Super Late Model racing’s Crown Jewel season is officially upon us, with this weekend’s Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway serving as the kickoff to the most exciting stretch of the year for the discipline.
A lot lies on the line in this year’s event at the famed Indiana short track. A shot at becoming a Winchester 400 champion isn’t the only thing weighing heavily on the minds of 26 Super Late Model competitors, with championship implications for the ASA STARS National Tour championship also on their minds.
With so much on the line at this year’s Winchester 400, the best of the best are destined to rise to the occasion in the part of the season that matters most. With that in mind, let’s examine some of the favorites for the 54th running of the Winchester 400.
Cole Butcher
Perhaps the least surprising name on this list, Butcher is the undisputed favorite for not just the Winchester 400, but nearly every SLM race he enters for the foreseeable future. As the defending winner of the Winchester 400, Butcher knows what it takes to take home the famed Winchester rifle at the event’s conclusion.
Butcher’s speed behind the wheel is undeniable, but the team behind him also proves why his chances at another Winchester 400 are pretty high. Wilson Motorsports has won three of the last four editions of the event. Sammy Smith won with the team in 2021, with Gio Ruggiero conquering the event in 2023. Whatever the secret is to tackling the steep banks of Winchester Speedway, it’s safe to say that Wilson Motorsports has it down to a science.
This weekend also carries championship implications for Butcher. He has a good chance to clinch the ASA STARS National Tour championship in the series’ penultimate event. With the maximum amount of points a driver can score in a single ASA STARS race being 100, Cole Butcher currently holds a 97-point advantage. A good enough day for Butcher could see him clinch the championship early over rookie contender and second place points-sitter Carson Brown.
With so much on the line for Butcher this weekend, expect to see him preform at his absolute best to get the most out of this crucial weekend.
Stephen Nasse
The 2019 and 2022 Winchester 400 winner looks to reclaim his spot atop the field when the ASA STARS Super Late Models return to Winchester Speedway on Sunday. Stephen Nasse is not a stranger to success at Winchester, and has proven to be one of the elite names to win the Crown Jewel event on more than one occasion.
Nasse has been fast at Winchester since his most recent win in 2022, being in the mix for the victory in 2023 before a late-race move by Gio Ruggiero knocked Nasse out of contention. Nasse returned with revenge on his mind in 2024, but his day was unfortunately ended early due to a mechanical failure. Two years in a row of unsavory finishes to his Winchester campaigns could prove to light a fire under Nasse and crew in this year’s running.
Speaking of his crew, another huge element that could prove to be successful for Nasse, the Florida racer will pilot an Anthony Campi Racing machine in this year’s running of the Winchester 400. ACR won the pole in last year’s event with Casey Roderick behind the wheel. The team has also had a successful year in ASA STARS competition with Carson Brown, who looks to be in solid grasp of the 2025 ASA STARS Rookie of the Year title.
Nasse is no stranger to collaboration with ACR, but perhaps 2025 will prove to be the year when the duo’s hard work results in another Winchester victory for the wheelman from Central Florida.
Ty Majeski
The reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion is looking for redemption in 2025 after a ‘what if’ moment left a lot to be desired in last year’s Winchester 400. Majeski was the dominant car for well over half of the race last year, but an ignition wire issue led to his machine operating on seven cylinders down the stretch.
Oddly enough, the Winchester 400 is a rare example of a Crown Jewel Super Late Model event that Majeski hasn’t won at this point in his career. One of the great late model racers of the age, it feels only right that Majeski should eventually secure a victory in the revered short track contest. This weekend could provide the moment that Majeski finally secures his place in Winchester 400 history.
One factor that Majeski has going for him is his partnership with Michael Hinde Racing. Majeski and Hinde have joined forces in the past, with last year’s Winchester 400 being an example of the speed that both teams brought to the table. The pair have even helped each other out this year, with Majeski claiming the ASA Midwest Tour’s Oktoberfest 200 while teammate Hinde finished fourth.
A combined pair of teams with an expanded notebook and a hot streak could prove to be fruitful in Majeski’s mission for a Winchester 400 victory in 2025.
Dark Horse: Chase Pinsonneault
The young gun Pinsonneault came home fourth in this event last year. While a strong run in the grueling Winchester 400 is a reward all of its own, having such a run as a rookie showed that a lot of potential resides within Pinsonneault and crew.
Pinsonneault’s crew is an important piece of the puzzle, with the young racer driving for Carson Hocevar Racing. Hocevar, now a NASCAR Cup Series driver, got his start at tracks like Winchester in Late Model competition and even won the 2020 running of the Winchester 400.
With a strong run in 2024 to build on and a team owner with valuable experience in this specific event, don’t be surprised if Pinsonneault has a day to remember when the green flag waves on Sunday afternoon.
The ASA STARS National Tour’s Winchester 400 will be held on Sunday, Oct. 12. The race will be streamed live on TrackTV, with a tape-delayed broadcast airing later on the RACER Network.
