Story By Todd Turner

Pro Crate Racers of America founder Mark Voigt was pleased with the first season on the Illinois-based circuit, and he is confident things will improve in 2012.  The first-year tour drew 125 drivers at 12 races at tracks in Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky, averaging 26 Crate Late Models per event.  The Oct. 14 season finale at Tri-City Speedway alone drew 44 cars in an event won by Steve Lance Jr. of Cuba, Ill., while runner-up Nick Lyons of Centralia, Ill., wrapped up the first series championship.

“I’d like to thank everybody for making the PCRA successful the first year and I believe next year will be even better, as we have been in contact already with some of the race tracks.” said Voigt, a long-time dirt and ARCA racer who operates the series. “We were really happy with (the season).  “We have more and more racers telling us they are planning to run the series next year.” Voigt said. “So I have really high hopes of higher car counts for next year, and to have more races, too.”

Voigt expects return trips to Tri-City, Brownstown, Belleville in IL, Black River Race Park in Poplar Bluff, Ill., and Windy Hollow Speedway in Owensboro, Ky., to name a few.  He’s going to be working hard this winter on a 20-race schedule of eight to ten weekends, with a combination of two- or three-race weekends, is what Voigt hopes to complete for 2012. A tight-knit schedule helps with travel and allows drivers to plan ahead for vacation schedules.

“That’s my perfect scenario,” he said.

There were ups and downs in car counts, a few rough spots — and Voigt had a learning curve in switching to series director mode instead of driver mode. “I have more respect for all the promoters than anybody. Everyone needs to stand on that side of the fence once, because it’s totally different.”

Voigt was particularly pleased with the technical inspections on the series all the way down to the season-ending inspection of the champion’s powerplant.  “I’m really proud of everything,” Voigt said. “I think everybody was pretty happy with the tech procedures. We check tires, and tried to stay on top of it, and I think everybody felt like they raced on a level playing field.  “All in all, I was pretty happy. I thought we had a good season. I think it proves this series will work in this part of the country.”