fourth position. The Labor Day Monday World Stock Car Festival Winner shook off two flat tires during the race and collected two 'free passes' before clawing his way back into the top five late in the race before settling in fourth. The Delaware, Ohio teenager also picked up the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Race Award.
Completing the top five was Brian Hoar in his #37 GossCars.com / RPM Racing Engines / Dodge. Hoar, the eight-time ACT Champion making his first ever appearance at the legendary high-banks. The 42-year-old New England region star was very impressive throughout the weekend in his first Midwestern United State appearance as he led for 26 laps using a bold pit strategy. He maintained his position in the top 10 for the majority of the race before moving up to fifth at the end. He head back to Williston, Vermont with the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award for his efforts.
Indianapolis, Indiana veteran, Tommy St. John scored an impressive sixth place finish after going down a lap during the race. 15-year-old J.J. Haley had a career day in the longest race of his young career as the Winamac, Indiana teenager collected the $1,000 Team Construction Hard-Charger Award with his impressive 28th to seventh place run. What made the finish more impressive was that he also went down a lap early in the race as well. Haley also scored the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award as well as the C.V. Racing Products Hard-Charger Award for his efforts.
Bubba Pollard was another driver who overcame going a lap or more down as the Senoia, Georgia standout actually went two laps down before rallying to finish as the last car on the lead lap in eighth. 19-year-old Stephen Nasse was another driver who went two laps down before charging back to gain one of those laps back as the Pinellas Park, Florida driver finished ninth, the first car one lap down. Brandon Oakley, the winner at Kil-Kare Raceway (OH) a month ago, would complete the top 10 as the Beavercreek, Ohio driver overcame a variety of issues throughout the day including an early race spin that caused damage to his machine.
The day before in Winchester 400 / EDCO Welding Pole Qualifying, Jones would earn the right to start P1 in the race as he turned in a 15.257 which measures out to a blistering 117.979mph over the 37 cars who attempted to run in the prestigious race. 33 would take the green flag the next day. The ARCA/CRA Super Series Track Record at the legendary high-banks of Winchester Speedway remains in the hands of 2007 Series Champion Chris Gabehart who went a 14.935 back on October 17, 2009.
There is still one event remaining which will officially conclude the 2014 racing season; the 2014 Champion Racing Association (CRA) Powered by JEGS Awards Banquet. On Saturday, January 3, 2015 the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown at Union Station located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana will host the gala event. The event will honor the top 10 teams in 2014 points from the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance, Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Series Powered by JEGS and the Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stocks Series Powered by JEGS.
More information about the 2014 CRA Awards Banquet will be released soon. For more information about all four touring series’ within Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, please go to the series website at: www.cra-racing.com You can also follow along with all of CRA's touring series' all season long on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ChampionRacingAssociation and on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/CRAracing
Founded by John and Mildred Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in four professional touring series and local weekly events including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards as well as the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the ARCA Midwest Tour and the ARCA Trucks Series. In addition, weekly racing is held at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.
