Big Bonuses on the Line for Super and Crate Late Models at 48th Annual Winchester 400
Bonuses Include Top Dollar for Leading Laps, Race Rookies, Crate Cars and CRA Non-Regulars
Salem, IN – September 24, 2019 – Champion Racing Association officials recently announced an increased bonus structure for the 48th Annual Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway on October 13th. The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS event will be the season championship event and will pay at a minimum $16,000 to Win and $1250 to Start, plus bonuses. All in, it is possible for one driver to take home almost $30,0000.
Each lap leader will receive a $15 per lap led bonus which could total an additional $6000. Additionally, race rookies will be awarded $1500 to the highest finishing race rookie, and $500 going to the second highest finishing race rookie.
Bonuses will also be paid to the highest finishers utilizing a JEGS Series approved crate engine. The highest finishing team utilizing a crate engine will receive a $1500 bonus and the 2nd highest finishing crate car will receive a $500 Bonus.
With the national nature of the event, officials have also posted bonuses for the top 3 traveling non CRA regulars. The top 3 finishing teams that travel more than 300 miles to the event and have raced less than 50 percent of the CRA Super Series Schedule in 2019 will receive bonuses of $1000, $600 and $400 respectively.
Additionally, the highest finisher that has never had a top 3 finish in the 400 prior to this year will receive a $1000 bonus, as well as a $1000 bonus going to the highest finisher that ran less than 3 Super races with CRA in 2019.
Regular event bonuses have also been increased for the 400, with Hamke Race Cars/Rowdy Manufacturing paying a $400 bonus to the event’s Fast Qualifier and Progressive Racing Engines paying a $200 bonus to the driver who advances the most positions.
Besides the increased bonus programs, officials in recent years have instituted cost saving measures for the teams across the board. First, the schedule has been reduced to only a two-day show, instead of the 3 days the show was for many years. Also, the event went to controlled cautions two years ago, eliminating the need of teams to hire a professional pit crew for tire changes to be competitive.
The Winchester 400 is recognized as one of the most prestigious events in all of Super Late Model racing. Some of the past winners since CRA began sanctioning the event include Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, David Stremme, Ross Kenseth, Scott Hantz, Brian Ross, Travis Braden, Ryan Lawler, Boris Jurkovic, Bobby Parsley, Noah Gragson and last year’s winner Jeff Choquette.
Going back even further, the list of previous 400 winners is quite impressive. Dave Sorg was the initial winner in 1970, and the event’s most local winner, Denny Miles from Muncie, took the checkered the following year. NASCAR Legends Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin can claim victory in the historic event, as well as ASA National Tour legends Bob Senneker (with an event record of 7 wins), Mike Eddy, Butch Miller and Gary St. Amant.
It is clearly a goal of any serious short track racer to add their name to this legendary list of winners who in recent years are featured on annual t-shirt honoring past winners, as well as taking home the iconic Winchester Rifle trophy.
This year’s event will see pits open on Saturday, October 12th at 8:00am, with rotating practice for all divisions beginning at 10:45am. The ARCA/CRA Super Series teams will have a one-hour practice session beginning at 11:05am and a one-hour final practice session at 1:30pm on Saturday. Hamke Race Cars/Rowdy Manufacturing Pole Qualifying for the Winchester 400 will begin at 4:00pm on Saturday.
On Sunday, October 13th the pits will open at 9am. There will be an on-track autograph session with all the Winchester 400 drivers starting at 12:30. Opening ceremonies will begin at 1:30 pm with the 48th Annual Winchester 400 taking the green flag at 2pm.
Additional track and event information can be found at www.winchesterspeedway.com.
More information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series and the Winchester 400 entry form can be found at www.cra-racing.com.
