 | At the end of 100 laps that seen the scorching temperatures barely drop even with the sun going down making for a very hot and humid evening in southern Indiana, 15-year-old Grant Quinlan made a plethora of new fans in the Hoosier Hills after his impressive
performance. After leading initially until slapping the turn three wall and cutting a right rear tire with 32 laps to go, going a lap down in the process, he changed the tire and got back out. A caution one lap after a restart put him back on the lead lap thanks to the 'free
pass'. | |
Salem - July 7, 2014 - The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance made their way south for race #4 on the 2014 calendar. The historic 0.555 mile high-banked paved oval of Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located just north of the Indiana / Kentucky state line in Salem, Indiana hosted the running of the John Jones Auto Group 100 Presented by Mountaineer Firewood & JEGS.com on Saturday, June 21st. A hot and humid day greeted the teams, but the action on the track was just as hot and every bit as exciting.
At the end of 100 laps that seen the scorching temperatures barely drop even with the sun going down making for a very hot and humid evening in southern Indiana, 15-year-old Grant Quinlan made a plethora of new fans in the Hoosier Hills after his impressive
performance. After leading initially until slapping the turn three wall and cutting a right rear tire with 32 laps to go, going a lap down in the process, he changed the tire and got back out. A caution one lap after a restart put him back on the lead lap thanks to the 'free
pass'.
From there, the Harrison, Michigan driver put on a driving display few will ever forget. After passing Chuck Barnes Jr., and then race leader, 14-year-old Garrett Jones in one daring outside maneuver as the white flag came out. His pass, while his #28 Quinlan Incorporated / International Tool & Mold / Chevrolet bounced off the retaining wall several more times in the process, proved to be the game winner as the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title contender scored his first ever win in a Late Model in only his fourth career start in one after starting his career in Legends cars.
"I can't believe this. I thought we were done for sure the first time I hit the wall, cut that tire and spun out," The elated and tired driver explained in victory lane. "The crew did a great job to get me back out. But I thought we didn't have a chance at all losing a lap to the leaders. Fortunately the yellow came back out about a lap after the restart and we got our lap back. I told the guys, we're going for it. It was going to be checkers or wreckers at that point. We hit the wall I don't know how many times getting back towards the front and then I bounced off of it a few more times making that pass at the end. But it all worked out. I just can't believe this is happening." The Great Lakes State teenager added.
After Boyne Machine Company Fast Qualifier, Chuck Barnes Jr., drew an eight for an inversion, it placed Josh Nelms and Jones on the front row for the John Jones Auto Group 100 Presented by Mountaineer Firewood & JEGS.com. As the 23-car field flew under Chief Starter, Brian Duncan's green flag, Jones would be able to use the momentum from the outside lane to grab the early lead while the rest of the field settled in. On lap eight, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie, 19-year-old Mason Mingus drove by Jones to take the lead.
Mingus set a torrid early pace, but unfortunately his night ended early as on lap 23, his right front tire exploded coming out of turn two sending his machine hard into the turn two wall. The cars behind him took evasive action, but three were unable to avoid the careening Mingus as the Van Wieringen siblings, 19-year-old Dominique Van Wieringen and her younger brother, 16-year-old Tristan Van Wieringen were caught up in the wreckage as was 2010 Salem Speedway Grand American Stocks Track Champion, Winston Wood. All four were ok, but done for the night.
This gave the lead back to Jones who would try again to get away from the rest of the field. However Quinlan would have none of that as on lap 42, he took over the top spot and tried his hand at pulling away from the pack earning the D.T.S. Drive Train Specialists Halfway Leader Award. The pivotal spin by Quinlan was on lap 68 and gave the lead back to Jones while Quinlan would lose a lap and head down pit road for a tire change. Another caution a lap later for Dan Leeck spinning in turn two would give Quinlan the 'free pass' and put him back on the lead lap to set up his impressive charge.
As Quinlan was working his way back towards the front, Jones had to deal with 2004 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, Chuck Barnes Jr., who earlier in the day won the Boyne Machine Company Fast Qualifier Award and was in conservation mode for most of the race. With 20 laps to go, Barnes Jr., made his move and began challenging the 14-year-old for the lead. With the hometown partisan crowd on their feet, Barnes Jr., tried every trick in his arsenal to get past Jones who hung tough against the 21-time career Feature winner at the famed high-banks.
