9/10/2023
Birch Run Speedway
Crump Cashes In/Bozell Bags Bucks on “The Big One”
A packed house witnessed Birch Run Speedway’s “Big One” featuring the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance and Reveal The Hammer Outlaw Super Late Models. Both series were making their final visits in 2023, with the Triple Crown Championship up for grabs for JEGS/CRA and the Reveal The Hammer portion was their next-to-last points event.
Kyle Crump was fast qualifier over the 18-car JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour field. However, after the redraw, Brandon Varney started on the front row alongside David Liaeff for the 100-lap affair. Varney claimed the lead at the start as the field jockeyed for position behind. Fourth place starting Crump moved into second, going around Liaeff on lap two. The field strung out and by lap 10 the top five were Brandon Varney, Crump, Liaeff, Kevin Cremonesi, and Evan Varney. Dan Leeck closed on the top five by lap 12, after passing Barrett Polhemus with Jimmy Tucker, Steve Dorer, Ethan Stadnuczik, and Chase Burda battling behind.
Points leader Burda moved past Stadnuczik and then got around Dorer on lap 27 and then ten laps later, got by Polhemus on the outside on lap 37 to move into seventh. Brandon Varney continued to hold the lead over Crump, with Liaeff challenging Crump for second on lap 47. Burda continued his climb to the front, getting by Leeck out of turn four. The caution then flew at lap 50, as the series has a rule that when they run 50 consecutive green flag laps, they have a competition yellow. Leeck, Guy Fire, Jeff Vrsek, and Dorer all came pit side and rejoined the field at the tail of the lead lap cars.
Varney chose the inside of the restart, but Crump got a better start and was able to take over the top spot. Burda would maneuver his way from sixth on the restart to second but was unable to overcome a three-second deficit as Crump crossed the line first in his TK Racing/Lisa Thomas Salon/VanDoorn Racing Development #71. By virtue of his second-place finish, Burda secured the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship as well as the Birch Run Speedway Triple Crown Championship! David Liaeff completed the podium with Kevin Cremonesi and Evan Varney rounding out the top five.
Brian Bergakker was the Allstar Performance quick-time award winner for the Reveal The Hammer Series with a 14.369. The invert was ten, putting Harold Fair Jr. and Justin Claucherty on the front row. The duo stayed even until a caution on lap two restacked the field. Coming to complete lap three, points leader Phil Bozell and Alex Hagon got together off turn four. The contact sent Bozell spinning through the infield and into one of the tractor tires on the third mile. Both Bozell and Hagon were unable to continue. Claucherty took over the lead on the ensuing restart.
By lap 10 the top five running order was Claucherty, Fair Jr., Andy Bozell, Blake Childers, and James Lynch. On lap 13 Bergakker got by Lynch to move into the top five. On lap 21, Andy Bozell got inside Fair off turn two to take over second spot. Childers got third on lap 31 when Fair had problems and took his #71 to the pits. By lap 45 Claucherty continued to lead over Bozell, Childers, Bergakker, and Lynch with Steven Ulman closing. A caution on lap 49 slowed the field and Claucherty took command on the ensuing restart before the yellow flew for a spin in turn one. Claucherty did noit get as good of a restart the next time as Bozell would get to the inside and take the lead coming out of turn four,
Bergakker slipped past Claucherty for second and he and Bozell pulled away to a two-second advantage over the rest of the field with 20 laps to go. On lap 66, Bergakker was challenging Bozell when the backend of the #12 got away from him and he spun out of turn four did a 360 and kept going, but the caution flew and he had to go to the tail of the field. Bozell controlled the restart and got the advantage over Claucxherty with Childers moving into second two laps later. A caution on lap 73 gave Childers a shot at Bozell, but he suffered the same fate as Bergakker when he looped his #10 off turn four. Andy Bozell survived the next restart to claim his first Reveal The Hammer victory of 2023 and move into the points lead by 10 with one race remaining! Claucherty finished second ahead of Shook, Lynch, and Bergakker.
The Birch Run Speedway and Event Center will host country music star JoDee Messina this Saturday, September 16th! Opening for her will be Waylon Hanel and The Dryes. The gates open at 5, and tickets can be purchased at ww.birchrunevents.com or at the gate. On September 19th the speedway hosts NASCAR driver Erik Jones and his Three Reasons to Race charity event. Enjoy a unique "evening at the races" experience and support the mission of the Erik Jones Foundation while winning cash prizes and bidding on unique items. Join Erik and others for drinks (full bar) and dinner at the "Gas Alley" bar inside Birch Run Speedway and Event Center. Ticket information can be found at https://www.erikjonesracing.com/foundation/
Racing action will return on September 29th with the running of the 2023 Birch Run Speedway Points Championship. The Mt Morris Auto Repair Modifieds, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Mason Burgess Title Agency Trucks, Pure Stocks, Front Wheel Drives, and Motor City Core Figure 8’s will all be in action!
Submitted By: Charles Darling
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