Brian Campbell closed out the regular season for the CRA Super Series with a victory in the Summit City 100 on Saturday night at Baer Field Motorsports Park.
Meanwhile, six drivers clinched playoff berths to participate in the second-ever CRA Super Series Championship Chase. By virtue of simply being the only six drivers to participate in 70 percent of the eight regular season events, here is the playoff grid:
Josh Brock, Austin Kunnert, Hunter Jack, Jon Beach, Logan Beach and Greg Van Alst.
Campbell opened the evening by posting the fastest lap in qualifying, but an eight-car inversion meant the veteran had some work to do. He cracked the top-5 by Lap 8 and was the leader by Lap 21. A caution for a Jerry Andrews spin on Lap 18 allowed Campbell to close the gap.
Kyle Crump made it a fight, closing to within Campbell’s back bumper every time they encountered lapped traffic but the position never changed hands. Crump was faster but Campbell was more efficient in traffic and that was the difference.
“He was right there, we knew it,” Campbell said in Victory Lane. “My job was to make it difficult to get by him and I think I did. It was fun racing and congrats to Kyle for finishing second. He was faster than us. He’s going to get him one soon.”
This was Campbell’s 27th career CRA Super Series victory and he trails Scott Hantz (31) by just four wins.
“That just means I’ve been doing this shit too long,” Campbell said with a laugh. “I’ve enjoyed chasing Scott for this deal. He’s one of the best to have ever done this in this region.”
Crump knows exactly where he lost the race.
“I just wish I could have got through traffic the way he did,” Crump said. “That was a great run between us. I could get to him in the center of the corner but he had great drive off. I was getting into the grass, hooking the car around, but just couldn’t get to him.”
Now, it’s about the championship for the group of six.
The series events at Kalamazoo Speedway on August 8th , Winchester Speedway on September 3rd and Toledo Speedway on September 15th will determine the final four teams that will race in the October 14th Winchester 400 for the 2018 series Championship.
Prior to the Winchester 400 the top four Chase Teams in wins (then points) during the three Chase events prior will be the final four to compete for the Championship.
Josh Brock is the regular season champion but has greater ambitions than that. He finished fifth on Saturday and has been thinking championship all season.
“That was our goal this year,” Brock said. “I guess we’re the regular season champion and that doesn’t mean much of anything. But we brought our crate car up here after we tore up the Super in the Redbud. To finish fifth is pretty solid.”
The complete results from Baer Field can be viewed below.
- Brian Campbell
- Kyle Crump
- Austin Kunert
- Hunter Jack
- Josh Brock
- Eric Lee
- Logan Runyon
- James Kreuger
- Greg Van Alst
- Jon Beach
- Terry Fisher Jr
- Jason Shively
- Cassten Everidge
- Tanner Jack
- Derek Bischak
- Jerry Andrews
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