SALEM, IN– Two-time JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Champion Cody Coughlin picked up the win in Saturday nights Thomas Automotive American Freedom 100 Presented by JEGS.com at the Jennerstown Speedway Complex located in Jennerstown, Pennsylvania. Coughlin passed Stephen Nasse on lap 22 and went on to lead the last 78 laps to get his first series win since his 2016 Championship season. The event was the first ever series event at the beautiful Jennerstown Speedway Complex and in the state of Pennsylvania.
“Even though there wasn’t a bunch of restarts, there was pressure on me all the way until the end,” Coughlin explained in victory lane. “Josh Brock was coming and was ready to pounce if I made any mistakes, so I had to try and run flawless laps all the way to the finish. We have really come a long way since I jumped back in the late models last year. We got behind on the technology a little while I was racing trucks, but we have made some huge gains this season, which shows with us back in victory lane! I have to thank my mom and dad for their support and my crew for all their hard work this weekend!”
Brock was coming off his first ever series win in the series last event at Anderson Speedway on June 13th and had another fast car Saturday night with his second-place finish after the event went the last 70 plus laps caution free.
“We had a good car tonight”, remarked 2018 ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Brock. ” I was a little better in and he was a little better off, I was just hoping for a caution there towards the end, I think people would have seen a heck of a battle for the win between the top three cars here if a yellow had come out. Track position means a lot at these bigger tracks, and he had it. Got to thank my crew for all their hard work this weekend!”
Nasse took the lead at the drop of the green flag from his pole starting position after the events inverted start. Nasse fought off all challengers on a couple of early cautions but could not hold off Coughlin as the handling on his car started to go away. Nasse would eventually bring his car to pit road on lap 39.
North Carolina native Matt Craig finished third in his series debut on Saturday. Craig had some early contact with the 22S of Evan Shotko while making a pass and came to pit road for his crew to look at the car while running in the top five at the last caution. Craig would then charge through the field to finish in third after a late battle with Jimmy Tucker. Craig picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race for his run back to the front.
Tucker got a career best finish of fourth place after starting in tenth place. Tucker picked up the FLUIDYNE Cool Under Pressure Award after a tough battle with Craig for the third position.
Senneker Performance Rookie of the Year competitor Chase Burda finished in fifth after starting in 12th, his best finish with the series in the first three events of the season. The 2019 Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Model Champion earned a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award and was the Senneker Performance Rookie of the Race Award winner.
Mandy Chick came from her 10th place starting position to finish in sixth earning a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award. Two-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion Brian Ross finished in seventh in his series season debut. Senneker Performance Rookie competitor Zachary Tinkle finished in eighth, Chad Pendleton in ninth and Wes Griffith was tenth.
Albert Francis was the Jerico Performance Parts Fast Qualifier Award winner but had to start the event behind the invert after missing his drawn qualifying spot when his car would not start. Francis, who won a Jennerstown Speedway Late Model event on June 20th retired from the event on lap 43 with fuel pressure issues.
The next JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event will be the $10,000 to win Masters of the Pro’s 150 on Saturday, July 18th at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. More information on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance is available at www.cra-racing.com.
Champion Racing Association Press Release
Photos courtesy of Brandon Zumbach
1) #33F Albert Francis 18.686
2) #1 Cody Coughlin 18.697
3) #17 Josh Brock 18.768
4) #54 Matt Craig 18.776
5) #33 Wes Griffith 18.908
6) #22s Evan Shotko 18.945
7) #55 Charlie Keeven 18.948
8) #51 Stephen Nasse 18. 982
9) #22 Chad Pendleton 18.994
10) #98 Jimmy Tucker 19.024
11) #40 Brian Ross 19.037
12) #18 Chase Burda 19.039
13) #88 Trever McCoy 19.053
14) #40s Bryan Shipp 19.074
15) #53 Zachary Tinkle 19.103
16) #23 Mandy Chick 19.139
17) #95 Garry Wiltrout 19.197
18) #11 Mike Sweeney 19.494
19) #48 Sam Fullone 19.530
20) #5 Will Sahutske 19.749
21) #0 Eldon King 00.000
Thomas Automotive – American Freedom 100
Feature Results
1) #1 Cody Coughlin
2) #17 Josh Brock
3) #54 Matt Craig
4) #98 Jimmy Tucker
5) #18 Chase Burda
6) #23 Mandy Chick
7) #40 Brian Ross
8) #53 Zachary Tinkle
9) #22 Chad Pendleton
10) #33 Wes Griffith
11) #11 Mike Sweeney
12) #88 Trever McCoy
13) #55 Charlie Keeven
14) #5 Will Sahutske
15) #95 Garry Wiltrout
16) #33F Albert Francis
17) #51 Stephen Nasse
18) #22s Evan Shotko
19) #48 Sam Fullone
20) #40s Bryan Shipp
21) #0 Eldon King
For more information on the JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour visit cra-racing.com
