MARTINSVILLE, VA – Jake and Annabeth Crum, two of the most dynamic personalities in Late Model Stock Car racing, are happily married with kids – but on Saturday, they will see each other as competitors, not spouses.
Jake is a former winner of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, winning the race in 2009. Annabeth, meanwhile, is hoping to make the field for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 for the third time in her career. Both drivers participated in last Thursday’s test and now they’re hoping to pick up speed on Saturday.
“I think we’ve got work to do,” Jake Crum told Race22 after Thursday’s test session.
Annabeth echoed that sentiment when it came to her car.
“We brought a new car and we’ve only had it on the track twice at Hickory just to shake it down and I think, you know, it takes time to become familiar with the car and we had a lot of time off,” she said. “We’ve definitely got a lot of work to do. Maybe we’ll bring back our other car that we’ve raced here before.”
Jake has one win and three top-10 finishes in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, including a fourth-place finish in 2017. That experience gives Crum optimism, especially considering how many different teams he has raced for in the 300.
“It’s repetition,” Jake said. “Being with the same people means a lot here. Last few years, I’ve bounced around from team to team and it’s hard to build a relationship with guys in four days so every time we come here, we’re starting from scratch, so, I don’t know where we ended up. Mid-20s. Not where I wanted to be but I guess we’ll work on it, try to be better and come back.”
When asked if cooler conditions this coming weekend would help his car, Jake simply responded with a bold prediction for Saturday’s race.
“I hope Josh Berry’s got four soaked tires and a big carburetor or everybody’s going to get lapped,” he said, talking about how quick Berry was in testing.
Annabeth has attempted to make the field for the last six years, succeeding twice with a best finish of 18th in 2017, the same year Jake qualified on the pole.
Last year, after attempting to make the field for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, Annabeth found out she was pregnant. After spending much of this season on the sidelines, she gave birth to Kenley just a few months ago and has been ready to go racing since then.
“We were here last year and actually I was pregnant while we were here and I didn’t know,” Annabeth explained. “We found out the day we got home, so it’s been almost a year off and I’ve never, since I’ve been racing, taken a year off. I started racing when I was six years old and I’ve been racing hardcore ever since. That was way harder for me than I ever anticipated it would be, just physically and mentally and getting back in the groove of everything.
“[Jake] raced my car a couple of times at Hickory while I was with child and he won actually, so, you know, he’s had a little more fun season than me. We’re just excited to be back in the car. I’m excited for next year, hopefully, take this new car that we have and hopefully go for a championship at Hickory. That’s what I’m looking to now.”
Jake said the past few months have been “tiring.”
Jake and Annabeth have raced against each other before and, if both drivers make the field for the main event on Saturday, they will race against each other once again.
“We did it one other time after we first got married and it definitely is a test of our relationship,” Annabeth stated. “It’s difficult because I definitely don’t look at him as my husband when we’re at the racetrack. He’s just like another competitor. As much as I want what’s best for him and I want him to be successful, I don’t want him to be more successful than me.”
With a grandfather clock and $32,000 on the line, Jake and Annabeth say they will not race each other any different than they’d race any other competitor and both spouses said they would move the other for the win.
“Um, yeah, I’ll pull a Lee Pulliam,” Annabeth joked.
“I wouldn’t mind hitting her in the ass,” Jake replied in jest.
Their first hurdle comes on Friday night during qualifying which will lock-in the 20 fastest qualifiers. Heat races will take place late Saturday afternoon to set the rest of the 40-car field. The feature event for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 will commence at 7pm.
Race22 will have rolling live coverage all weekend with Solid Rock Carriers RACEDAY LIVE. The event will also be streamed on FansChoice.tv and broadcast live on MRN Radio.
