JJ Pack Wins the Battle and the War at Jennerstown Super Cup 2014 Finale
Skyland, North Carolina (September 15, 2014) – It has been no secret that Bealeton, Virginia’s JJ Pack has been the driver to beat during the 2014 Super Cup Stock Car Series season. Leading into the Flight 93 National Memorial race weekend at Pennsylvania’s Jennerstown Speedway, Pack had finished no worse than second throughout the year.
The Cal Richardson-owned and Black Draft Distillery/IceBoxx Customs-sponsored No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Pack claimed the Pole Award once again heading into the 75-lap feature presented by Mignogna Collision Center. After the redraw, Jeff Zillweger led the field to green for the second time this season with Pack starting fifth. Outside front row starter Brian Harrison was even with Zillweger through the first two turns and then pulled ahead. Zillweger got loose and looped his car on the inside of turn four to bring out the first caution with one lap complete.
It did not take long for Pack to make his way to the front as he passed Brent Nelson for second one lap after the restart and then by lap five worked under Harrison for the lead. Nevertheless, the race for the win would be far from over as Harrison remained within striking distance of Pack. After the field was slowed another time, Harrison would get around the outside of Pack and led the race past halfway.
During this portion of the event, the front four cars consisting of Harrison, Pack, first-time series competitor Dan Bainey, and Nelson set the pace and pulled away from the remainder of the field. Nearing 30 laps to go Pack closed within a car length of Harrison and took the top spot back.
Inside 10 laps remaining, late cautions would give Harrison two more opportunities at Pack with the double-file restart option introduced in the last race at CNB Bank Raceway Park. Pack would get the advantage both times on his way to his third win of the season.
“I was pretty excited for this race,” said Pack. “I’ve been wanting to win Jennerstown since I raced Pro Cup. It felt great. I was really happy with the result.”
Despite not being a driver accustomed to running for points, Pack knew going in that he could achieve success once he teamed up with Richardson. After their first full season together they hoisted their first career Super Cup Stock Car Series championship trophy.
“I can’t thank my owner Cal enough,” noted Pack. “He did a great job of giving me the best stuff I wanted anytime I needed it. My crew did a great job always helping keep the car together. When I actually got the car from him it was a pretty rusty and pretty nasty looking car. I opened the hood up and it was a fantastic car so I knew that we could win some races with this.”
Brian Harrison had his best run in a season full of ups and downs. On the track he finished in the top five every time out, but an injury outside of the race car sidelined him for two races and took him out of championship contention.
“As far as the race goes, I figured about halfway I had a pretty good car, but just kind of went to the tight side,” recapped Harrison. “JJ really had the better car. He’s been dominant all year. Only way I was going to get him was to be on the outside, because on that bottom he was good.”
Nelson and Bainey were involved in quite the battle during the closing laps and came home in that order in third and fourth. For Nelson, 2014 started off on a high note with a win at Columbus Motor Speedway but one race set him back.
“The season was real good,” said Nelson. “The car has been consistent week in and week out until we ran Jennerstown (in July). A dollar part literally put us on the trailer. We broke a roll pin in the distributor. We got it fixed, and of course have been trying to play catch up with JJ pretty much all season. He’s had the field covered. Once we got in the center the car would wash up and I would have to wait until the car was set, and then it would finally bite and turn left. We gave it all we had.”
Bainey turned in an impressive result during his inaugural Super Cup and Jennerstown start, and looks forward to future races with the series.
“I’ve been here to Jennerstown quite a few times just watching, and probably watched over 10,000 laps sitting in the stands playing with Matchbox cars the entire time,” recalled Bainey. “It’s a little different, because I’ve been crew chief for 15 years and getting to drive here is a lot of fun with the Super Cup guys; a lot of hard racing.”
New grandfather Kevin Kromer rounded out the top five after some changes to the car did not work out in his favor, but managed to hold on to the runner up spot in the point standings. It was the second time in his Super Cup career he was one position short of the title.
“It’s okay,” said Kromer. “We wanted to win the points, but it was pretty much out of reach. We had a bad finish at Columbus. I think that was the difference right there.”
At the post-season trophy presentation following the race, several special awards were handed out in addition to recognition of the top 10 points finishers. Rookie Contender of the Year went to both Bill Ashton and Chris Wenzel, while Ashton also was named the Charlie Canterbury Hard Charger. Wenzel and family were awarded the Car Owner of the Year as well for their commitment to the series notably bringing the No. 69 from their home in Saddle Brook, New Jersey to Columbus, Ohio for Megan Reitenour to drive despite Chris not being able to make the trip due to a work conflict. Sportsman of the Year went to Kevin Kromer for his ongoing assistance and expertise to other competitors in need, and Most Improved were Jeff Zillweger and team. Zillweger finished a best career sixth in the standings with his first career pole award and top five finish earlier in the season.
For the third year in a row, sponsor Boschett Timepieces provided watches to each of the past series race winners in attendance and company president Keith Boschetti was presented with a plaque signed by each of the competitors in appreciation for his support and dedication to the series.
A seventh season of “racin’ the way it used to be” is in the books, but the Super Cup Stock Car Series will have many announcements regarding the 2015 schedule and news from drivers planning to compete available on the official web sitesupercupstockcarseries.com and Facebook page (facebook.com/SCSCSRacing) throughout the upcoming months away from the race track.
Finishing Order:
1 JJ Pack
2 Brian Harrison
3 Brent Nelson
4 Dan Bainey
5 Kevin Kromer
6 Jeff Zillweger
7 Lou Ansel
8 Bill Ashton
9 Codie Rohrbaugh
10 Chris Wenzel
11 Brandon Harrison
12 Harvey Harrison
Final Point Standings:
1 JJ Pack 1161
2 Kevin Kromer 1011
3 Brent Nelson 981
4 Harvey Harrison 835
5 Lou Ansel 828
6 Jeff Zillweger 812
7 Bill Ashton 759
8 Chris Wenzel 726
9 Brian Harrison 716
10 Codie Rohrbaugh 604
Sources: Aaron Creed/ Super Cup Stock Car Series PR