Outlaw Kart Racing To Continue
At Southern Oregon Speedway Kart Track
White City, Oregon...There were some concerns from the racing community in the Medford area that the Outlaw Kart track at Southern Oregon Speedway might not even have any races this year. Those worries were unfounded. There will be a season under new Promoter Mike McCann. The fact is, McCann has a history of promoting Kart and Micro Sprint racing at several venues through the years. The season will be eight races spanning from May through August as the struggling program is being revitalized.
The Kart track was built back in 1998 by Ron Shubin, who promoted some big events during his ten year run as promoter. The whole idea behind this track is two fold. It's a way to promote the family atmosphere in racing and it also helps grow the sport as new drivers get their feet in the door at this track and graduate to the bigger track. The roster of Kart graduates is impressive and includes such hard chargers as Camden Robustelli, Chadd Noland, Seth Nunes and C.J. Putnam.
No big changes are being made to the rules as the classes from last year will return, including Beginner and Intermediate Box Stocks, 125's, 250's 500's and a Micro Sprint class that will include the 600's and any 500's or 250's drivers wanting to give the one-eighth mile dirt track a whirl. The race dates are May 13 and 20, June 3 and 24, July 8 and 29 and August 19 and 26. They are all Friday night races, and the second race of each month is set to be for an increased purse.
Children of all ages, and the young at heart, compete in these classes. The youngsters in the Beginner Box Stock class can be quite entertaining. Who knows? One of them could grow up the next Camden Robustelli, Nick DeCarlo or Kellen Chadwick, all of whom were champions at a young age. Last season, the two Beginner champions were Drake Beard and Trent Florey. Florey won after a battle with Tristan Lorents.
The Beginners graduate into the Intermediate 5HP class, and the champion last season was Trevor Grimes over Brenden Bartlett. From there, there are a few more divisions with a bit more horse power. The 125's championship last year went to Wyatt Pinchney, and it was Tanner Holmes holding off Dillon Lausen for the 250's championship. Jason Benton battled Bartley Foster for the 500's championship.
The Micro class is a new addition that allows just a bit more power with the 600's and allows the drivers in the 250's and 500's to run with them if they want to. At several Kart tracks, the 600's have been the top class, but it's just getting started here. The idea is to build up a show that can rival the shows held in the glory days of the Outlaw Kart track not too many years ago.
The Outlaw Kart track is sort of a field of dreams for aspiring racers to get in at a young age. It's a way to teach the younger generation mechanical skills and sportsmanship. It also brings families closer together. This track has helped make the racing community in Southern Oregon that much stronger.
The good news is also the fact that the track will be open for playday on April 24th. It will be the perfect opportunity for the racers to get much needed seat time and work the bugs out of their race cars. The track will open for cars from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM and pit access is just $10. Fans wishing to spectate at the Kart or big track that day get in free into the grandstands. For further information, check the website at www.southernoregonspeedway.com
Open Stock Class Announced For Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...When Mike McCann held the Southern Oregon Speedway driver's meeting in Medford back in February, something interesting happened. He was approached by drivers in two divisions that had no races on the schedule, the Late Models and the Street Stocks. There were said to be at least a half dozen drivers in each class who wanted to come race.
The schedule was already filling up, but McCann proposed an idea that seemed to be accepted by the drivers who were there at the meeting. What if we ran the cars in both divisions together to build a car count and see where we end up at season's end? The drivers were receptive to the idea, and McCann drafted a very simple set of rules, which are available on the track's website. The result was the Open Stock class where there are few restrictions when it comes to motor, chassis, body, suspension, wheels or tires.
In fact, divers can run side boards, hearkening back to the old POSSE Super Stock days. It's about putting on a show and putting cars out on the race track. Fans will see a division in which the cars may take on a more unique personality, the way it was back in the old days. That is to say the cars won't look the same in style the way some other classes do. The drivers will get a chance to put their cars on the track and show what interest remains in Street Socks and Late Models in the area.
When Southern Oregon Speedway opened in 1996, the old Medford Street Stock division was not included, which surprised a few people at the time. Late Models were generally invited a couple times a year as part of the tour going around Oregon. However, there was a time when the track did try to establish its own Late Model and Street Stock divisions .
