In a season full of adversity, Noah Gragson finally broke through with a signature victory in the Winchester 400 on Sunday in Indiana.
The various race strategies seemed to play out in favor of Harrison Burton but the newly crowned NASCAR K&N East champion fell off the pace with eighth laps to go. Gragson was there to capitalize and led for the remainder of the event.
“I knew some rain was coming in,” Gragson said. “But the fans stayed, and they’re awesome, and things fell our way. That was awesome. I’m exhausted from that.”
The race was perhaps won for Gragson on the final restart when the 19-year-old threw a block on Chandler Smith and Travis Braden. While Burton stormed away with the lead, Gragson was at least able to maintain second.
The move meant he was first in line when Burton slowed.
“We put left sides on that last stop and we were just loose,” Gragson said. “Chandler and I got into each other and I got into the wall. I thought our race was over. I just drove my heart out and gave it everything I had.”
The second longest race on the Super Late Model schedule, the Winchester 400 features numerous controlled pit stops and varying strategies. This race is often won and lost based on the timing on cautions and track position.
Gragson led the most laps, primarily in the middle stages, and unlike several other contenders never lost a lap.
Defending winner Travis Braden finished second to Gragson but brought out the final caution with 32 laps remaining.
“I’m extremely proud of the effort. These guys have worked with me for three years or so, and last year and we didn’t even know exactly what our schedules would be. We had a better car than last year, just not as good of luck, and this year, we just didn’t have the luck. Our strategy was working but we didn’t catch a break with the flat tire — twice. Both of our front tires caught a flat but that’s part of the deal here.
“We finished second against some of the best in the county so to me that’s says a lot.”
Logan Runyon captured the CRA Super Series championship with a seventh-place finish as he was the only driver of the four title chasers to have finished on the lead lap in a NASCAR style one-race winner-take-all format.
This post is a stub and will be updated later.
The official results can be viewed below.
- Noah Gragson
- Travis Braden
- Chandler Smith
- Steve Wallace
- Stephen Nasse
- Logan Runyon (Chaser)
- Brandon Oakley
- Harrison Burton
- Dakota Stroup
- Dalton Armstrong (Chaser)
- Johnny VanDoorn (Chaser)
- Cole Rouse
- Jon Beach
- Mason Mingus
- Hunter Jack
- Kyle Crump
- Raphael Lessard
- Wes Griffith Jr. (Chaser)
- Hope Hornish
- Jack Dossey III
- Terry Fisher Jr
- Donnie Wilson
- Jack Smith
- Brandon Varney
- Billy VanMeter
- Dan Leeck
- Rick Turner
- Jordan Miller
- Ben Welch
- Rich Segvich
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