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11-06-08 CRA - All-American 400 CRA Super Series race winner Chris Gabehart has filed an entry for the November 23rd Southern Slam 250 at South Georgia Speedway. It will be Gabehart's third race of the season. Also among the enteries are Johnny Van Doorn, Jeff Fultz, Scott Hantz, Jason Hogan, Boris Jurkovic and Justin Drawdy. http://www.speed51.com/quick_news.html Gabehart Races to All American 400 Weekend Victory
Nashville, TN (November 1, 2008) – 2008 has seen Chris Gabehart in an unfamiliar role as crew chief for the CRA Super Series season climbing into a car as driver for his first race at the Winchester 400. He set a new Winchester track record and then ran strong until a loss of tire pressure in his right front
following the last pit stop forced him to make an unscheduled stop that took
him out of contention. For his second start Gabehart was second fast in
qualifying, took the lead on the first lap and finished first leading a
total of 96 laps to take the 2008 Adam Petty Memorial All American 400
Weekend CRA Super Series 200 to earn the Music City Motorplex’s unique
trophy, a Copley Guitar.
"What an honor" Gabehart stated. "The guitar at Nashville, what more can you say. How many people have been here and raced for that, it is an honor!" Gabehart took the lead from the outside of the front row and led the first 20 laps, before Josh Vadnais charged to the front and took the lead. Gabehart retook the lead on the 58th lap and held it until he pitted on the 111th lap when he handed the lead off to Johnny VanDoorn. VanDoorn stayed out front until the 167th lap when Donnie Wilson made a strong move to the outside to pass for the lead. Gabehart passed Wilson on lap 192. A caution with 2 to go forced a green/white/checker finish with Boris Jurkovic in second. Gabehart restarted smoothly pulling away from Jurkovic and raced on to the win. Jurkovic finished second, Wilson third, Scott Carlson fourth and Jason Hogan fifth. "Chris drove a hell of a race" 2006 All American 400 CRA event winner, Jurkovic said. "On that last restart I was not where I wanted to be exactly as we were coming to green. I let up for just a second, and Chris took off at that second. If I could have gotten that spot I would have been like a mad alligator, but Chris was too strong. You can’t win all the guitars and we had a good run." The race capped three days of practice and qualifying. Resulting in a strong field that included the last four winners Chuck Barnes, Jr. – 2004, Hogan – 2005, Jurkovic – 2006 and VanDoorn – 2007, as well as many of the best short track racers from as far away as Minnesota and Oklahoma and as close as Nashville. Veteran racer Wheaton, IL’s Eddie Hoffman was entered but was unable to make the feature after losing an engine during the Last Chance race. Indianapolis, IN native Eddie Van Meter also found little luck after a hard hit in practice Thursday night ended his weekend along with Drew Turner hauled in from Columbus, OH only to have his weekend finish early with an accident on the opening day of practice. 36 cars started the race with 17 finishing on the lead lap and 26 cars on the track at the checkered flag. Along with the Copley Guitar Gabehart earned the $400 RaceTrailerSales.com Halfway Leader Award, the Holley Performance Award, the Fatheadz.com Race Winner Award and a Schoenfeld Headers Finish Award. Zach Taylor took the other Schoenfeld Award as well as the Cometic Rookie of the Race Award and the VDL Fuel Systems Top Rookie Award. Josh Vadnais took the VDL Fuel Systems Hot Lap of the Race Award and the Five Star RaceCar Bodies Hard Luck Award, he was the only car that needed a wrecker during the event. Dennis Schoenfeld took the ISKY Racing Cams/Lane Automotive Hard Charger Award moving up 24 positions starting 32nd to finish eighth. Schoenfeld also earned the Lynch Tree Service Nashville Performance Award for the driver with the best overall finishes in the All American 150 and All American 400 events, finishing sixth in the July 20th make up of the original March date to go with his eighth place finish. The next CRA Super Series event will be the $10,000 to win Southern Slam 250 at the South Georgia Motorsports Park on November 21-23. For more information go to CRA Super Series.
