Kyle Busch Motorsports Development Driver, Christopher Bell Wins Rattler 250

Kyle Busch Motorsports Development Driver, Christopher Bell Wins Rattler 250

ARCA/CRA Super Series & JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour teams well represented at South Alabama Speedway

 (Salem, IN - Monday, March 16, 2015): The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS was well represented at the 2015 Southern Super Series season opener; the prestigious 39th running of the Rattler 250. The fast 4/10s (0.400) mile semi-banked paved oval of South Alabama Speedway, located north of the Alabama / Florida state line in Opp, Alabama served as hosts. Kyle Busch Motorsports, a frequent competing team within the ARCA/CRA Super Series over the years with 13 total wins, has another star on the rise in the form of 20-year-old Christopher Bell.

 KBM's more recent wins in the ARCA/CRA Super Series include Two-Time Winchester 400 Winner (2014 & 2013) as well as 2011 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion and 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title contender, Erik Jones. In addition, two-time winner in 2014 at Lucas Oil Raceway (IN) in July & Kalamazoo Speedway (MI), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star, Kyle Busch, who is a 10-time ARCA/CRA Super Series winner overall. This time it would be Bell emerging victorious with the biggest win of his young career. The Norman, Oklahoma driver took the lead for good on lap 156 from Casey Smith and would cruise to a convincing and impressive win.

 Smith finished second ahead of 2015 SpeedFest Winner and 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion, Chase Elliott, who started in the back of the field after racing at Phoenix International Raceway (AZ) before flying to Alabama for the Rattler, rounded out the podium finishers. 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Champion and 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie title contender, Daniel Hemric was fourth as part-time JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour driver in 2014, 14-year-old Garrett Jones rounded out the top five.

2014 ARCA Midwest Tour Champion and winner of the ARCA/CRA VS ARCA MT combination race at Illiana Motor Speedway (IN) on Memorial Day 2014, Ty Majeski was sixth as 14-year-old Harrison Burton, who finished fourth at SpeedFest 2015 and was an infrequent competitor in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour in 2014 was seventh. 2012 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year in JEGS/CRA in 2012, 17-year-old Anderson Bowen, who also won the Fast Qualifier Award for the Rattler, overcame an early race incident to finish eighth ahead of another infrequent ARCA/CRA driver, Stephen Nasse and former two-time ARCA/CRA Super Series victory, Augie Grill who rounded out the top 10.

There were 40 cars on the property over the weekend and on Saturday, March 14th in the 10th annual Baby Rattler 125, JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Winner at Berlin Raceway (MI) in 2014; Bubba Pollard emerged victorious over Korey Ruble, Harrison Burton, Ryan Luza and Bret Holmes were the top five. JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Winner at Memphis International Raceway (TN) in 2013, Justin South was sixth as 18-year-old Riley Thornton was seventh. 18-year-old Matt Mills, who was running a car prepared by Yorktown, Indiana veteran, Rick Turner and his Rick Turner Racing team, finished eight over Perry Patino and 15-year-old Derek Scott Jr., were the top 10.

The ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS will start their run for the 2015 Championship title chase on Friday-Saturday, April 10-11th as the fast 1/2 (0.500) mile high-banked paved oval of Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio hosts the running of the 7-Up 100 Presented by Royal Truck & Trailer Sales. The past two season openers in northern Ohio have been combination races with CRA's counterparts within the ARCA Midwest Tour and that will be the case once again in 2015.

 In 15 previous appearances, three-time series champion, Johnny VanDoorn leads the way with three victories including the 2013 win in the first ever CRA vs Midwest Tour combo event. Defending race winner, Brian Campbell has two trips to victory lane including last years' checkered flag to give the CRA contingent two wins in two events pitting the two tours against one another. Another three-time series champion, Scott Hantz and Canadian legend, Junior Hanley also have a pair of wins each. 2005 series champion, Jeff Lane and 2002 series champion, Joel Kauffman as well as Harold Fair Jr., Fred Campbell and Johnny Belott also have one win apiece.

For more information about the upcoming 2015 racing season for all four touring series’ within Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS, go to the series website at: www.cra-racing.com You can also follow along with all of CRA's touring series' all season long on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ChampionRacingAssociation and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CRAracing Finally, for more information about Toledo Speedway, the host track for the 2015 season opener for points for the ARCA/CRA Super Series, go to the track website at: www.toledospeedway.com

 Founded by John and Mildred Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in four professional touring series and local weekly events including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards as well as the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, the ARCA Midwest Tour and the ARCA Trucks Series. In addition, weekly racing is held at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. 

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Glenn Luckett - Champion Racing Association - Office: (812) 883-0455