13-Year-Old Chris Hacker Scores First Career CRA Late Model Sportsman Series Victory
Flagged Winner, Eddie Van Meter DQ'ed in Post-Race Tech
Anderson, Indiana (July 19, 2013) – The Top Speed Fabrication CRA Late Model
Sportsman Series Powered by JEGS were a part of Day 1 of the Stoops Freightliner
Redbud 300 Weekend at the fast 1/4 (0.250) mile high-banked paved oval of Anderson
Speedway in Anderson, Indiana on Friday, July 19th with the running of PGG 75
Presented by Motion Motors & Norick Petroleum, the fourth race of the 2013 racing
season and history was made in the race with a first time winner in the series; 13-year-
old rookie points leader, Chris Hacker.
The Noblesville, Indiana driver inherited the historic win after flagged winner, Eddie Van
Meter was DQ'ed in post-race tech, giving the victory and the trophy to Hacker who
steered his #24 PGG Enterprises / Chevrolet to a second place finish on the track when
the checkered flag came out. By getting the win, Hacker became the youngest driver in
Champion Racing Association (CRA) Powered by JEGS 17-year history to win an event
surpassing the record previously held by 2012 ARCA/CRA Southern Series Champion,
Kyle Benjamin who won his first race at 14.
"This is amazing, I don't know what to say really. I feel bad for Eddie (Van Meter) and
this is definitely not how I pictured winning my first race," The Hoosier State teenager
remarked after learning he was awarded the win. "We've been working really hard getting
dialed in and I really need to thank Scott Neal and everyone at Scott Neal Racing for
helping us out so much and making us faster." He added.
After Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier, 16-year-old Trey Craig drew a 12 for an inversion,
Defending Series Champion, K.C. Spillers and Damon Ecoff would bring the starting field
down to the start / finish line to start the 75-Lap Feature and it would be the veteran
Spillers out-dueling Ecoff heading into the first corner to take the early advantage as the
rest of the field sorted themselves out behind the front row.
Spillers opened up his lead as Ecoff fell back in the field. Soon 14-year-old J.J. Haley,
also a competitor in the Stealth Trailers CRA Street Stocks Series Powered by JEGS
and making only his second career CRA Late Model Sportsman Series start, moved his
way up to second and began challenging the reigning series champion for the lead when
he spun on lap 10 and would restart at the tail of the field.
ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS veteran, Eddie Van Meter, making a rare
CRA Late Model Sportsman Series start, found himself in second place and from the
drop of the green on the restart, began hounding Spillers in an effort to take over the lead. Two laps later, Van Meter tagged the wall and spun and several cars were involved as they tried to avoid the melee. Amongst the cars involved included fast qualifier, Craig whose night would end as a result.
On the next restart, Current Points Leader, Mark Lambert had worked his way up to second from his 11th starting spot and began to mount a charge at Spillers, who was right behind him in the season long point’s chase coming into the night. Just prior to the halfway point of the race, 13-year-old Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Chris Hacker had worked his way by Lambert for second and set his sights on the race long leader Spillers.
By lap 42, Van Meter and Haley had hooked up and worked their way back towards the front of the field. On lap 54 and after working the outside lane, building the momentum up, Van Meter was able to drive around Hacker for second and in turn take a second crack at Spillers. By lap 58 Van Meter completed his charge to the front as he took the lead away from Spillers with Hacker following him by for second.
From there it was all Van Meter who would be able to fend off the hard-charging Hacker and cross the start / finish line first to seemingly take the win. Unfortunately in post-race tech, Van Meter was DQ'ed thus handing the trophy and winner's check to Hacker who would also collect the Racing Electronics Hard-Charger Award for his efforts after starting ninth and finally would extend his already lengthy points lead in the chase for the 2013 Rookie of the Year title in the CRA Late Model Sportsman Series.
Spillers would inherit the runner-up spot ahead of Lambert who grabbed the Hedman Hedders Husler Award for his run and maintains a two-point cushion over Spillers in the Points Standings. Haley recovered from his early race spin to finish fourth and won the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award while Josh Cave who completed the top five. Ronnie Rose finished in sixth position while Joe Woodring was seventh over 17-year-old Jacob Garrigus, Fred Hopkins and Jason Atkinson who finished off the top 10.
Craig's Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier Award winning time was a 13.032 which equates to 69.061mph and ties the Track Record which is held by Charlie Hanna who set the original mark back on July 31, 2010.
Baer Field Speedway in Fort Wayne, Indiana is the site for race #5 of the 2013 racing season for the Top Speed Fabrication CRA Late Model Sportsman Series Powered by JEGS on Saturday, July 27th as the series will be a part of the tracks prestigious 16th annual Gold Cup with the tracks weekly Modifieds division as both classes will run 50-Lap Features to co-headline the nights festivities.
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 CRA on Facebook at: www.facebook.com and search for "Champion Racing Association" as well as Twitter at www.twitter.com/CRAracing Finally for more information about Baer Field Speedway, the host facility for the fifth race of the 2013 season for the Top Speed Fabrication CRA Late Model Sportsman Series Powered by JEGS, go to the track website at: www.fwrace.com