11/08/2008
ALL AMERICAN 400:
SATURDAY NOTES By Matt Kentfield & Jeremy
Troiano
GABEHART AND HOFFMAN’S RECORD
BREAKING DAY
What was a shock perhaps was
just how fast the two were. Both drivers set their respective division’s
Music City Motorplex track records with their laps. Hoffman’s lap of 18.718
was nearly three-tenths of a second faster than the next-fastest qualifier,
John Wes Townley from Georgia. The lap put everyone on notice that Hoffman
will once again be the man to beat at Nashville in the ASA Late Model
200-lap race on Sunday.
Gabehart’s fast lap earned him
the CRA pole award, which was named in honor of Charlie Bradberry, who
competed in numerous CRA events over the years, including the All American
400 in Nashville. The young up-and-coming superstar in the racing world lost
his life last month in an automobile accident and CRA officials remember him
with the AA400 pole award.
"IRP is always a big thing for
us Northerners to go and race there,” said Gabehart. “When I saw on the
entry list that Charlie Bradberrry was going to be there, that’s when I knew
it was the real deal. That made me excited to come. I get excited to come to
the big races like here in Nashville and Pensacola because guys like Charlie
Bradberry are racing. So when we went to IRP and Charlie Bradberry was
coming, that made life a little different for me because I knew if we beat
him, then we had beat the best. He was capable of winning at any time he
showed up. www.craracing.net used with permission
11/08/2008 All American 200 Music City Motorplex Gabehart Sets New Track record in qualifying. Chris Gabehart was among the fastest all day in practice and then turned it on during qualifying to set a new track record and take the pole for the All American 200 with a time of 18.113 seconds. Nathan Haseleu was second, Boris Jurkovic third, Bobby Parsley fourth and Ryan Crane fifth.
LAP 51 CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR GABEHART By Jeremy Troiano Indy’s Rain-Shortened Event Still Means a Ton to Youngster
There were several story lines that developed in Saturday night’s CRA Super Series event at Indianapolis Raceway Park, both before and during the race. Since the 100-lap event was running after the conclusion of the Pro Cup Series event, several drivers knew there would be some eyes on them in the pit area. However, the focus turned into a “hurry up” mode, as a line of rain and thunderstorms were moving into the area. Soon, the drivers were focusing on making it to lap 51 instead of lap 100, changing several driver’s strategies. With the drivers riding around under caution for several laps, the rain continued to fall and get harder, forcing CRA officials to call the event completely, exactly at the point the race was considered “official.” It also handed Gabehart his second-career win and his first at legendary IRP. “Let it rain on me,” said Gabehart after celebrating victory lane in front of the handful of fans that hadn’t yet made their way for their cars in the downpour. “I’ve been on a mission. “We’ve ran a whole lot better than some of our performances this year. We’ve got great racecars and super people working on them. There is lots of determination. And there is a guy setting up these racecars and sitting behind the wheel that won’t take anything less than you saw here tonight.”
Gabehart was fast as long as it took at IRP. (James MacDonald photos) Gabehart’s charge to the front was made just a little bit easier by another of the story lines of the night; the fact that a multi-car accident on the first lap took out several of Gabehart’s nearest competitors. With the weather coming, drivers knew they had to go. That is what led Gabehart to make a bonzi move at the start underneath several drivers. “Typically, you save your tires and try to save them for the end,” said Gabehart. But not tonight. I was wide open from the start. I drove down in turn one on the start and passed four of them. I kept rolling.” That might have forced the hand of several other drivers, just hoping to keep up with the #17. So, coming out of turn four on the first lap, several drivers made it three- and even four-wide. Eventually, several cars got together, triggering a multi-car incident that eventually took out the cars of Josh Hamner, Andy Ponstein, Eddie Van Meter, Rick Turner, Josh Vadnais and Bull Baker. That is exactly how far they made it. And Chris Gabehart seemed to have the best strategy: get to the front fast. Gabehart started seventh, but was in third by the end of the first corner. From then on out, Gabehart was able to shadow race-leader Jeff Lane tit-for-tat on the track. The two raced side-by-side for several laps, obvious that the goal was to get up front as fast as possible On lap 46, Gabehart became the official leader of the event, after working around the outside of Lane. Then, just as expected, the rain began to fall on lap 51. Maybe the most disappointed was Hamner. “This was obviously the best car out here all day,” said Hamner. “Everyone knew it. There were people coming up to me telling me that they were expecting me to break the track record. The car was good all day. My dad came over the radio and said there would be a lot of give and take and that we needed to get stretched out. All I wanted to do was finish the race. I thought if I finished this race, I could have a shot at winning it. “There were a bunch of idiots out there that wanted to try and prove something. I blame all of this on Van Meter though. Gabehart too, he just got lucky and didn’t hit anyone. I was under Andy Ponstein and he said he saw the whole thing. He told me I was giving him plenty of room. Coming off of four, the next thing I know is that I got body-slammed by Van Meter. It was a lot of impatience. You can’t call yourself racecar drivers. What do you get accomplished in half a lap?”
