Two-Time ARCA/CRA Champion Johnny VanDoorn Scores Second Win In A Week

Two-Time ARCA/CRA Champion Johnny VanDoorn Scores Second Win In A Week
Extends Points Lead Heading Into Much Needed Break

By Matt Prieur

Two-Time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Johnny VanDoorn has been so close all season long to finding victory lane and the Coopersville, Michigan driver knew it would only be a matter of time before he would see the checkered flag first in an event. His finishes have been very good all season long; good enough to carry an impressive points lead even before the Fourth of July Holiday Weekend.

So after winning the Central Michigan Ford-Kenworth 125 at Springport Motor Speedway in Springport, Michigan on June 16th, followed by a third place showing at the 4th annual Rowdy 251 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan, VanDoorn made sure his time spent away from victory lane wouldn’t be long at all.
VanDoorn won the Winchester 100 Saturday night, which was part of the ARCA Tripleheader Weekend at the famed half-mile high-banked Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana.

“We’re tired, man, "said the 24-year-old VaDoorn after this three race stretch. "All the guys on this crew have been working hard this past week or so getting through three races in such a short amount of time. Today was another good points day for us and now we can relax a little bit. Not much though, going into this break before the Redbud in a couple of weeks.”

After EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Terry Fisher Jr., drew the maximum of an eight for an inversion, former Winchester event winner Peter Cozzolino and Boyne Machine Rookie of the Year title contender Becca Kasten would bring the 23-car field to Chief Starter Brian Duncan’s green flag. It would be Cozzolino beating Kasten and the rest of the field to the first corner to take the early lead.

VanDoorn quickly worked his way up to second from his sixth starting spot and began stalking Cozzolino all around the legendary half-mile before taking the lead for himself on lap eight. The most serious incident of the day occurred on the same lap when two-time event winner in 2012, Brian Campbell, slammed the turn four wall as a result of a cut right front tire. He was ok, but his day was over.

On the ensuring restart, VanDoorn continued to lead with Cozzolino not letting the former two-time champion stray too far out in front of him. Before long, three-time Series Champion Scott Hantz had maneuvered his way up to the third spot from his seventh starting position and would follow the two drivers in front of him as they sliced and diced through the back of the pack of lead lap cars.

On lap 61, Jason Dietsch and 19-year-old Jay Niewiek collided in turns one and two sending the field scattering and ending the nights of both drivers. On the restart, Ross Kenseth, who started shotgun on the field after losing a motor in the first practice session and didn’t make it back out onto the track until the pace laps of the century grind, would call it a night with more engine difficulties, ending a frustrating day for the son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth.
Soon afterwards, Hantz made his move to get by Cozzolino for second spot and would set his sights on VanDoorn for the lead. As the laps continued to click off, VanDoorn would keep Hantz a safe distance behind him although Hantz would make a late charge with just five laps to go. VanDoorn was up to the challenge however and in the end his #61 Michigan Kenworth / JEGS.com / Chevrolet would see the checkered flag first for the second time in a week and extend his already massive points lead in the process.

“I owe this crew a huge thank you,” VanDoorn continued. “We didn’t start working on getting this car ready until Wednesday after the Rowdy. They worked real hard and it was a great car."

Hantz in his #72 Top Speed Fabrication / Hurricane Racing Chevrolet would bring home a second place finish in his first race in the ARCA/CRA Super Series since winning ‘The Bowl 125’ at Shady Bowl Speedway in DeGraff, Ohio back on Memorial Day Monday, May 28th.

“I was hoping he’d (VanDoorn) get tired of running so hard and that I’d have something for him,” the Angola, Indiana veteran laughed. “We had a good car today and Johnny ran a good smart race. We’re pretty happy though and we’ll take it.”
The final finishers on the podium was the pole-sitter Cozzolino in his McDonald’s Restaurant / A&A Manufacturing Ford. The Avon, Indiana veteran came home with a season high third place finish.

“I’m so happy for all of my guys on this team," said Cozzolino. "They work extremely hard and this feels really good after not making the show at Berlin a couple of days ago. We’ve struggled this year and this race is a good shot in the arm for me and for this whole team.”

Eddie VanMeter finished fourth while Kenny Tweedy crossed the start/finish line in fifth, but after post-race inspection was relegated to 23rd, giving the final top five spot to Nick Gullatta. Brent Jack started 18th and worked his way through the field to earn the Lane Automotive / ISKY Racing Cams Hard-Charger Award after finishing sixth while 19-year-old Brett Robinson picked up the Boyne Machine Company Rookie of the Race Award with his seventh place showing. Kenzie Ruston finished eighth with 19-year-old Damon Ecoff, and Kasten finishing off the final top 10.
Earlier in the afternoon in EDCO Welding Qualifying, Terry Fisher Jr., won his first Fast Qualifier Award of the season and just the second of his career as he toured the legendary high-banks at a 15.621, which measures out to 115.009mph. He then drew the maximum inversion of an eight, which placed Cozzolino and Kasten on the front row of the Winchester 100. Unfortunately the Ossian, Indiana driver dropped out just 22 laps into the race with broken U-joint in the driveshaft.

The ARCA/CRA Super Series will now take a well-deserved vacation for a couple of weeks before returning to action on Friday-Saturday, July 20-21st for one of the biggest races of the season; The Stoops Freightliner Redbud 300 at the fast quarter-mile high-banked paved oval of Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana. Steve Dorer is the defending champion of the extra-distance event while T.J. Reaid was the winner of the first race of the season for the ARCA/CRA Super Series at Anderson back on April 15th.