Tyler Altmeyer
ST. HELENA, Calif. (September 27, 2021) – In convincing fashion, nonetheless, St. Helena, California’s Rico Abreu secured his place in sprint car racing history books yet again, doing so by scoring the FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 portion of the annual 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
Abreu, now a three-time All Star winner at the World’s Greatest Dirt Track, led every circuit of the 30-lap contest, forced to withstand an early run in with traffic, as well as a late surge by Sam McGhee Motorsports’ Parker Price-Miller. The 4-Crown Nationals triumph earned the West Coast invader a $6,000 payday, now a ten-time All Star winner over the course of his career.
The victory was a perfect rebound after suffering from engine trouble during the World of Outlaws’ Befour the Crowns Showdown on Friday; Abeu did not qualify for the main event.
“I’m just so thankful for our supporters this year,” Rico Abreu said, driver of the Rico Abreu/Curb Agajanian Racing/Rowdy Energy/Curb Records/Lucas Oil Products/XYZ Machining/Self Made Racing/No. 24 sprint car. “We’ve been battling through some inconsistent runs. We ended up making a lot of changes to this car tonight…having to change motors last night kinda put us behind on being ready for tonight. But I have to thank all of my guys. It’s an honor to be standing in victory lane again at Eldora Speedway…this place is so special to me. The fans, too…I get to see all of these faces and spend time with you guys. I enjoy every minute that I get to race here.”
Lining up second on the A-Main grid, Abreu earned the initial jump, cruising ahead to a comfortable lead over the course of the first seven circuits. Traffic came into play by lap eight, but Abreu’s line around Eldora Speedway’s notoriously thin cushion proved to be no match for the onslaught of slower cars. The main event’s first of two cautions appeared on lap 17 ultimately snapping Abreu’s near-straightaway advantage.
When action returned, it was Buch Motorsports’ Justin Peck applying the pressure, working the bottom and center of turns three and four with the intent to gain an edge on Abreu’s Rowdy Energy No. 24. Despite his attempts, Abreu scooted away, only to be halted again by a caution on lap 25.
The ensuing restart would see Parker Price-Miller make a jump from fourth to second, simultaneously switching his focus to Abreu. The Kokomo, Indiana-native was able to show Abreu his nose on a few occasions, but suffice it to say, Eldora’s victory lane stage belonged to Abreu.
Rico Abreu and Rico Abreu/Curb Agajanian Racing will continue their 2021 campaign with Williams Grove Speedway’s National Open featuring the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series on Friday and Saturday, October 1-2. The two-day blockbuster will be headlined with a $75,000-to-win main event on Saturday; the weekend will ignite with a $10,000 preliminary.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Fans are encouraged to follow Rico Abreu online, as well as on all of his available social media networks:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicoAbreuRacing,
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rico_Abreu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rico_abreu/
APPAREL:
Those seeking the latest Rico Abreu/Rico Abreu Racing apparel should visit www.shoprico.com, or find Rico’s merchandise trailer at select events during the 2021 season.
2021 Rico Abreu Racing Statistics:
Total Races: 82
Total Wins: 2
Total Top-5s: 30
Total Top-10s: 49
**Stats reflect starts for Rico Abreu, only