With that accident, Gabehart really had two drivers to worry about; leader Lane and southern invader Charlie Bradberry. Maybe the most disappointed was Hamner. “This was obviously the best car out here all day,” said Hamner. “Everyone knew it. There were people coming up to me telling me that they were expecting me to break the track record. The car was good all day. My dad came over the radio and said there would be a lot of give and take and that we needed to get stretched out. All I wanted to do was finish the race. I thought if I finished this race, I could have a shot at winning it. Bradberry appeared to have the best car during the late-stages of the event and was catching Lane and Gabehart, but ran out of time before the rains came. “I’m just mad about losing,” said Bradberry. “I wanted to keep my (winning) streak going. I had the car to do it. I just wish we could have had some green flag runs. I just think a few more laps would have been all we needed. The car was getting better and better. I had too much front brake in the car. I just wish I could have seen what the car was going to do with the proper brake in it.” In the end though, it was all Gabehart. And according to the Indiana-native, things might get even better. “Jeff Lane is such a great driver,” added Gabehart. “I have so much respect for him. Literally, Jeff Lane is one of the baddest short track racers in the country bar none. So to pass him to win at IRP rocks. I kept working on bottom and working on the bottom, then finally got him to go down there. “I am just ecstatic. There is no other driver I’d rather beat than Jeff Lane. “The best part about it is that motor is tired. We are getting ready to put the real deal in here tomorrow. Scott Fisher and Spec Racing engines are getting ready to roll on them. We are going to keep riding out. Wherever we choose to go, we are going to keep riding out.”
11/08/2008 Chris Gabehart Leads CRA Super Series Points After Three Events
Salem, IN (May 10,
2006) – After three CRA Super Series Presented By Spray Power events in
2006, Chris Gabehart has managed to climb to the top of the leader board in
CRA Super Series
Gabehart goes into the series next event, on May 21st at Baer Field Speedway in Ft. Wayne, an event that Gabehart was originally not going to race as the series point’s leader. Gabehart’s #10 Hendricks County Motorsports ride from the last two years in being run by series CD-2 Rookie of the Year candidate Sondi Eden, a Roush Racing Racing Development Driver with sponsorship from the National Guard. Gabehart was to drive a limited CRA Super Series schedule in the #17 Hendricks County Motorsports entry, while maintaining both Hendricks County Motorsports cars for owner Jim Winters. For now Gabehart will continue to race along with Eden to see what happens with the series points. Another former CRA Super Series rookie of the year Andy Ponstein currently sits in second in points, 23 behind Gabehart. Ponstein finished 5th in the series season opener in Nashville and backed that up with a second place finish at Anderson Speedway. Ponstein finished a disappointing 18th at Winchester after his brakes failed, but with several teams running limited schedules or having bad luck, Ponstein remains in second place even with the bad finish at Winchester. Ponstein has already filed entries for the series next two events, but Ponstein has not committed for the season. 2005 CRA Super Series rookie of the year Tommy St. John is currently third in series points, 27 points behind Gabehart. St. John’s team has overcome adversity several times this season to remain in contention for the series point’s championship. St. John finished 16th in Nashville after making several pit stops to repair damage from an incident not of his making during the race. St. John overcame damage from another incident not of his making again at Anderson Speedway to get a 6th place finish. St. John improved his finishes to 5th in the series event at Winchester Speedway, which has resulted in his third place position in points. Veteran series racer Eddie Van Meter currently sets in fourth 31 points out of first while 2005 CRA Super Series Drivers Points Champion Jeff Lane, the winner of the series event at Winchester Speedway, is in fifth 37 points out of first. Fellow series veterans JR Roahrig and Kenny Tweedy are currently 6th and 7th with rookies John Van Doorn, Michael Gaier and Sondi Eden in 8th, 9th and 10th respectively. Additional information on the CRA Super Series and the CRA Super Sunday event at Baer Field Speedway in Ft. Wayne, Indiana on Sunday, May 21st is available here.
