Nick Egan wins the JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour at Winchester Speedway. (Photo by Randy Crist)
SALEM, Ind. — Nick Egan passed up the high side of Winchester Speedway’s famous high embankments on a lap 86 restart, passing leader Brandon Varney, to take the lead and claim his first JEGS/CRA All- Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance won at the JEGS 100 on Saturday night.
“Wow, it’s amazing to be sitting here in victory lane at Winchester Speedway,” Egan commented in victory lane. “This place is so amazing, what a place to run. I have raced on several tracks, but this place is the most challenging, which makes this victory feel so good. Winning here is an achievement! I was hoping for a late caution so I could try and race the 61 car for the win, got a good restart and just got it in there and used the high rut to make the pass. I have to thank my dad, my whole team for all their help. We are a small team, that just works hard. We look forward to coming back here in October to compete for the series championship!”
Teenager William Sawalich took the lead by lowering the green flag from his starting position on the outside pole. Michael Hinde closed in on Sawalich’s bumper, but then slowed down on a Lap 6 restart with a suspension issue that ended his day early.
Sawalich continued to set the pace as Brandon Varney began to quickly make up ground on Sawalich. Varney then dove under Sawalich to make the pass on lap 12.
Varney would hold the lead on several restarts while Egan worked his way through the field from his ninth place to take second place, but with a huge lead Varney looked like he was going to cruise to victory when the caution flag waved afterward. Billy Van Meter’s car 23. spun on lap 85 while battling for a top five position.
On the lap 86 restart, Egan was able to make the pass and would go on to win by nearly a half-second over Brandon Varney.
Egan is the current series championship points leader and will compete for the 2022 series championship chase at the October 14 season championship event. Egan has already earned the 2022 series rookie of the year award.
Brandon Varney would finish second but failed the post-race technical inspection.
James Krueger would go from his starting tenth place finish to third place. Jordan Miller would finish in fourth place with Van Meter in fifth place.