CRA: Baer Field summary
HANTZ, RICHARDSON, CHRISTMAN AND OWENS GET CRA SUPER SUNDAY VICTORIES Ft. Wayne, IN (May 21, 2007) -- It was a day full of exciting racing action in all four CRA divisions in the CRA Super Sunday Presented By Dietsch Sales & Service at Baer Field ...
HANTZ, RICHARDSON, CHRISTMAN AND OWENS GET CRA SUPER SUNDAY VICTORIES
Ft. Wayne, IN (May 21, 2007) -- It was a day full of exciting racing action in all four CRA divisions in the CRA Super Sunday Presented By Dietsch Sales & Service at Baer Field Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Scott Hantz got the victory in the CRA Super Sunday 100. Chad Richardson got the victory by inches in the Howe CRA Sportsman 50 lap event Presented By Sullivan RV. Steve Christman was victorious in the CRA Street Stock 50 lap event and Randy Owens got the victory in the Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compact 20 lap event.
Defending CRA Super Series Champion Scott Hantz got a hard fought victory in Sunday's CRA Super Sunday 100 Presented By Dietsch Sales & Service. Hantz started out the day by claiming the Appleton Rack & Pinion Fast Qualifier Award by setting a new track record and besting the other 25 cars on hand for Sunday's show.
Hantz started the feature event in the fifth position after drawing a five for the inverted start, which put veteran series racer Jeff Lane on the pole. Lane took full advantage taking the lead at the drop of the green flag, but was challenged right off for the lead by Eddie Van Meter. Hantz began his march to the front by passing cars on the bottom, working his way into second behind Lane. The two series veterans raced hard for several laps with Hantz trying first the outside than the inside to try and get by Lane. On lap 86 the two cars approached Terry Fisher Jr., the last car on the lead lap at the time. Lane stayed high thinking Fisher Jr. would go low, that decision cost Lane the lead and the win. Hantz drove to the bottom of the track passing Lane and Fisher Jr. to grab the lead on lap 87. Lane would close back upon Hantz's rear bumper, but would get no further as Hantz claimed his first series victory of the 2007 season.
"My car was really good at the beginning of the race and kind of went away toward the middle," remarked Hantz, "but catching Jeff in lapped traffic I finally got around him and hoped he would not be able to get back around me."
Jack Landis would finish in third with Chris Gabehart in fourth. Jason Dietsch came from his 19th place starting position to finish in fifth, which earned him the Lane Automotive/ISKY Cams Hardcharger Award and a Hoosier Tire Performance Award while equaling his best ever series finish. With his fourth place finish Gabehart maintains an 18-point lead in the CRA Super Series points over Lane, while Hantz moves from eighth to third place, 32 points behind Gabehart. John Van Doorn was the RV Performance Rookie of the Race Award winner, coming back from pitting for repairs to his rear bumper cover to finish eighth. Lane was the winner of the Kingen Interstate Express Halfway Bonus. Jason Shively picked up the Sweet Move Of The Race Award and a Hoosier Performance Award after some nifty outside passes to get a sixth place finish after pitting early in the event to have adjustments made to his racecar.
A record 26 Howe CRA Sportsman cars showed up for Sunday's events, the local Baer Field late model drivers seemed to have an advantage, first with Zach Hulvey setting fast time, then in the closest finish in series history that saw local racer Chad Richardson beat Hulvey to the finish line by inches after the cars split a lap car coming out of turn four. Richardson then took a scary ride off the turn one embankment of the 3/8's mile track after crossing the finish line, but was able to drive the car to victory lane.
"I wanted to make sure I stayed ahead of Zach Hulvey and so I went low to get past some lap traffic and then went for a ride," stated a jubilant Richardson in victory lane.
Billy Hutson, another racer with lots of laps at Baer Field Speedway, finished in third while Rick Tackman Jr. got fourth, even after sustaining front-end damage early in the event. Bobby Stemme finished in fifth. Chad Richardson, Bobby Dager and Bob Dumke won Howe CRA Sportsman Heat races.
Veteran Ft. Wayne racer Steve Christman got the win in the 50 lap CRA Street Stock event, but it didn't come easy. Eric Evans used his front row starting position to get the early lead. Evans held on to that lead until lap 21 when Christman moved underneath Evans to get the lead charging through the field from his 11th place starting position. Christman held the lead until Bubba Trinkle got by on a restart to take the lead on lap on lap 38, but Christman fought back, retaking the lead on lap 39 and held off Trinkle to get the victory.
"I want to thank Steve Davis for letting me drive this great racecar," stated Christman. "I really like this series, there is some great cars and good drivers here, it's always fun to race with these guys!"
Trickle came from his 14th place starting position to get second, his best ever finish with the CRA Street Stocks. Third place finisher Chuck Cook started in 16th. Local competitor Joe Wormcastle finished in fourth with Brian Hopkins in fifth. Larry Matillo was the CRA Street Stock Fast Qualifier, besting the other 29 cars that entered Sunday's event. Hopkins, Randy Hoppes, and Brian Kucaba were victorious in the C RA Street Stock Heat races.
Jacob Owens was happy with what he thought was a third place finish in the Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts 20 lap feature, but Owens was even happier after first place finisher Rex Zimmerman and second place finisher Jordan Flynn were disqualified from their feature finishes after not passing post race tech inspection. Brian Redman finished in second with Derrick Young in third. Greg De St. Jean finished fourth and Justin Kelly in fifth. Zimmerman was the winner of the 8 lap Vore's Welding & Steel CRA FWD Compacts heat race to start off the days racing action.
-credit: cra
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