Points Leader, Travis Braden Wins Third ARCA/CRA Super Series Race of 2013; One Step Closer to a Title
Only Needs to Start at Lucas Oil Raceway to Secure 2013 Series Championship
Xenia, Ohio (September 15, 2013) – The premier series within Champion Racing
Association (CRA) Powered by JEGS, the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS
made their first ever appearance to the tricky 1/3 (0.333) mile semi-banked paved oval of
Kil-Kare Raceway, located southeast of Dayton in Xenia, Ohio for the running of the
Buckminn's D&D Harley-Davidson / Oakley Blacktop 125. This event marked the 35th all-
time facility that the series has visited in its' 17-year history. The man standing in victory
lane though was no stranger to the uniquely-shaped layout.
19-year-old Travis Braden, the current ARCA/CRA Super Series Points Leader, overcame
an accident on lap 21 that knocked him out of the lead to score his third victory of the
2013 racing season and put a stranglehold on the Championship title picture. The driver of
the #01 West Virginia University / Chevrolet actually had to go to the rear of the field on lap
21 as a result of contact and ensuing spin while battling for the lead with early race leader,
Justin Alsip and Mike Stacy. The show he put on was something that the Buckeye State
fans will be talking about for a long time.
The Wheeling, West Virginia driver, who earlier in the day won the EDCO Welding Fast
Qualifier Award and originally started fifth, roared through the field and took over the point
from David Carter on lap 88 and would proceed to walk away with the popular victory at his
home track. "I thought we were done after the early wreck. But the car seemed fine after
that. We were very fortunate it wasn't as bad for us as it was for those other guys." Braden relayed in victory lane. "We were able to pass everyone and then we were on David's (Carter) back bumper. That was a good battle with him. It's been a heck of a year for us and it's only going to get better." He added.
With the win, Braden has all but locked up the 2013 ARCA/CRA Super Series Championship as the Mountaineer State driver has a commanding 182-point lead over second place. By merely starting the next event, the T.J. Racing Lubricants 100 Presented by Quarter Master at Lucas Oil Raceway in Clermont, Indiana on Sunday, September 22nd, Braden, the series 2012 Rookie of the Year, will clinch the title. In addition to his third EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Award of the year, he also scored the $300 Team Construction Clean Sweep Award as well as the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Laps of the Race Award and the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award
"This win is pretty special, being close to home a lot of my family and friends who can't usually make it were able to be here for this one, and it was a good one too. I never thought we'd be in the position we are in to wrap up the title. This is very special and a result of all of the hard work by this team all season long," The soon to be crowned titlist continued. "We've got two of my favorite places coming up in LOR and then the Winchester 400. I can't wait. I don't want this to end." He added.
Grove City, Ohio competitor, David Carter opened plenty of eyes with his career high second place showing in his unsponsored #25 Carter Racing / Chevrolet. The 21-year-old inherited the lead after the Braden-Alsip-Stacy mishap and would pace the field for the next 66 laps before Braden was able to get back by. Carter didn't leave empty-handed however as he picked up the FLUIDYNE Cool Under Pressure Award as well as the VR-12 and Holley Carburetors Halfway Leader Awards for his efforts.
Current Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Ali Kern finished out the podium finishers with a third place in her #28 Crown Batteries / Ford as the Fremont, Ohio driver swept all of the freshman awards. The 20-year-old collected the Boyne Machine Company, VDL Fuel Systems & K&N Filters Rookie of the Race honors and also moved into a tie for second overall in the season long points chase.
2011 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion and Rookie of the Year, Derrick Griffin finished a season high fourth in the #21 Tim's Heating & Cooling / Chevrolet as the South Bend, Indiana competitor, who earned the first Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award as well as the Racing Electronics Most Improved Positions Award after starting 15th, has climbed to ninth in the Drivers Points Standings despite limited appearances and competing for two different car owners this year.
Inaugural Series Champion from the 1997 season, Kenny Tweedy completed the top five in his #2 Muller Waste Equipment Sales / Chevrolet and has positioned himself for a chance at the 2013 Runner-Up position in a dogfight for second in points with Kern and veteran, Rick Turner with just two points races remaining at Lucas Oil Raceway and then the 42nd running of the Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana on October 11-13th.
A slew of Kil-Kare Raceway weekly competitors dominated the rest of the top 10 as veteran Donnie Hill was sixth and picked up the Hedman Hedders Husler Award as well as the second Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award after starting 18th while Cody Robinson was seventh over Chad Pendleton as both competitors were making their ARCA/CRA Super Series debuts. 2013 Kil-Kare Raceway Late Model Track Champion, Don Mahaffey Jr., finished ninth over semi-ARCA/CRA Super Series regular, Kyle Jones who would wrap up the top 10.
Matt Hall would collect the Hinchman Racing Uniforms Hard-Luck Award during the race as Braden established the ARCA/CRA Super Series Track Record at Kil-Kare as he was the only driver on the grounds to get into the 12-second barrier with a 12.916 which measures out to 92.815mph around Kil-Kare's tricky layout.
The next race for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS will be during the McGunegill Engine Performance CRA Fall Brawl 2013 Presented by P.A.D.D. (People Against Distracted Driving) is on Saturday-Sunday, September 21-22nd at the immaculate Lucas Oil Raceway, located west of Indianapolis in Clermont, Indiana as the ARCA/CRA Super Series headline the entire weekend in the Circle City with the running of the T.J. Racing Lubricants 100 Presented by Quarter Master.
For more information about all four touring series’ within Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, go to the CRA website at: www.cra-racing.com You can also follow along with CRA on Facebook at: www.facebook.com and search for "Champion Racing Association" as well as on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CRAracing Finally for more information about Lucas Oil Raceway, the host facility for the 13th race of the 2013 season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, go to the track website at: www.lucasoilraceway.com
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the entire country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards as well as the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing is held at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.
