J.J. Haley opened up his Rookie of the Year campaign in the best way possible, with a win in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars season opener Sunday afternoon at Springport Motor Speedway. Photo courtesy CRA Media
Fifteen year old rookie of the year contender J.J. Haley kicked off the fourth season of racing for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour with a season opening victory in the Cabin Fever 100 at Springport Motor Speedway in Springport, MI Sunday afternoon.
Haley took the lead from Dan Leeck on lap 78 and from there, the Winamac, IN teenager fought off Leeck and the rest of the field for his first career JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour victory and became the first rookie driver in series history to start a season with a win.
“What a great weekend. This is so awesome. I wished we would’ve qualified better though. I told the team that we’d make it up in the race,” Haley said. “The car was great all weekend long. I just made a mistake in qualifying so we had to dstart pretty far back in the field. I knew I just had to be patient and pass cars when I had the chance. I can’t thank everyone enough. This is just great.”
Sixteen year old Cole Rouse, himself a contender for the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title, and Leeck brought the field of cars to the green flag and after a complete restart, it would be Leeck edging Rouse heading into the first corner to grab the early lead. After a caution flag on lap seven, Dominique Van Wieringen would restart next to Leeck and on the following green flag circuit, he would take over the top spot.
Van Wieringen then set a torrid pace, building her lead while Haley, who started 18th, had already begun to methodically work his way through the field. At the halfway point, Haley would be in the top five. In the meantime, Leeck would lose second place to Trevor Berry, who was making his full fended stock car racing debut. Berry worked his way past Leeck and the open-wheeled graduate set his sights on Van Wieringen.
Unfortunately for Berry, on lap 62 an oil filter bypass blew out and he would lay oil down heading into turns three and four ending an otherwise impressive debut. After the red flag and ensuing cleanup, the next restart would see Leeck inching out ahead of Van Wieringen to reclaim the lead on lap 63. He brought Haley with him and the battle was on for the top spot. Haley would make the winning pass on lap 78, and despite several late restarts, he would cross the stripe to score the win.
“This is a great way to start the point’s season. We really want the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie title,” Haley said. “We know now that we can also contend for the overall championship too. This is going to be fun and busy season.”
Dan Leek finished in second, with Steve Dorer in third, Eric Lee in fourth and Josh Nelms in fifth.
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance will next make the farthest trip west of the 2014 racing season on May 17, as they travel to I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, MO. For more info, visit the series website at cra-racing.com.
JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour
Springport Motor Speedway – Springport, MI
Cabin Fever 100 – May 4, 2014
1. J.J. Haley
2. Dan Leek
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4. Eric Lee
5. Josh Nelms
6. Corey Deuser
7. Dalton Armstrong
8. Dominique Van Wieringen
9. David McManus
10. Tristan Van Wieringen
11. Jordan Sims
12. Jaxson Jacobs
13. Jerrod Foley
14. Grant Quinlan
15. Jay Sommers
16. Cole Rouse
17. Marc Jacobs
18. Trent Snyder
19. Kyle Hayden
20. Hunter Baize
21. Trevor Berry
22. Keith Sterkowitz
23. Jeff Owens
24. Chris Koslek
25. Dakota Stroup
26. Tommy Cook
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