Late Pass Gives Gio Ruggiero Winchester 400 Victory

Gio Ruggiero celebrates in victory lane after winning Sunday’s Winchester 400 for the ASA Stars National Tour at Winchester Speedway. Photo: Daniel Vining

Gio Ruggiero claimed his first Winchester 400 win in historic, walk-off fashion on Sunday afternoon at Indiana’s Winchester Speedway.

In a race that featured 18 lead changes, the Massachusetts teenager took the lead from Stephen Nasse on the final restart with ten laps to go and won the Winchester 400, claiming the ASA/CRA Super Series championship in the process. It was his second win of the ASA STARS National Tour season and third Super Late Model win of the year overall.

It was a race of firsts for Ruggiero Sunday afternoon. He became the first CRA regular to the Winchester 400 and first to win the race and championship at the same time since Scott Hantz, while also becoming the first driver to win both the Southern Super Series and ASA/CRA Super Series championships in the same year since Scott Hantz in 2006.

Additionally, Ruggiero is the first driver to win the Winchester 400 in his first try since Ryan Lawler did so in his first and only start in 2007.

It was a highly competitive Winchester 400, which saw a record 18 lead changes over the course of the 400-lap race among eight drivers. Cole Butcher and Nasse took stage wins, while Butcher led the most laps.

Butcher finished in second, with Nasse in third, William Sawalich in fourth, and Dakota Stroup in fifth.

Logan Bearden, Chase Burda, Austin Nason, Jake Finch, and Jordan Miller rounded out the top 10.

Ty Majeski’s points lead has shrunk even more. The Wisconsin driver fell out after just 26 laps due to an engine failure and finished 21, while Butcher finished second after leading the most laps and winning a stage. Unofficially, Majeski’s lead over Butcher will be down to just 20 points going into the season finale.

The ASA STARS National Tour now heads to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway for the All American 400 on Friday-Sunday, November 3-5. It will be the season finale for the series. For more information, visit STARSNationalTour.com.

ASA Stars National Tour
Winchester Speedway – Winchester, IN
Winchester 400* – October 15, 2023

1. Gio Ruggiero
2. Cole Butcher
3. Stephen Nasse
4. William Sawalich
5. Dakota Stroup
6. Logan Bearden
7. Chase Burda
8. Austin Nason
9. Jake Finch
10. Jordan Miller
11. Jake Garcia
12. Jaden Cretacci
13. Andrik Dimyauga
14. Brandon Varney
15. Noah Gragson
16. Albert Francis
17. Billy VanMeter
18. Blake Rowe
19. Dalton Armstrong
20. Michael Hinde
21. Ty Majeski
22. Chris Munson
23. Jon Beach
24. Evan Varney