11/08/2008 From the CRA Super Series webpage: A TOP 5 CRA Series Team that recorded great numbers last year, but most importantly added their name to the impressive list of CRA winners. During 2005 they recoded two fast times, qualified in the top five 5 times, had 2 top 5 finishes and 9 top 10’s. And they too competed in all points and non points events. It has certainly been a great combination of an extremely committed car owner and one of the brightest young driving stars today. TAKING 5TH PLACE HONORS IS ….CAR OWNER JIM WINTERS AND DRIVER CHRIS GABEHART. Special Awards The first special award is managed and promoted by Speed51.com. It is the Speed51.com "Most Popular Driver Award". The Most Popular Driver Award for 2005 went to Chris Gabehart. Harris Torches Lap Leader Awards. The winner for races under 250 laps is Chris Gabehart for leading 215 laps. Bicycle Poker Chip – Menards Fast Qualifying Award Chris Gabehart and Jeff Lane tied for second with two each. TDR Screen Graphics Sportsman of the Year Award. In honor of his outstanding display of sportsmanship in all activities surrounding the CRA Super Series the 2005 TDR Screen Graphics Sportsman of the Year Award belongs to Chris Gabehart.
05/29/05 NEW TRACK RECORD Chris Gabehart turned a lap in 15.590 Seconds breaking Fred Campbell's 2 year old record and setting the Bicycle Poker Chips/Menards fast time for the A.P. Racing Engines 100. Johnny Beloitt III was second, J.R. Roahrig third, Rick Turner fourth with Eddie Van Meter rounding out the top five. Gabehart then drew a 4 for the invert putting Rick Turner on the pole.
Chris Gabehart Wins His First CRA Super Series Race Manning Service 100
Chris Gabehart started on the pole, and led 99 of 100 laps to win the Manning Service 100 Sunday at the Grand Re-opening of the Famed Winchester Speedway. Gabehart stated the day with an accident during practice, but repaired the car, qualified third and won. "We started today in way we did not like, but we came back worked hard, got a hot lap down in qualifications, got a great draw and stayed clean to get the win." A very happy Gabehart stated. Eddie Hoffman started 16th and ran through the field to finish second, Scott Hantz finished third and led briefly on lap 50, Landon Cassill finished a career best fourth with Jim Crabtree, Jr. rounding out the top 5.
Anderson 125 CRA Super Series Season Opener
Former CRA Super Series champion
Bobby Parsley continued his strong performance at Anderson Speedway winning
the Anderson 125 presented by Great Deals at Anderson Speedway on Saturday,
April 16. In other action, Rich Boyer collected his second win of the season
in the Terry RV Sales & Service Street Stocks and Ronnie Rose drove an
impressive race in the Boss Hogg Jerky and Catering Figure 8’s, earning his
second checkered flag of the season.
http://www.andersonspeedway.com/
Bobby Parsley Wins Anderson 125 Anderson, IN (April 16, 2005) - Bobby Parsley ran in the Top 5 most of the race Saturday after setting the fast time. Chris Gabehart started on the pole and lead for 116 laps of the 125 lap race before he and Scott Hantz tangled taking both cars out and leaving Parsley the leader with just 9 laps to go giving Parsley the lead and the win. "We did not have the fastest car here tonight, but when both the fast guys got tangled, we got the win." Commented Parsley. This is the second time Parsley started the season with a win, in 2003 Parsley took the first race at Anderson before going on to win the Season Championship.
