ARCA Team News - Johnny VanDoorn Makes Statement At Anderson Despite Outcome

WINCHESTER, May 11, 2011: Two-time and defending Champion Racing Association (CRA) champion Johnny VanDoorn didn’t win the Seal Wrap 125 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway this past weekend. However, one thing is for certain, the competition knew he was there.

After mounting some of the fastest laps in practice, the Coopersville, Michigan native lined up his No. 61 Paragon Corvette Reproductions / Baker Engineering / JEGS.com Chevrolet qualified second but was inverted to seventh on the starting grid. Quickly making work of his competition early into the 125-lap event, VanDoorn, the Kaos Motorsports pilot found himself in contention for win number one of the season.

Daunted by sputtering from underneath the hood of his Chevrolet bow-tie on lap 107, VanDoorn was forced to bring his automobile to pit where the team deemed the problem to be terminal forcing the ARCA-hopeful pilot to retire from the event in the 15th position.

“We had a bad to the bone fast new race car,” offered VanDoorn following the event. “But, in order to finish first, you must first finish. It wasn’t our night to head to victory lane but I’m proud of the hard work of this Kaos Motorsports team. I honestly feel we had one of the cars to beat.”

He added, “Butch (VanDoorn) did an excellent job from atop of the pit box with calls and race strategy. My new spotter Brandon (Lines) kept his composure and guided me through the traffic brilliantly. Almost everything went right, just sometimes in racing, things like that happen.”

Baker Engineering, Earth Service and Supply, Jegs.com, Magic Transportation, Paragon Corvette Reproductions, Port City Racecars and R and R Wire Loom all held placement on the team’s General Motors machine this weekend.

“Everyone including myself at Kaos Motorsports is extremely thankful to all of our sponsors for helping out at Anderson. It stinks that we weren’t able to bring them home a trophy but I’m anxious to get back in the gas in a couple weeks and we’ll try again.”

Additionally, the 2007 CRA Series Rookie of the Year was also tapped 11th in the short track draft by the official online home of “short track racing” at Speed51.com.

Next up for the Champion Racing Association Series is a stop at Baer Field (Ind.) Speedway for the Asphalt Wars 100 set for Sunday, May 22.

In 65 races, VanDoorn has posted six poles, eight wins, 25 top-fives and 47 top-10 finishes including back-to-back CRA championships in 2009 and 2010.