WINCHESTER, Ind. – West Virginia driver Travis Braden put himself in position to sweep CRA action at Winchester Speedway with a victory Saturday in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Winchester 100.
Braden inherited the lead on lap 18 when leader Jack Dossey III’s car wouldn’t refire following a red flag as a result of a five car incident on the back straight.
Braden consistently showed he had the car to beat by pulling away from the competition on two restarts, the last coming with 23 laps remaining.
Braden took the checkers by 2.88-seconds over Coughlin, Brandon Watson, Sammy Smith, Dossey and Dan Leeck, who were the only cars to finish on the lead lap.
“It feels good to be back standing here,” Braden said in victory lane. “I’m driving for the dominant team (Team Platinum) in short track racing this year.
“I hope the momentum carries over to the Winchester 400,” he said. “We’re starting from the pole and will be working to get my second Winchester 400 win.”
Leeck won his second JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship by finishing one spot ahead of Mandy Chick. He was the 2014 champion.
“Definitely had to be lucky again,” he said. “The car started off a little free and we worked on the car and were able to get the handle back.”
After the red-flag restart, Stephen Nasse was running second chased by Wes Griffith Jr. and Cody Coughlin.
Braden distanced himself from the field lapping up to the sixth-place running Dossey when the caution flag waved on lap 65 for a spin by Matt Maurer.
On the restart Nasse’s ride faltered and he dropped out of the race a lap later.
The race was red-flagged on lap 18 when championship contender Mason Keller and defending race winner Wes Griffith Jr. got together while battling for third on the back straight. Griffith was able to continue.
That collected Billy VanMeter, whose car got airborne and came to a stop against the third turn retaining wall. The cars of Jake Garcia and fast qualifier Colby Howard were also involved in the incident.
The finish:
Travis Braden, Cody Coughlin, Brandon Watson, Sammy Smith, Jack Dossey III, Dan Leeck, Mandy Chick, Jaren Carbtree, Jaden Cretacci, Chris Fleming, Tyler Mackenzie, Wes Griffith Jr., James Krueger, Stephen Nasse, Matt Mauer, Rick Turner, Chad Pendleton, Mason Keller, Jake Garcia, Billy VanMeter, Colby Howard, Trevor McCoy, Zach Stacy, Colby Lane.