Daniel Hemric Wins The Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300 At Anderson Speedway
Round I of the $100,000 JEGS Triple Crown Series goes to 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion
Anderson, Indiana (June 14, 2014) – The first race of the prestigious $100,000 JEGS
Triple Crown Series for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS would be the 48th
Running of the Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300. The fast 1/4 (0.250) mile high-banked
paved oval of Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana served as hosts on Saturday,
June 14th. Held in various forms and under different sanctioning bodies since 1967, this
race is one of the most coveted to win in all of North America.
At the end of 300 laps, 2013 Southern Super Series Champion, Daniel Hemric made pit
strategy at the lap 150 break pay off in a big way. The Kannapolis, North Carolina driver,
who was also the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion, survived a first lap accident
and then with 23 laps to go, took the lead from race leader, Bubba Pollard. In the end, the
driver of the #98 Jack Link's Beef Jerky / Jubilee Conferences / Ford would leave Central
Indiana with a $10,000 paycheck after scoring one of the biggest wins of his career.
“To win a race nowadays means a lot. I’m really fortunate to do it with Jake & Deanna
Carswell. It’s really huge to win this race. I’m just really fortunate to be in this here.” The
elated 23-year-old relayed in victory lane after the race. "We took the four (tires) at the
break and we ended up losing only three or four spots of track position. We figured that
at the end of the race it was going to pay off. It was a great call and here we are with the
trophy." He added. Hemric is now the only driver who is eligible for the $100,000 bonus if he is able to win all three Triple Crown Series events.
Any driver who wins two races will receive a $10,000 bonus. If no driver wins two of the events, the driver who accumulates the most points during the three races will receive a $5,000 bonus and the title of 2014 JEGS Triple Super Late Model Triple Crown Series Champion. A driver must be present and attempt to make the field in all three of the Triple Crown events to be eligible for any of the bonuses. The second Triple Crown race is on July 18-19th back at Berlin Raceway (MI) for the 2nd Annual Battle at Berlin 251 while the third and final jewel in the series will be the 43rd running of the Winchester 400 on October 10-12th at Winchester Speedway (IN).
After Hemric drew a six for an inversion, it would be 19-year-old Landon Cling and points leader coming into the race, Brian Campbell leading the 24-car field down to Chief Starter, Scott Menlen's green flag. As the field went into the first corner, Cling and Campbell collided, sending Campbell hard into the turn one wall. The spring race winner at Anderson, T.J. Reaid was right behind Campbell and had nowhere to go and slid hard into Campbell before a lap was completed. Reaid was done for the night while Campbell did try to come out and make laps later, but eventually pulled off.
On the restart, three-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion and defending Redbud 300 winner, Johnny VanDoorn moved up to second on the restart and would power his way around Cling to take the early lead. Bubba Pollard, who started fifth, quickly worked his way up to second and on lap 54 briefly took the leads away from VanDoorn only to lose it two laps later. VanDoorn would lead the field into the mandatory Lap 150 halfway break as the field was faced with the decision of how many tires to take or take fewer Hoosiers and start more towards the front for the second half.
Rick Turner, making his 219th career start to moved him to within four event of all-time career starts leader, Kenny Tweedy's 223, made the bold move to not take any tires and would restart in first with Pollard, who only took two tires. Pollard quickly retook the lead on lap 151 from Turner and tried in vain to pull away from the rest of the field. VanDoorn restarted in eighth as the only driver to take three tires while 2013 Southern Super Series Champion, Daniel Hemric and others took four fresh tires.
The pivotal moment of the race came on lap 188 when Brett Robinson, who had been running in the top five throughout the race, and Trent Snyder, a three-time winner at Anderson in JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour competition, collided going into turn three. Robinson was sent careening into the turn three wall setting off a chain reaction accident that knocked out several drivers. VanDoorn had nowhere to go and slammed into the back end of Robinson and moment later, Robert Maynor slid into the back end of a now stopped VanDoorn while other cars spun and hit the wall as well. In all seven cars were involved as five were unable to continue. In addition to Robinson, Snyder, VanDoorn and Maynor, rookie points leader going into the night, Brandon Watson was also done as well.
On the restart, Pollard continued to lead as Hemric began reeling him in thanks to his four new tires. Soon they were slicing and dicing through traffic as Pollard tried to lose Hemric within the lapped cars. Hemric was up to the task though as on Lap 277, Hemric made a daring outside lane pass on Pollard to take the lead for the first time. From there, Hemric would slowly pull away from Pollard and the rest of the field and would take the checkered flag first to claim the win in the Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300.
