Jeff Lane A Winner Once Again In CRA Street Stock Series At Lucas Oil Raceway; Career Triumph #11
CRA Street Stock Series visits Circle City speed plant for the second time of the 2014 season
Brownsburg, Indiana (September 28, 2014) – The Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stock
Series Powered by JEGS closed out the prestigious McGunegill Engine
Performance CRA Fall Brawl 2014 Presented by EDCO Welding over the weekend
of September 27-28th. The immaculate 0.686 mile semi-banked paved oval of Lucas
Oil Raceway, located west of Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Indiana was the site of the
Two Men and a Truck 40 Presented by PBM Performance Products on the biggest
track the series races on each season.
The ninth all-time CRA SSS appearance in the Circle City would see the teams join
their CRA counterparts within the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the
JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance and Vore's Welding
CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS over the Weekend. In the 40-lap
Feature which closed out the racing action in Central Indiana, Jeff Lane, the all-time
winningest driver in series history, rewrote the record books once again with his 22nd
career Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier Award followed by his 11th career victory in
a race that started under the sunlight and ended under the lights.
"This is probably one of the best cars I've ever had here and that's really saying
something. After we qualified so well, I knew this was going to be a good weekend."
The 2011 CRA Street Stock Series and 2005 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion stated in victory lane after climbing out of his #21 Hill Top Drive-Inn / Payne's Auto Parts / Chevrolet. "I knew Jason (Atkinson) would be tough, but we just stayed focused and hit our marks. We were fine. We'll look to finish the season strong at Winchester in a couple of weeks." The Knightstown, Indiana veteran added.
After Lane out-qualified the 27-car field by a whopping 0.551 seconds, the 51-year-old drew a six for an inversion which placed rookie Brandon Mefford and veteran Roger Williams on the front row for the 40-lap man. Mefford jumped out to the early lead but it wouldn't take long for Lane to work his way up to Mefford's back bumper. On lap six, Lane made what would be the winning pass and would bring points leader, Jason Atkinson with him. Atkinson was in a battle himself as with defending series champion, Dustin Burge, who was second in the points coming into the weekend, absent, Atkinson needed to finish 15th or better and he would clinch the series championship.
Lane and Atkinson checked out on the rest of the field as the race was slowed by only two caution flags. On lap 23, Jason Thompson spun to bring out the final yellow. Upon being sent to the rear of the field, his car went up in smoke and it would be another lap before Thompson's car finally exited the speedway. After a lengthy cleanup, the race resumed with Lane and Atkinson again checking out on the field. As the race wore on, Lane would continue to extend his lead and in the end would leave the Circle City with his second victory of the 2014 racing season.
In addition to the traditional CRA Fall Brawl Boxing Gloves and the Five-Foot Trophy for winning as well as the Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier Award, he also picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award. With Atkinson finishing in second, the New Castle, Indiana driver clinched the 2014 CRA Street Stock Series Championship with one race left. Atkinson and his #73 Accelerator Racecars / Chevrolet is already amongst the all-time leaders in a majority of statistical categories in the CRA Late Model Sportsman Series, however, this will be his first career CRA Championship.
Mefford was the top finishing rookie after scoring a career high third place finish in his #83 Sunnyside Motors / Chevrolet. The Knightstown, Indiana driver led for the first five laps of the race before eventual winner Lane and Atkinson got by. Still the 29-year-old would hang on for his first career podium finish. Jake McElfresh posted a season high fourth place finish in his #3 W.C. Signs / Chevrolet. The 24-year-old started 13th and worked his way past nine competitors to crack the top five. He brought T.J. Flynn with him who tied his career high finish of a fifth, which also came at Lucas Oil Raceway back on April 6th in the Cabin Fever Spring Championships. The 22-year-old Flynn and his #30 Veterans History Project / Chevrolet has been impressive in limited appearances in 2014.
A.J. Ridner started at the tail end of the field in 27th position and would earn the T.C.I. Automotive Hard-Charger Award by advancing 21 positions to finish in sixth. Phil Jenkins finished in seventh spot ahead of Danny Adams who picked up 12 spots to finish in eighth. Jason Shipp started in the 21st position and would also pass 12 cars to score a ninth place finish as Rookie of the Year points leader, Jeff Johnson passed 15 cars en route to completing the top 10 and extending his lead in the freshman title chase. Johnson leads 14-year-old James Kirby III, who finished 15th, by 17 points heading into the final race of the season during Winchester 400 Weekend.
Just 24 hours before in Allstar Performance Qualifying, Lane set the mark around the Circle City speed plant by going a 25.951, just 0.114 seconds off the Track Record. Lane's average speed was 95.164mph. The CRA Street Stock Series Track Record is still held by veteran Dave Bice who went a 25.837 around the mammoth oval back on October 1st, 2011.
The 10th anniversary 2014 racing season for the Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stock Series Powered by JEGS concludes during the 43rd running of the Winchester 400 Weekend on Friday-Saturday, October 10-11th. The CRA Street Stock Series teams will compete twice over the prestigious weekend at the legendary 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 Friday, October 10th, the popular New Stars 25, a non-points race, will start things off before the teams return on Saturday, October 11th with the Stealth Trailers 50 which will crown the 2014 Series Champion and Rookie of the Year at the conclusion of the 50-lap Feature. The CRA Street Stock Series has competed at Winchester 40 other times, the most of any track in series history. Beau Mitchell leads the way with six career victories. 2011 Series Champion Jeff Lane is the most recent winner on September 1st when he scored his fifth career win over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend.
Jason Thompson has picked up four checkered flags in Eastern Indiana while Bret Miles and Carl Muffley each have three trips to victory lane. Three-Time Series Champion Joe Beaver and 2008 Series Champion Bret Miles Jr., both have two wins and so does Calvin Parham, who is the defending race winner during 400 weekend. Rich Boyer and Josh Burton also have two wins apiece as well on the high-banks. Finally, nine different drivers all have single wins on the famed 1/2 mile; 2010 Series Champion Steve Christman as well as Craig Cookingham, Brian Hopkins Frank Kimmel II, Larry Matillo, Josh Myers, Jacob Owens, Jeff Perry and Bubba Trinkle.
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 Finally for more information about Winchester Speedway, the host facility for the 12th and final race of the 10th anniversary 2014 racing season for the Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stock Series Powered by JEGS, go to the track website at: www.winchesterspeedway.com