Hendricks County Motorsports Announces New Marketing Partner
March 16, 2005 - Bill Schildman,
Director of Sales for the United States Playing Card Company, has announced
a marketing agreement with Rural King Farm and Home Stores for the 2005
season. Rural King Farm and Home Stores as well as
Ruralking.com will be an integral
part of our race marketing strategy
As a marketing partner, Rural King will receive associate sponsor space on the # 10 Hendricks County Motorsports CRA Super Series car driven by Chris Gabehart. In addition to the signage on the car, Rural King will also participate in a number of fan related promotions through out the season.
Chris Gabehart has announced the “Poker run for the Championship in 2005”- Fun for the Fans program. In an effort to promote Bicycle Playing Cards and Bicycle Clay filled Poker chips, Chris will be presenting fans the opportunity at each of the CRA Super Series events to win door prizes including a Bicycle Masters Poker set valued at $60.00. One lucky fan will be selected to win this prize at each CRA Super Series race event. The Poker run will also include show car appearances at a number of the Rural King retail stores during the season with autograph signings. Gabehart goes on to say, “with this marketing program we hope to bring added excitement and fun to the entire 2005 CRA Super Series racing season for the fans that attend and support the series event!”
More information on Hendricks County Motorsports and Chris Gabehart is available at www.chrisgabehart.com.
Season Follow up Kentucky Racers Lead The Pack In the 2004 Sunoco Super Series Season Salem, IN (November 24, 2005) – Two Kentucky Racers were at the top when the 2004 Sunoco Super Series ended. 22-year-old Louisville, Kentucky native Chuck Barnes Jr. came away with the 2004 Sunoco Super Series Championship just one year after taking Rookie Of The Year honors. Barnes had a very roller coaster season in 2003, but still was impressive in winning rookie honors and finishing 8th in points. Barnes was the second driver to win the Championship one year after winning the Rookie Of The Year Honors, the other driver was 2002 series champion Joel Kauffman.
Barnes’s season took a good turn on the last day of July at Shadybowl Speedway. Barnes was running second in that event when leader Jim Crabtree Jr. suddenly spun handing the lead to Barnes. Barnes held off Junior Hanley, who came into the event as the series point’s leader, to get his first series victory. The next day the series headed to Toledo Speedway were Barnes would post an impressive 2nd place finish, that coupled with Hanley’s 19th place finish gave Barnes the points lead, which he would hold on to even though Hanley and 2000 series champion Scott Hantz were in hot pursuit the rest of the season. Barnes finished the series fifteen race points season with one win, nine top five finishes that included four second place finishes, twelve top ten finishes and led the series with four fast qualifier awards. Barnes ended his 2004 late model season in spectacular fashion by sitting on the pole and winning the prestigious All American 300 at the Music City Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee.
Eddie Hoffman and Jeff Lane led the series in victories for the season with three a piece. Hoffman won the NAPA National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway, while Canadian Motorsports Hall Of Fame member Junior Hanley won the 38th Annual Anderson 400. In all the series had over 140 different drivers participate from 18 states and Canada. The United States Playing Card Company To Sponsor Chris Gabehart In 2005 Indianapolis, IN (January 9, 2005) - Jim Winters, owner of Hendrick’s County Motorsports, and driver Chris Gabehart have announced a Primary Sponsorship agreement with The United States Playing Card Company under their Bicycle Playing Card and Poker Chip brands. The sponsorship will start with an associate position on the car for Speedfest 2005 at USA International Speedway later this month and continue for the 2005 CRA Super Series season as the Primary Sponsor on the team’s race cars. Making the announcement for US Playing Cards Director of Sales, Bill Schildman, confirmed the plans to sponsor Chris for the 2005 season in the CRA Super Series with the potential of several ARCA Re/MAX Series and or Hooter’s Pro Cup Series Races. "Chris Gabehart is a fine young talent that US Playing Cards has chosen to support with our brands for the building of our Motorsports Program". Chris has talent, desire, image and personality, all of the key ingredients for a successful program. It is great to see the Team chemistry of the veteran owner, Jim Winters and his young driver Chris Gabehart." Schildman goes on to state, " We are actively discussing plans for 2006 with several NASCAR Busch Series Teams. Our primary goal for 2005 is to help Chris continue to develop his talents as a driver and spokesman for our brands, making a challenge for the 2005 CRA Super Series Championship and building our brand awareness for the NEW Bicycle Brand Clay Poker Chips will be our Team mission." Gabehart was the 2004 CRA Super Series Rookie Of The Year, his first full season in a full-bodied stock car. Gabehart, a Louisville, Kentucky native who currently resides in West Lafayette, Indiana while attending Purdue University working towards an Engineering Degree, had a very successful go kart career before racing in a USAC Midget for a short time. Gabehart competed in selected late model races during the 2003 season before moving full time into the CRA Super Series last year. http://www.sunocosuperseries.com/news/jan2005/hendricks1904.html
October 24, 2004
1st Annual CRA Salem Speedfest
Chuck Barnes, Jr. 2004 Sunoco Super Series Champion Chuck Barnes, Jr. won the 2004 Sunoco Super Series Championship by finishing fifth in the Spray Power 125. In a very tight points championship Barnes needed a good run to be assured he would be the champion. He did it. The Corteco Fast Qualifier, Barnes started seventh and finished fifth.
