The list of early entries continues to grow for the upcoming Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300 at Anderson Speedway on June 14 and contains some very impressive names as this event continues to grow into one of the premier template late model events in the country, sanctioned by the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS.
The 300-lap event will pay $10,000 to win plus bonuses and will be the first event of the JEGS/CRA $100,000 Super Late Model Triple Crown, which will pay a driver $100,000 bonus if a driver can win the Redbud 300, the Berlin 251 at Berlin Raceway on July 19 and the 43rd Annual Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway on October 12. There is a $10,000 bonus if a driver can only win two of the events.
North Carolina hot shoe Daniel Hemric has entered, driving for the Carswell Motorsports team based out of Woodstock, Georgia. Hemric is no stranger to CRA fans as he claimed the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship in dominating fashion with a series record eight wins driving for Scott Neal Racing. Hemric went on to claim the Southern Super Series Super Late Model Championship in 2013 for Carswell and has already been to victory lane three times in the Pro All Stars Southern Series, including getting a win last Saturday night at Southern National Motorsports Park in North Carolina.
Central Indiana veteran racer Scott Neal will climb back behind the wheel to race in the Redbud 300. The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship winning car owner and crew chief raced in a handful of CRA events last year including the famed Winchester 400 were he was running with the leaders until getting caught up in an accident that ended his day early on lap 346. Dustin Burge finished fifth in the April 26th series event at Anderson Speedway in a Scott Neal Racing car, it was his first ever race in a late model.
2013 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Travis Braden has entered and is looking to better his fifth place finish in last year’s Redbud 300. The West Virginia University Engineering student has teamed with former ASA Racing Series Champion Gary St. Amant to turn the wrenches in 2014 and is currently third in 2014 series points after four events and got a third place finish in the series event at Berlin Raceway last Saturday night after leading 39 laps.
Veteran series competitor Rick Turner, who has raced with the series since it began in 1997, would like to add a Redbud winner’s trophy to his list of accomplishments with CRA. Turner has two series wins at Anderson Speedway, his day ended early in last year’s Redbud 300 when he was forced to park his car on lap 40 with a broken shock, he looks to better those results next weekend.
The father and son team of Eddie and Billy Van Meter have both entered the Redbud 300. Eddie is a veteran campaigner with the ARCA/CRA Super Series, while son Billy has been competing full-time with the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman in 2014 were he is sixth in series points, with a high finish of second in the April 6th event. Billy had an impressive run in only his second ARCA/CRA Super Series start on April 26th at Anderson Speedway, coming away with an 11th place finish on the lead lap in his first ever race over 100 laps.
Senneker Performance Rookie of the Year competitors Brandon Watson from Canada, Tom Woodin from Michigan and Crown Point, Indiana’s Wes Griffith Jr. have all entered. Also entered is Wisconsin racer Robert Maynor, a former full-time series racer, who got an eighth place finish in last year’s Redbud 300.
Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman rookie competitor Quinntan Bear will make his ARCA/CRA Super Series debut in the Redbud 300. The son of Central Indiana racer Freddy Bear is currently ninth in series points after three events and is fourth in Rookie of the Year standings. The Avon, Indiana teenager is looking to get some experience to further his racing career with the help of crew chief Scotty Tomasik. Another part-time Late Model Sportsman racer, Josh Cave from Martinsburg, Indiana, has also entered to make his ARCA/CRA Super Series debut.
These drivers join the impressive list of drivers already entered for the Redbud 300 including Johnny VanDoorn, Ross Kenseth, T.J. Reaid, Bubba Pollard, Brian Campbell, Brett Robinson, Ali Kern, Paul Shafer Jr., and Brandon Oakley. Additional entries are expected in the days leading up to the Redbud 300.
The Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300 Weekend will begin with an open practice on Thursday, June 12th, pits will open at 4pm with practice going from 5 to 8pm.
On Friday, June 13, pits will open at noon, there will be an open practice for the Redbud 300 cars only from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. Practice for the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman will begin at 4:30 with qualifying at 6:15. Friday night’s race program will begin at 7:30 and will include the $2,000 to win Motion Motors 100 for the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman/Anderson MEP Late Models and a 100 lap Outlaw Late Model event.
Pits open on Saturday, June 14 at 10 a.m., there will be a two hour practice for the ARCA/CRA Super Series cars from 1 to 3 p.m., with qualifying for the Redbud 300 beginning at 4:15. There will be an on track autograph session with all the drivers starting at 6, the green flag for the Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300 will drop at 7:30.
More information on all the CRA Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
