Winchester, IN (Wednesday, October 7, 2020) - Winchester Speedway is easily marked as one of the toughest short tracks in America to navigate. With a worn out and characteristic surface, extreme high banks, and huge speed - just one lap at full speed can be a daunting task. Which is why the Winchester 400 has such a massive following, and the winner of that race is honored in many ways. This weekend, Plainfield, Indiana’s, Mason Keller will look to compete in three cars, three races, and do not 50, not 100, not 400 - but 550 laps around Winchester Speedway. A regular competitor in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour as well as a Rookie in the ARCA/CRA Super Series powered by JEGS, and a 2018 winner at Winchester Speedway in June, it probably made sense for Keller to throw his name into the hat for the Winchester 100 and Winchester 400 titles. His 2018 triumph with the JEGS Tour probably shouldn’t be much of a surprise, given his lifelong love for the track. “[Winchester has] always been a place that I loved,” remarked Keller on the Horsepower Happenings Podcast. “Growing up, I never missed a race there. I’d always be there to watch, or help - whatever I could,” Keller said. More than just the 2018 Pro Late Model win reside on the Winchester resume for Keller. He says that he found success at the Fast Half-Mile in street stocks early in his career. “I won my first race there when I was, I believe, 14, in street stocks,” Keller recalled. This weekend will serve though as a test of Keller’s strength; not only physically, but also mentally. Keller will make his first-ever start in a modified during the Run for the Gun 50 with the Midwest Modifieds Tour. His entry in all three divisions, not only means he’ll be racing Friday (JEGS), Saturday (Mods), and Sunday (Winchester 400), but it also means he’ll go around Winchester Speedway more than 550 times. When asked about the challenge, Keller admitted he hadn’t thought about it. “When you put it that way, I’ve had better ideas,” Keller joked. “I think I’m ready to attempt a modified. I’ll see what that’s all about and hopefully, it’s everything it’s cracked up to be,” Keller noted. Keller will be behind the wheel of a Burkett Nester Racecars Chassis. Brian Nester, the man behind BNR, is good company to keep for Keller. Nester has a win at Winchester back in 2015, taking home his very own gun at the end of the night. Nester most recently finished fourth at Winchester in 2019. The Winchester 400 weekend begins with an optional open practice on Thursday, then the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour headlines the Friday night action, with the Midwest Modifieds Tour, Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsmen, and Van Hoy Oil CRA Street Stocks on the Saturday night card, and the 49th Running of the Winchester 400 is at 1:00 pm on Sunday. For more stories from around the region, be sure to log onto www.horsepowerhappenings.com. Listen to the Horsepower Happenings Podcast, with new episodes every Monday night at 9:00 pm. Story - Zach Hiser, Horsepower Happenings Photo - Mason Keller Facebook