With a fourth place finish Chris Gabehart captured the Backstretch Performance/Blake Carburetion Rookie of the Year Award.
Story From and used with permission http://www.sunocosuperseries.comO ctober 17, 2004Baer Field - Ft. Wayne, IN Chris Gabehart earned the Backstretch Performance/Blake Carburetion/Reed Cams Rookie Of The Race Award with a 10th place finish. Chris will remain Rookie of the Year points leader going into Salem Speedway October 23 & 24in the Sunoco 125 Salem SpeedFest. October 9, 2004 I-70 Speedway World Cup 300 Odessa, MO - After 300 laps, 162.9 miles, 2 hours
and 18 minutes of racing, Larry Raines beat Chris Gabehart to the line
by .096 of a second to win the World Cup 300 Saturday night at I-70
Speedway in Odessa, Missouri, the first ever World Cup 300 sanctioned
by the Sunoco Super Series and the O’Reilly Southern All Star Racing
Series. Raines, a veteran late model racer from Cumming, Georgia, used
his tires very carefully through out the event, making sure he had
plenty left at the end. He needed all the tires he could get, just
beating a hard charging
"I ran as hard as I could without killing my tires." Raines stated, "They were starting to go there at the end, but we kept just enough. It is really awesome to win this great event, I want to thank the McDonald family for having us come race at their great racetrack!" Gabehart, the current Rookie Of The Year points leader with the Sunoco Super Series, finished second, veteran Chicago area racer Biff George finished third after losing his brakes with 200 laps to go. Sunoco Super Series veteran racer Eddie Van Meter finished fourth, followed by Colorado’s Jim Sikes Jr. in fifth. The race was very competitive from the start with Corteco Fast Qualifier Ryan Mathews taking the early lead from his pole starting position, staying in front for the first 88 laps. Gabehart grabbed the lead for one lap when Mathews got caught up with lap traffic, only to be passed in a great move by Jeff Lane on the next lap. Mathews was forced from the contest on lap 120 with a broken wheel. Lane lead until lap 149 when he and the rest of the
leaders except Biff George pitted for fuel and tires during one of the
eight yellow flags
Eddie Hoffman was the first of the leaders to get back on the track due to the quick work of his veteran pit crew, followed by Raines, Gabehart, Lane and Van Meter. Hoffman chased down George on his fresh tires and took the lead on lap 159. On lap 170 a slow car on the track forced the leaders to check up, Lane was bumped and as he spun down into the infield he hit the safety barriers knocking his rear end out and forcing him to retire for the evening. Hoffman held the lead on the restart, building it into a full straightaway lead when his right front a-frame broke going into the third turn throwing him up into the wall and ending his night. Gabehart inherited the lead, which he gave up by pitting on lap 206. He and Raines pitted, with Raines beating him back onto the track because of the great work of his crew, which earned Raines the Sweet Manufacturing Sweet Move of the Race Award. Van Meter elected not to pit in order to take the lead. Van Meter took off on the restart, building a sizeable lead and running very well until he started to have problems with a low battery, which was causing the motor to miss badly. Raines and Gabehart both passed the wounded Van Meter racecar. Gabehart stayed close behind Raines, working his way through the lapped traffic to keep in sight of the race leader. As the laps drew to a close, Gabehart made his move pulling up to the rear bumper of Raines’s car, trying to make several moves to get by Raines both on the outside and the inside before finally getting a chance to get inside as they were coming out of turn four for the checkered flag. Gabehart finished with his front wheels even with Raines rear wheels in a