Flashing back to 2008, there was a close Late Model battle between veteran Roger Lorenzini and Chris Salyer that ended in a tie. Long time California Late Model racer Skipper Klimcheck was a close third ahead of Jeremy Richey and Dane Smith. A year later, current IMCA Modified competitor Andy Freeman topped the field with Trent Elliot and Smith two points back in second. Richey bested Monte Bischoff and Salyer in the third and final year.
So, who is interested in running a Late Model? Stock Car veteran Steve Lemley has already thrown his hat into the ring. Beyond that is just speculation. Rumor has it that Klimcheck still has a car, and we have to wonder who else might dig their cars out of mothballs for an opportunity to compete on the fast three-tenths mile clay oval. Could this be the start of a Late Model division in the future?
The Street Stock division is an enigma. The reality is that this division is still very popular, and yet not much was done to establish a class until the beginning of the decade. The two biggest stars of the class were Dwayne Osburn and Jorddon Braaten. Osburn won the first two championships with Braaten in second both years before winning the 2013 championship. That was a season that saw the class have 12 different cars in the standings.
It seemed like the division almost took hold, but numbers dipped slightly with ten different cars in 2014. Miles Deubert won that championship ahead of Mini Stock graduate Tyler Lockwood. So, who still has a car that they want to race? We do know that Braaten has become the big Sport Mod star in the area as a two tine champion, and Osburn nearly won a Modified championship in Yreka last year. We also know there are drivers waiting for an opportunity to return.
Now is the time for the forgotten Street Stock and Late Model drivers to step forward and show that they want to race at Southern Oregon Speedway now and in the future. Dates lined up include May 21, June 4, June 18, July 30, August 20 and September 17. That's six dates to build something that can continue to grow in the future. Who is ready to step up and help get this started? We'll find out in a little over a month. For more information on this and other things happening at the track, check the official website at www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Past Late Model Champions
2008 Roger Lorenzini
Chris Salyer tie
2009 Andy Freeman
2010 Jeremy Richey
Street Stocks Champions
2011 Duane Osburn
2012 Duane Osburn
2013 Jorddon Braaten
2014 Miles Dubert
A New Era in Sprint Car Racing Begins
At Southern Oregon Speedway
There's a hint of newness in the air at Southern Oregon Speedway. It isn't just that Mike McCann has become the new promoter of the twenty year old racing facility. It isn't even because the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars, presented by Hays Oil, are once again a regular division at the track.
Some of the names people are familiar with, such as Nutter, Menne and Rogers, may not be a part of the Sprint Car class this year. Some of the names people may be more familiar with in Oregon Sprint Car racing these days may only be occasional visitors at best.
However, this new era of Winged Sprint Car racing at Southern Oregon Speedway will introduce some new Sprint Car stars to the fans. Regular fans at the speedway already know how good of a race car driver young Jeffrey Hudson is. He may get it from his father, Jeff Hudson, who has been a star of Pro Stock Racing for many years in Oregon.
Coming up from the ranks of the Go Karts, Jeffrey got behind the wheel of an Outlaw Pro Stock at the age of 14. Racing with the likes of longtime veterans like Dave Everson and Ken Irving, Jeffrey won the championship in his first year last year. Even more impressive was the fact that despite the pressure of the season finale and having to overtake the point leader, Jeffrey made his best move and won that championship on the final night.
People are already talking about the youngster Hudson, and they're saying he's the real deal. This year, he's ready for his next challenge and wheeling a Winged Sprint Car. Last Saturday night, he made his first laps in the division in practice at Yreka.
Hudson won't be the only "Young Gun" in the Winged Sprint Car class. He will be joined by Dwarf Car sensation Camden Robustelli. Robustelli has been rising fast in the Dwarf Car ranks after winning Kart championships before that. After his fourth place ranking in Dwarf Cars and a big win in the National event at Santa Maria back in 2014, Camden came within a whisker of winning the Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association Championship before settling for a very close second last year.
