After two strong showings in last weekend’s dual Late Model events with the ASALMS in Indianapolis, Chris Eggleston Racing returned home to race Colorado National Speedway’s ‘Pepsi Rev-It Up Rumble’. A heat race victory followed up with a third place showing in the evenings feature event are keeping the team’s positive momentum in high gear.
The 19-year old Erie, Colorado driver began the nights events with a wire to wire victory in the second of two heat races for the Late Model division. Starting on the front row beside the # 82 of Nick Rozack, Eggleston pulled to an early lead and took the checkered flag by a comfortable margin.
Lining up for the 40-Lap feature event, Eggleston started inside row two in the third position. Leading the field to the green flag, former track champion, # 31 Rick Smith of Gering, NE got the 18 car field underway on the 3/8 mile paved oval. With cold and windy track conditions having an obvious effect on the handling of the cars, two cautions within the first two laps due to spinning cars shuffled the field, and the # 22 of Eggleston re-started the race in the fifth position on lap three. With a longer green flag run to follow, the top-five cars in the field broke away from the main pack. Battling for the lead were # 12 Bruce Yackey of Greeley and the # 31 of Smith. Smith eventually took the lead over Yackey and # 27 Roger Avants of Littleton, while a heated fourth place battle ensued between Eggleston and # 42 Ronnie Hults of Centennial. With just nine laps remaining, Yackey got into the back of the # 27 down the back stretch causing Avants to spin into the infield. Eggleston continued to battle Hults and settled into the third position to take the checkered flag. At the stripe, Rick Smith took the victory followed by Yackey, Eggleston, Hults, and the # 47 PJ Mattorano of Trinidad, CO.
Chris Eggleston Racing is continuing forward with it’s plan of attack for 2008. After several successful seasons including championships in both Quarter-Midgets and the Legends Series as well as a top-10 Late Model points finish at CNS in 2007, Eggleston is taking his second full season in a Late Model to the national level. Chris will be competing full time in the ASALMS North Division and part time in the ASALMS Challenge Division. Both of these touring Late Model series’ have produced champions who are now moving up through the ranks of both the NASCAR Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series. On the weekends that the team is not traveling, Eggleston will continue to race both his ‘local’ Late Model and Legends car at tracks close to home gaining valuable seat time, and hopefully a handful of victories.
Chris Eggleston Racing would like to thank it’s dedicated crew and fans for their continued support. The team would also like to recognize it’s fine sponsors: H2O Fire Protection Inc., Leary Racing Products, and 3R Automotive. The team’s next event(s) will be in Colorado for CNS’s Coors Light Late Model 100-Lap Event on Saturday, May 10th.