As Jones and Barnes Jr., were battling, Quinlan was in hurry up mode and got into third place with 10 laps to go. With the stellar crowd already on their feet watching the Jones / Barnes Jr., battle, Quinlan was charging and caught the two leaders with just four laps to go. Quinlan knew the time to go was upon him and he went for it with two laps remaining, working the outside lane, bouncing off of the outside retaining wall several times as he inched ahead of Barnes Jr., and then as the white flag flew, he completed the dual passes for the lead, earning the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race Award and in only his fourth ever start in Late Model, he went to victory lane to the deafening roar of the fans.
"I'm just in shock that we were able to even get to the front, let alone pass those guys bouncing off the wall like that," Quinlan, who had spent the past three seasons in a Legends car prior to the 2014 racing season continued. "I'm just so thankful for this opportunity with Chad Finley Racing and Downey Racing. They've given me great cars all season long and it's taken me a little while to get used to these bigger cars, but they've been patient with me and it really paid off today." The new Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year points leader ended. In addition to his two other awards, he also picked up the Hedman Hedders Husler Award as well as the Howe Racing Enterprises Rookie of the Race award.
Earning a career high second place finish after leading on three different occasions for a total of 55 laps was 14-year-old Garrett Jones. The West Palm Beach, Florida teenager, who now resides in Mooresville, North Carolina in his #88 Electro Fuse / Chevrolet, did manage to hold back Barnes Jr., one last time after Quinlan made the winning pass to post the runner-up showing. The 2013 Five Flags Speedway Pro Late Model Track Champion did collect the FLUIDYNE High Performance Cool Under Pressure Award as well as the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap of the Race Award for his efforts.
Rounding out the podium was Louisville, Kentucky veteran, Chuck Barnes Jr., who, in his first start of the season anywhere made every effort possible to get by Jones for the lead before Quinlan passed both competitors. In the end, the 32-year-old in his #55 Kevin Crider Motorsports / Chevrolet would settle for a third place finish. The 2004 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, making only his third career JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour appearance, duplicated his feat from one year ago by winning the Boyne Machine Company Fast Qualifier Award.
2013 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year, 16-year-old Corey Deuser snapped out of his 'sophomore slump' on his home track as the Georgetown, Indiana teenager picked up the first Great Lakes Tire / Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award with his 12th to fourth place run. The driver of the #71 Focus Eyewear / Ford also moved up to third in points with his finish. Completing the top five was 18-year-old Cole Williams, the 2013 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Missouri State Champion from near-by Sellersburg, Indiana. This was a career high finish in JEGS/CRA competition for the driver of the #46 Jim Butner Auto Sales / Chevrolet who has made limited starts over the past four seasons.
Shepherdsville, Kentucky veteran, Kevin Willis made the most of his JEGS/CRA debut as he picked up the Five Star Racecar Bodies Hard-Charger Award with impressive his 20th to sixth place run. 15-year-old Kody Evans scored a seventh place finish while Dan Leeck overcame a spin to finish eighth and take over the points lead in the chase for the 2014 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship. Josh Nelms finished right behind Leeck in ninth and is just two points back in the title chase while 18-year-old Kyle Crump overcame power steering issues to complete the top 10.
Earlier in the afternoon in Boyne Machine Company Qualifying, Chuck Barnes Jr., won his second consecutive Fast Qualifier Award in two season as he turned in a 17.287 which measures out to 115.578mph. the Track Record in Salem, Indiana is also held by Barnes Jr., who went a 16.987 back on June 22nd, 2013.
The Fourth of July Holiday Weekend will see the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance go from Southern Indiana to Northern Indiana. The teams will make their first ever appearance at the fast Angola Motorsport Speedway. The 3/8s (0.375) mile semi-banked paved oval located just south of the Indiana / Michigan state line and east of Angola in Fremont, Indiana will host the running of the Powers Automotive 100 Presented by JEGS.com. There is also an optional Practice Day scheduled for Friday, July 4th from 12:00-6:00p.m.
For more information about all four touring series’ within Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, please go to the series website at: cra-racing.com. You can also follow along with all of CRA's touring series' all season long on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ChampionRacingAssociation and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CRAracing Finally for more information about Angola Motorsport Speedway, hosts for the fifth points race of the year for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, go to the track website located at: www.angolamotorspeedway.com
Re-printed with permission from Todd Quinlan
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