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| Winchester Speedway Releases 2008 Schedule | Three USAC National Sprint Car Races and the 37th Annual Winchester 400 Highlight Schedule
Winchester, IN (December 19, 2007) – Officials from Winchester Speedway and track promoters Champion Racing Association (CRA) have released the 2008 schedule for the legendary high banked ½ mile track in East Central Indiana. Speedway owner Charlie Shaw has secured CRA to promote and manage the Speedway again in 2008 after three successful seasons of that company's management of the tracks events. CRA leaders R. J. Scott, Glenn Luckett and Greg Wood have prepared a diverse and entertaining eight-race schedule based on the successful events in 2007 and the past several seasons.
After an open practice on Saturday, April 19th, the season will open on Sunday, April 20th with a mix of the best in open wheel and stock car racing with the USAC National Sprint Cars Rich Vogler Classic and the CRA Super Series Late Models. Last season's Rich Vogler Classic had a beautiful bright sunny spring day that welcomed a standing room only crowd that got there money's worth starting with Marc Jessup's victory in the USAC Sprints feature, even after flipping his car on the first lap of his heat race. Tommy St. John got his second CRA Super Series victory in The Manning Service 100 that Sunday; it was also his second victory with the series at Winchester Speedway. The season opener will also feature racing action from the CRA Street Stocks and CRA FWD Compacts.
The ARCA Lincoln Welder Truck Series will return for a 50-lap feature event on Sunday, May 4 th along with a special 100-lap CRA Street Stock event that will pay $2500 to win, which will be the biggest Street Stock event of the season at Winchester Speedway. Paul Hahn was the winner of the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series 50 lap event in 2007. Beau Mitchell came away with his second big Winchester Speedway win in as many years in last season's Street Stock 200 lapper. The Howe CRA Sportsman and CRA FWD Compacts will also be in action.
A past tradition on the historic High Banks of Winchester Speedway will be reborn on Thursday night June 12 th as Thursday Night Thunder will return for the first time in many seasons featuring the USAC National Sprint Cars. The event will be part of the Asphalt Border Wars, as the series will visit Charlie Stapleton's Shady Bowl Speedway the next night. The American Modified Series and the Inex Thunder Roadsters will also be in action that evening under the lights.
Sunday, July 20th will be a special day for local race fans, as Winchester Speedway will present the 2 nd Annual Randolph County Appreciation Day, which will feature $5 tickets for all Randolph County residents. Race fans will have to present a valid ID with hometown listed in order to receive the special priced tickets. The event will feature 'The Modified Big One" between the AMS Modified Series and the USA Modifieds. Also in action will be the CRA Street Stocks and CRA FWD Compacts. The day will feature entertainment for all ages, as the track will have special attractions for kids and adults with lots of local interest involved in this celebration of Randolph County.
The fourth addition of the "King of The Wings" Sprint Car Challenge will return on Sunday, August 10 th featuring the country's top Winged Sprint Car drivers from the Auto Value Super Sprints and HOSS Wing Sprints, plus many others. On a day with weather truly fit for a king, Shane Butler put on a show to win the third addition of the King Of The Wings, Winged Sprint Car Challenge Presented By Pier-Mac Plastics ending Cameron Dodson's two year reign. Butler chased down a very loose Michael Ling and made the pass after both cars almost wrecked on lap 28 to get the win. The Howe CRA Sportsman, CRA FWD Compacts and Inex Thunder Roadsters will also be part of the days racing events.
The historic World Stock Car Festival is scheduled on Labor Day Weekend after three very successful years in a row and will once again feature a great combination of racing, camping, music and parties. Saturday, August 30 th will be an open practice day for all cars and the grandstands will be free to the public. Sunday and Monday, August 31st & September 1st will see seven different stock car divisions compete for their World Stock Car Festival crown. The CRA Super Series Late Models will headline the action, along with the American Modifieds and Short Track Trucks. The weekend will also include racing for the Howe CRA Sportsman, CRA Street Stocks, CRA FWD Compacts and ThunderCars on Sunday only. The other six groups will practice, qualify and race in qualifying races (where applicable) on Sunday to set the fields for "Features Only" on Labor Day, Monday, September 1st, except for the CRA FWD Compacts which will have a feature event on Sunday and Monday. There will be a party in the pavilion on Sunday night, it will be tough to top last season's Labor Day party, but it will be fun trying!
Another great Winchester Speedway tradition will be revived on Saturday & Sunday, September 27th & 28th, as the famed Old Timers Weekend will return after a number of years. Longtime vintage racecar writer Bill Holder will serve as the event coordinator of the Old-Timers events that weekend, which will feature vintage racecar displays on the 27 th and again on the 28th. The vintage cars will take to the track for some hot laps after the day's qualifications on the 28th. The featured racing action on Sunday of Old Timers Weekend will come from the USAC National Sprint Cars along with the CRA Street Stocks and Inex Thunder Roadsters.
On Sunday, October 12th Winchester Speedway will see the CRA Super Series return for the prestigious 37 th Annual Winchester 400 Presented By Ed Martin Auto Group and Renegade, an event that saw racers from all over the country come to challenge the High Banks for a grueling 400 lap shootout last year along with NASCAR stars David Stremme and Kyle Busch. After a long day of racing it was young Texan Ryan Lawler getting the victory after setting a new track record in qualifying. Lawler and his team did a great job racing and using pit strategy to get the victory, the biggest of his young racing career. CRA 2007 Rookie of The Year John Van Doorn came in second for car owner Tim Steele. Stemme limped home in third fighting a bad vibration in his left rear wheel after loosing a couple of lug nuts late in the race while trying to battle back to the front after leading the event twice for 83 laps, even after having to start 35th in the 40 car field. Veteran Rick Turner finished fourth with Terry Fisher Jr. in fifth. Kyle Busch's day ended early with broken wheel studs. Both Stremme and Busch indicated after the event that they would be back in 2008!
The Winchester 400 Weekend will start off on Friday, October 10 th with open practice for all cars. The CRA Sportsman and CRA Street Stocks will have special non-point events on Friday along with the CRA FWD Compacts Season Championship event. Saturday, October 11th will feature Winchester 400 practice and qualifying plus practice, qualifying and Season Championship features for the Howe CRA Sportsman and the CRA Street Stocks. Saturday night will also feature the 3rd Annual Winchester Run for the Gun between the American Modified Series and the USA Modifieds.
Details on ticket prices, season tickets, and a detailed schedule of events with times will be posted on the Winchester Speedway web site at www.winchesterspeedway.com in the near future. To contact CRA about marketing or racing opportunities at Winchester Speedway, interested parties can call the CRA office at 812-883-0455.
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