very exciting finish. The Lane Automotive/ISKY Racing Cams Hard Charger Award went to Sam Payne who moved up from his twenty-fourth starting position to finish seventh. The Holley Performance Award went to race winner Larry Raines. The Muller Motorsports/ARP Stock Car Bodies Performance Award went to local I-70 Speedway racer Ron Myers, whose named was pulled from the starting field of cars prior to the start of the World Cup 300. The next Sunoco Super Series event is the Sunoco 125 Presented By Angola Motor Speedway on Sunday, October 17 at Baer Field Speedway in Fort Wayne, Indiana. For more information click here. Story From and used with permission http://www.sunocosuperseries.com
September 25, 2004 Chris Gabehart - To start in 3rd position at Rockford SpeedwayNational Short Track Championship race. Chris qualified 6th but due to the draw and invert places him in 3rd position for the start. Chris decided to retire from race the at half way break due to rear end problems. Chris is awarded Backstretch Performance/Reed Cams/Blake Carburetion Rookie of the Race along with Steve Moenck, who finished Second in the race.
Sept. 18, 2004 Chris Gabehart - Takes third place in Sunoco 150 at Anderson Speedway - Presented by Great Deals Magazine
Crabtree Wins Sunoco 150 Jim Crabtree, Jr. won his second Sunoco Super Series Event leading from flag to flag. Bobby Parsley challenged Crabtree nearly every lap, but was unable to pass. Parsley finished second. With 3 laps to go Scott Hantz, who had been running very hard was bumped by Rick Turner as Turner tried to save his car from a spin and hit the wall in turn 3 very hard. This allowed Chris Gabehart to slip into third (after he narrowly avoided the accident). Fourth was Junior Hanley and fifth in only his second start with his new team was Kenny Tweedy.
Sept. 4, 2004 Chris Gabehart - Wins the feature "Ky. Clutch & Performance Late Models" Chris Gabehart Gets First Late Model Victory At Salem SpeedwaySalem, IN (September 4, 2004) - Sunoco Super Series current rookie points leader Chris Gabehart got his first Late Model victory on Saturday night racing in the Kentucky Clutch and Performance Late Models 50 lap feature on the High Banks of Salem Speedway. Gabehart took advantage of his outside pole starting position to lead every lap of the event. Gabehart had to fight off Salem Speedway veteran racer Pete Mayden to get the victory, Mayden pressured Gabehart hard over the last ten laps, but Gabehart was up for the challenge taking the victory by two car lengths. Sunoco Super Series points leader Chuck Barnes Jr. was the Late Model Fast Qualifier at Salem Speedway Saturday night, but had his night end early while running third in the feature when debris tore a whole in his radiator. Series veteran Rick Turner, currently 8th in Sunoco Super Series points, also ventured down to Salem Speedway Saturday to get some laps on the challenging 1/2 mile track prior to the series season championship event there on October 24th. Turner qualified 4th and finished 4th in the feature. Story From and used with permission http://www.sunocosuperseries.com/news/sept2004/gabehart9504.html
Chris Gabehart To Compete For Rookie Of The Year Honors
Salem, IN (January 25, 2004) – Hendricks County Motorsports has announced that they will field a car for Chris Gabehart, a 22-year-old student in his 5th year of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, to compete for the 2004 Sunoco Super Series Rookie Of The Year Honors. Hendricks County Motorsports is owned by Indianapolis, Indiana businessman Jim Winters and has competed with the Sunoco Super Series since it’s beginning in 1997 with a variety of drivers. Winters won the 1998 Sunoco Super Series Championship with driver Brian Rievley. Winters most notable win with the Sunoco Super Series was the prestigious Anderson 400 with driver Chet Fillip in 2002.
