Nashville, TN - As part of the 53rd Winchester 400 Weekend, all four divisions with Champion Racing Association crowned their 2024 Champions. Among them was back-to-back CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS Champion, Dalton Conner. The Greenfield, IN native backed up his 2023 Championship performance with another highly competitive season that saw Conner nearly wrap up the title chase a week early despite being held out of victory lane.
Conner began his title defense in April with the Short Track US Nationals Presented by Vore’s Welding & Steel at Bristol Motor Speedway. The No.20 rolled off in the 13th position and fought his way to 6th before the checkered flag fell. From there, the Series moved to Anderson Speedway for the first of four scheduled visits. Conner came up one spot short of victory lane trailing James Kirby III at the end of 75 laps. Michael Pennell and Brett Hudson got the best of Conner at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on May 11th, but another podium finish was just what Conner needed to start building his championship season.
Salem Speedway hosted the second race of the three-race King of the High Banks Series. Conner posted another podium behind Pennell and Chuck Barnes, Jr. One of the longer races of the season, the Knapp Auto Supply 150 at Anderson Speedway was another solid run for Conner, however, he came up one spot short of victory lane once again - this time watching Ryan Amonett take the win.
The only real blemish on the 2024 season for Conner came during the Firecracker 200 at Salem Speedway when he was caught up in a crash just after halfway and was forced to settle for 20th. The next 150 lapper at Shadybowl Speedway in De Graff, OH, Conner bounced back and put the No.20 back on the podium in second behind Andrew Teepe.
Teepe got the best of Conner the following week in a return to Anderson Speedway but the consistency of Conner’s team continued to keep him in the fight and ahead in the Championship battle with a third-place finish. Conner’s final finish outside the top five came during the World Stock Car Festival at Winchester Speedway on August 31st when he finished 10th. Teepe got the Winchester win to keep himself within mathematical arms-reach of Conner in the final two events.
Josh Poore won the penultimate event of the season at Anderson Speedway over Conner and Teepe. Conner’s ability to place ahead of Teepe in the final Anderson race allowed him to wrap up the Championship once the field took the green at Winchester Speedway during the 53rd Winchester 400 Weekend. Conner ended the season by finishing fourth on Saturday in Winchester.
The 2024 season will officially come to a close during the non-points CRA Street Stock event at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday, November 2nd as part of the 40th All American 400 Weekend. Advanced tickets are available at NashvilleFairgroundsSpeedway.Racing.
Conner will officially be crowned as Champion during the Champion Racing Association Championship Awards Banquet held the first weekend in January. Additional details including times, location, and more will be released in the coming weeks. For more information on CRA or the CRA Street Stocks Powered by JEGS, visit CRA-Racing.com. Find CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and follow @CRARacing on X.
Photo - Koty Geyer, KG Media
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