Southeast News: January 27, 2009

Busch Races to Win Speedfest 2009

Brazelton, GA (January 26, 2009) – Casey Roderick was fast in the first half of the CRA Super Series Speedfest 2009 at Lanier National Speedway running out to strong lead from his pole position start. He led the first 100 laps easily so when a four was drawn for the invert at half way it seemed he would be able to overcome and race back to the lead. Kyle Busch had other ideas however, starting seventh, moving to second in the first 100 laps he restarted third. Busch was in second again very quickly and on lap 103 passed Jason Hogan to take the lead. Busch never gave it up despite pressure from Hogan the rest of the race. Hogan finished second, Johanna Long third, Scott Hantz fourth, and Michael Pope fifth.

"I love to race with these guys, Jason Hogan, Shane Sieg, and the others, they raced clean and are great to race against." Busch stated in Victory Lane. "The crew worked hard all week no one works harder than these guys. I really worked them to death this week their tongues hanging out today."

Roderick was fast all weekend, with the fifth fastest practice time of the weekend, then winning the AP Racing Fast Qualifier Award to start on the pole. Roderick was running well when disaster struck on the 176th lap when his transmission gave out on a restart. Before retiring he earned the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap Of The Race Award for the fastest lap during the race, the $500 Red Top Auto Auction Halfway Leader Award and the $500 Red Top Auto Auction Most Laps Led Award for leading all 100 of the first half laps.

Long turned some heads with a very strong run following Hogan and holding off 2008 CRA Super Series Champion for most of the second half the race. "My spotter just kept saying run your line, run your line, and I did. He raced me clean the whole way; it was a lot of fun." Long commented. Chasing Long was not Hantz’s only worry as he tried to go both and low, but was never able to get past the young Florida driver.

Pope started third on the grid, but the car was extremely tight during the first half the race and he dropped back to 12th. After adjusting the car during the 10 minute half way break, he started to move back up through the field. As he was moving he found the high groove really worked for him and he passed several cars up high to finish fifth after working hard to attempt to pass Hantz as the laps wound down.

The 200 lap Super Late Model race did not require a single car to pulled off by a tow truck, and the Five Star Racecar Bodies Hard Luck Award for the worst body damage during the race went to Casey Berenbrock for front end damage. The Five Star Racecar Bodies Hardcharger Award went to Ryan Sieg who moved up from 26th starting position to ninth.