"The car was really tight after the first lap wreck where we got clipped. The way my row fired after the break, it allowed us to run the inside lane and pass a few cars," Hemric, who last won in ARCA/CRA Super Series competition back on September 15th, 2012 at Gresham Motorsports Park (GA) continued. "Then we got up into the top five and it was really just good fortune that we were on the bottom when everyone got together in turn three. After that the car really started working on the top side and I was able to catch Bubba (Pollard) and pass him. In the end though, He was doing all he could do to get by me and I was doing all I could to get away from him. It was a heck of a show." He ended.
In addition to the $10,000 payday and now becoming the only driver eligible for the unprecedented $100,000 bonus if he can sweep all three JEGS Triple Crown Series races, Hemric picked up a plethora of contingency awards including the Team Construction Clean Sweep Award as he also won the EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award. Hemric also picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award with his winning pass on Pollard.
Defending ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, Travis Braden continues to recover from an awful start towards his defense of his title. The Wheeling, West Virginia standout in his #01 West Virginia University / Chevrolet earned a hard fought second place finish after a late race battle with Pollard for the runner-up spot. With the top drivers in points finishing behind him, the 20-year-old picked up some valuable points in his quest to defend his title. For his efforts, he picked up the FLUIDYNE High Performance Cool Under Pressure Award.
After leading twice for a total of 129 laps, Bubba Pollard would complete the podium in third aboard his #26 JEGS.com / Chevrolet. The Senoia, Georgia driver had been on a tear coming into the Redbud 300 having won four of the seven Southern Super Series races conducted so far this season as well as five Pro Late Model victories in the southeastern part of the country. The 27-year-old has never won a race in his career north of the Mason-Dixon line, but does hope to change that with the next $100,000 JEGS Triple Crown Series race on Saturday, July 19th at Berlin Raceway (MI).
Former Redbud 300 winner from the 2011 season, Steve Dorer picked up a solid fourth place finish after starting in 13th aboard his #10 Racecar Engineering / Chevrolet. The Lakeland, Florida resident, originally from Coldwater, Michigan battled within the top 10 for the entire race and picked up the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award thanks to his run. Rounding out the top five was 19-year-old Brandon Oakley who was impressive in his #51 Dayton International Airport / Chevrolet. The Beavercreek, Ohio sophomore, the 2013 Rookie Runner-Up in the series, climbed to as high as second at one point before dropping back to fifth.
After not even taking the green flag due to transmission problems, veteran Scott Neal overcame not even entering the race until three laps in, scored three 'free passes' to get back on the lead lap and came away with his first top 10 finish since the 2001 season, a sixth place effort. Neal collected the Hedman Hedders Husler Award as well as the C.V. Products Hard-Charger Award and the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award for his hard fought finish.
Ross Kenseth took over the points lead with his seventh place finish after Campbell was out early to his accident at the start of the race. 17-year-old Paul Shafer Jr., picked up the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Race Award with his eighth place finish and also took over the freshman points lead in the series. Veteran Rick Turner collected a ninth place finish, his 85th career top 10 finish, good for fourth all-time, after not taking any tires at the break in favor of track position. 2013 Rookie of the Year, Ali Kern picked up a hard fought 10th place showing to complete the final top 10.
Despite being involved in the massive pile-up on lap 188, VanDoorn didn't leave Anderson, Indiana empty-handed either. He picked up the Hamner Racing Engines/DUBZ Engine Cooling Halfway Leader Award after leading the field down pit road at the Lap 150 break. He also scored the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap of the Race Award as well.
Earlier in the day in EDCO Welding Qualifying, Hemric won his first career ARCA/CRA Super Series Fast Qualifier Award as he went a 12.065 around the 1/4 mile. His lap measured out to 74.596mph. The ARCA/CRA Super Series Track Record was set back on August 9th, 2008 when Jeff Lane turned in an 11.922.
The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS next race will see the teams return to Columbus Motor Speedway in Columbus, Ohio for the first time since the 2011 racing season on Saturday, June 28th. The circular 1/3 (0.333) mile semi-banked paved oval will host the running of the JEGS 125. This will be the ninth all-time appearance as eight different drivers have visited victory lane. Ross Kenseth won the last ARCA/CRA race held in the Buckeye State capital while Brian Campbell, Robbie Pyle, 2003 series champion Bobby Parsley, Jack Landis, three-time series titlist Scott Hantz, Fred Campbell and Junior Hanley all have single victories apiece.
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.comYou 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 Finally for more information about Columbus Motor Speedway, the host facility for the sixth points race within the 18th season of ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS racing, go to the track website at: www.columbusspeedway.com
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.