The youngster has already gotten some seat time in the Sprint Car with a couple of select starts last season. However, that was just a tune up. The team will be putting more attention into the Sprint Car effort this year. It could just be that the first championship of the Sprint Car revival could be won by one of these two young drivers.
Todd Whipple had been running IMCA Modifieds in recent seasons and was a top five driver at Yreka last year. Periodically, Todd has made select starts in Sprint Car events. The 10 race schedule at Southern Oregon Speedway may offer Todd the opportunity to get much more seat time and progress as a Sprint Car driver.
At every race track, you have the low buck racer who helps make up the field. You won't find a more dedicated low buck racer at Southern Oregon Speedway then Wayne Kniffen. Through the years, Wayne has ranked top 10 in Mini Stocks and top 20 in IMCA Modifieds. With the bigger car counts back in those days, he struggled to make the Main Events. However, he managed to win two B Main championships in the Modified and Mini Stock classes. He also ran a few races one season and was Top 10 ranked in a Sprint Car. Wayne is looking forward to coming back to Southern Oregon Speedway and giving it a go.
The new era could make stars out of these four racers, but there are already some drivers with Sprint Cup championships under their belts who will be part of the field. This includes 2010 Southern Oregon Speedway Sprint Car champion Chadd Noland, two time Orland Wingless Sprint Car champion Bill Hopper and 2015 Cottage Grove Sprint Car Champion Patrick Dills.
Several other drivers are rumored to be a part of the division this year, and we're waiting to hear confirmation on who may also join the field.
It could very well be that some drivers won't declare their intent to race regularly at the speedway until opening day. One driver getting some attention is Garen Linder, who recently went down to California and picked up a top five finish at Chico Silver Dollar Speedway. The popular Linder would be a welcome addition to the roster.
One thing is for sure, the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car class will be a regular division at Southern Oregon Speedway this year and in the years to come. For further information on this division and the other classes at the speedway, check out the official website at www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Mini Stock Drivers Prepare For Coming Season
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...With less than a month left to go, there are several drivers chomping at the bit to put their cars on the racetrack. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the Mini Stock division, where several Southern Oregon Speedway competitors were seen on a racetrack making some practice laps.
The track was neighboring Siskiyou Motor Speedway in Yreka, and a little over a half dozen racers were there. For the last two seasons at Southern Oregon Speedway, there were three names you needed to know when it came to championship contenders. Those three drivers were longtime division competitor Bob Burkett, 2014 Champion Gary Anderson and 2015 Champion David Marble, who has an IMCA Sport Modified this season..
Eric Hanson and Mike Cloud were next on the point list last season, ranking fourth and fifth respectively. Both racers are hungry to see the Winner's Circle this year, and they could very well be drivers to beat in the championship battle this year. The duo came to Yreka on Saturday and were part of the car show at McDonald's in Yreka before heading to the track for practice.
Two of last season's Top 10 competitors were also seen in Yreka. Seventh ranked Kris Mix and 10th ranked Marissa Henson were there to put their cars though the paces. Mix was so excited to get some practice laps that his car was primered and didn't even have a paint job yet. He could feel the top 5 within his grasp last season, and he's anxious to make it this year and perhaps see the Winner's Circle a time or two. Henson had her beautiful #17 car out there making laps as she tries to improve on last season's 10th place ranking.
Henson also ran the 250's on the smaller track last season and brought it home to a third place ranking behind Dylan Lausen. Lausen will be a rookie in Mini Stocks this year and was making laps in Yreka. Last season, Lausen ran a Hornet a time or two and ranked second in 250's on the 1/8 mile dirt oval next to the big track. He will be joined in this year's rookie class by another driver making his first Mini Stock laps in Yreka, Devin Weiser. Like Lausen, Weiser raced briefly in the Hornet Class last season.
There is excitement in the air as the Mini Stock division prepares for its 21st season of racing at Southern Oregon Speedway. Several racers are hoping to make their presence known in the battle this year, and these drivers were hoping to get a head start and be ready when the gates open in a few weeks for the first race on April 30th. For more information about the happenings at Southern Oregon Speedway, check out the official webpage at www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
