CRA Street Stocks Begin 2023 Campaign Sunday at Shadybowl Speedway
Nashville, TN (Tuesday, March 28th, 2023) – For the first time this season drivers and teams of the Champion Racing Association (CRA) Street Stocks Powered by JEGS will prepare for battle at Shadybowl Speedway in DeGraff, Ohio on Sunday, April 2nd. The race kicks off an 11 event regular season that wraps up Saturday, October 14th at Winchester Speedway ahead of the non-points season finale at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday, November 4th. The 2023 season marks the 18th year of racing for the CRA Street Stocks.
The Cabin Fever event goes back 13 years to Plymouth Speedway in 2010. Josh Nelms won the first-ever Cabin Fever event coming from the outside of the front row, leading all 75 laps en route to the victory. Three different drivers won the event at Plymouth Speedway, including Nelms, Chad Poorman, and Brian Hopkins. In 2013 the event was moved to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
David Bice was the first event winner at Lucas Oil leading 36 of the 40 laps. The following year in 2014, eventual series champion, Jason Atkinson won the event. In 2015, the season-opening event moved to DeGraff, Ohio and Shadybowl Speedway where Colby Lane grabbed the win. The Cabin Fever namesake race, however, returned for the next event at Lucas Oil where Colby Lane won again. In 2016 the Cabin Fever returned to Lucas Oil as the opening event on the schedule for two more years with Jeff Lane (2016) and Chuck Barnes, Jr (2017) collecting wins.
Shadybowl Speedway hosted the Cabin Fever in 2018, a race won by Brett Hudson. Due to weather, the 2019 Cabin Fever was canceled and Anderson Speedway hosted the season-opener for the CRA Street Stocks, won by Bret Miles, Jr. Due to the unique circumstances the world faced in 2020, the CRA Street Stocks didn’t begin their season until the end of May at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, MO. The season opener returned to Anderson Speedway in 2021 after the Cabin Fever was canceled again. When the event went back to Shadybowl Speedway in 2022, Atkinson became only the second driver in the history of the CRA Street Stocks to win multiple season-opening events joining Colby Lane (2015 & 2020).
Since 2005 over 200 races have been contested with the CRA Street Stocks with over 700 different drivers. In that time, 13 different champions have been crowned. This season, Jason Atkinson has a chance to make history by winning an unprecedented three-in-a-row. Only two drivers have ever gone back-to-back as CRA Street Stock Champions; Atkinson twice (2014-2015 & 2021-2022) and Joe Beaver (2006-2007). Atkinson already holds down two historic categories with most wins (22) and most championships (4).
Fans who wish to attend the Cabin Fever 75 from Shadybowl Speedway can get tickets at the gate on Sunday, April 2nd. Grandstands open at Noon ET with racing beginning at 2:00 PM ET. Racing alongside the CRA Street Stocks is the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman, open-wheel Modifieds, and Vores Compact Touring Series.
For more information on the CRA Street Stocks, including a full schedule, results, and more log onto www.CRA-Racing.com. To keep up with everything happening with Champion Racing Association, follow CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and @CRARacing on Twitter.
Story – Zach Hiser, CRA
Photo – Shadybowl Speedway
