Special from Champion Racing Association: Salem, IN (September 5, 2022) – Muncie, Indiana’s J.P. Crabtree passed Cassten Everidge in lap traffic to take the lead and the eventual win in Sunday’s Vore’s Welding & Steel 40 for the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS on the historic High Banks of Winchester Speedway. The event was part of the traditional Labor Day Weekend World Stock Car Festival at Winchester Speedway this past weekend.
“This is awesome, my third win here at Winchester Speedway,” remarked Crabtree in victory lane. “This is my dad’s car, it was fast all weekend, I knew if we could just get to the front that we could get to victory lane and we made it. I could see the 1 car coming, I knew he was going to try and pass me on the last lap, but we were able to hold him off. Thanks to my dad and my whole family for their support. I just love this place. I’ve had a great season and I look forward to getting some more wins!”
Crabtree got the lead on early leader Cassten Everidge on lap 17 when the leaders caught the tail of the lead lap cars. Everidge went to make a pass on the bottom when the car he was trying to pass also went low, taking Everidge to the apron of the racetrack leaving the top groove open for Crabtree to make the outside pass and grab the lead.
Crabtree kept the lead on a lap 21 restart and held off the hard charging Jon Beach who tried to make a last corner pass but came up just short. For his pass to get the lead Crabtree was awarded the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award. The win was Crabtree’s second in a row with the series, he won the series last event at Anderson Speedway on August 13th in his own car. The win was his fourth all-time with the series and his third at Winchester Speedway after also winning in 2020 and 2018.
Beach finished in second by .112 of a second. Beach, the Allstar Performance Fast Qualifier, had come from his sixth place starting position to finish in second.
Three time series Champion Billy Hutson finished in third place. Series rookie Greg Stilwel Jr. finished in fourth in his first ever race at Winchester Speedway. Last year’s series Winchester event winner Chris Shannon finished in fifth place after losing two positions late in the race with a tire going down.
The next Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Powered by JEGS event will be on Saturday, September 17th at Anderson Speedway. Information on all the CRA Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.