Another notable driver for Winters include Kyle Busch, the brother of NACAR Nextel Cup driver Kurt Busch. Kyle drove a Hendricks County Motorsports car in 2002 at the Car Brite 200 at Winchester Speedway and in 2003 at the Car Brite 400 also at Winchester Speedway. This season Kyle will driver full time in the NASCAR Busch Series and part-time in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series for Hendricks Motorsports. Some of the other drivers who have sat behind the wheel for Hendricks County Motorsports in 2003 include Michigan native Chris Orr, Indianapolis, Indiana’s Chris Tomasik and New Castle, Indiana’s Rodney Scott who got a second place finish at the Sunoco Super Series event at Mt. Lawn Speedway.
Chris Gabehart drove in five series races for Hendricks County Motorsports in 2003 with the Sunoco Super Series after driving two races in for Winters at Salem Speedway, his first ever rides in a late model racecar. The Anderson 400 was his first Sunoco Super Series event. Gabehart had to start on the tail of the field after missing qualifying after damaging his car in practice. Gabehart came back to get a very respectable 12th place finish in that event. Gabehart’s best finish with the series in 2003 was an 8th place finish at Shady Bowl Speedway. Gabehart also competed at Baer Field Speedway in the Big Bash II, at Winchester Speedway in the Car Brite 400 and at the Patriot 200 at the newly named Music City Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I am very excited and fortunate to be able to drive for Jim Winters in 2004,” remarked Gabehart. “Hendricks County Motorsports has had a lot of success over the years in the Sunoco Super Series. Jim Cooper is second to none in the Mid-west when it comes to car preparation and work ethic. We have also developed a solid relationship with Scott Fisher at SPEC Racing Engines, all of this will hopefully make for a successful 2004 season including the taking the Sunoco Super Series Rookie Of The Year Award!”
Gabehart, born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, has been racing for 12 years, including 6 years of national oval karting experience in the World Karting Association. During those years Gabehart accumulated 6 National Championships and one Drivers Championship, similar to IROC for kart racers. Gabehart went from the karts to open wheel racing like fellow Purdue University Engineering student Ryan Newman. In 2001 and 2002 Gabehart competed in open wheel midgets on the national pavement level with both USAC and NAMARS. Gabehart is a third generation racecar driver. Gabehart’s father, Kevin Gabehart competed in the NASCAR Sanctioned Sportsman Division at Louisville Speedway for several years. Gabehart’s grandfather, Al Straub, was a competitor in the old NASCAR Grand American Series. |
After
making several attempts to grab the lead spot from Gabehart, the No. 21 car
of Matthews spun on lap 85 and was unable to contend for the remainder of
the race. Daleville’s Bull Baker then made a charge to the front of the pack
and benefited from Matthews’ misfortune. As Baker was also trying to bypass
Gabehart, he spun in turn 4 on lap 104, advancing Scott Hantz to second
position and Bobby Parsley up to third in the running order. 
Barnes
started off leading the 2004 points after the series first event with a second
place finish, and was never far from the top the rest of the season. Barnes lost
the series lead twice during the season, once after a hard crash after being
forced off the back-stretch at Berlin Raceway which resulted in a 21st
place finish, his worst of the season. He also lost the lead in the tight battle
after mechanical problems regulated him to a 13th place finish in the
Anderson 400 in July. 
Fellow
Louisville, Kentucky native Chris Gabehart beat out Steve Moenck in a tight
battle for the 2004 Sunoco Super Series Rookie Of The Year Honors. Gabehart,
currently attending Purdue University working on an Engineering Degree,
turned in a masterful first season even with some bad luck with parts
breaking. In all Gabehart got four top five finishes including a season high
of 2nd at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, a 3rd at
Anderson Speedway and a 4th at the season points championship
race at Salem Speedway. Gabehart was also Fast Qualifier two times during
the season. Gabehart did a nice job in two all star late model events, he
got a 2nd place finish to Larry Raines at the World Cup 300 at
I-70 Speedway in October and finished 7th at the All American
300, he had been in the top five until another broken part on the last lap
dropped him to seventh. Gabehart also finished 5th in the overall
Sunoco Super Series points. 
