Southern Oregon Speedway Racing Discussion
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A New Era Set To Begin At Southern Oregon Speedway
Click to her the show Right HERE
A New Era Set To Begin At Southern Oregon Speedway
It's essentially the 20th anniversary season for Southern Oregon Speedway. The track opened back in 1996, and this marks the beginning of the 21st season. On Saturday night, four divisions will compete on the fast 3/10th mile clay oval. The track will have a brand new promoter.
As announced back in February, Mike McCann and K.J.E. Enterprises has signed a 10 year lease to run Southern Oregon Speedway. McCann brings with him 30 plus years of promotional experience at tracks throughout Oregon and California.
During the course of the season, the track will host 10 different divisions of race car, including IMCA Modifieds and Sport Modifieds, Open Stock Cars, Super 4's Mini Stocks, Hornets and OTRO Hardtops. On Saturday night, it will be the return of the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car division, along with Outlaw Pro Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Mini Stocks.
At many of the tracks in which McCann has promoted, Sprint Cars have been an important part of the program. The speedway itself had a regular Sprint Car division for over a decade before the class was relegated to visitor status for the past five seasons.
What is unknown at this point is who will be supporting, but word is that 2010 Champion Chadd Noland will be on the roster along with two young up and coming racers, Camden Robustelli and Jeffrey Hudson. Hudson won the 2015 Pro Stock Championship with his performance on the last night of the season, while Robustelli came within 21 points of winning the Dwarf Car championship last season.
With Hudson out of the picture, it appears as if the Pro Stocks will have a first time champion this year. Leading that charge will be James Flowers and 2015 point runner up Scott Flowers. Recent Yreka winner, Steve Borror and Scott Bennett are other drivers who are poised to make a run in the point battle.
In the Dwarf Car ranks, Josh King is the defending two time champion. King can expect some stiff competition from the likes of Calvin Morton, Rob Gergel, Brock Peters, Ryan Smith and Kaycee Sheeler.
The Dwarf Car division has added a special 15 lap, $1,000 to win race, thanks to an anonymous sponsor. The drivers will pay a special entry fee, and all of that money will be donated to injured racer Fred Hay.
Hay suffered a hard flip in a race a month ago in Chico, California. He spent several days in the hospital and has since returned home. The third ranked driver and two time Main Event winner last season faces a lengthy recovery process.
After an impressive championship season in mini stocks, David Marble has already moved up to the Sport Modified division. Having ranked second in the points in four of the previous seven seasons, Bob Burkett would seem poised to finally pick up his first championship. However, he can expect some stiff competition from teammates Mike Cloud, Eric Hanson, Kris Mix and Marissa Henson. Also not to be forgotten is 2014 Champion Gary Anderson.
Saturday night will be the first race of the season that will go all the way through September 24th. Grandstands open at 5p.m. with the first race slated to begin at 7 p.m.. Adult tickets are $12, while kids 6 through 12 and seniors 65 and older are $6. Children 5 and under are free.
The Open Stock Division Is Coming To
Southern Oregon Speedway In 2016
With new promoter Mike McCann comes a few changes at Southern Oregon Speedway. One of those changes is the introduction of a new Open Stock Car class. The idea came about after some drivers from the Street Stocks and Late Models approached McCann about getting dates for their respective divisions this year.
During the seven years prior to last season, the track attempted to run Late Models for three seasons and Street Stocks for four, but it was a struggle to get things going. After the Street Stocks were dropped in 2015, some drivers bolted for the Outlaw Pro Stocks, and others just parked.
McCann is a believer in giving the fans a car count and the racers an opportunity to establish something new. The Open Stock division runs open rules on the cars on everything from tires to motors. The idea is to put a car count on the track and allow drivers to make a case for either division as a separate entity based on support.
The Late Models have nearly a half dozen drivers making inquires about this division, and one competitor already on board is Steve Lemley. Steve has raced various types of Stock Cars through the years as well as Hardtops, and he is building a Late Model for this season.
Among the others who have expressed an interest in racing some of the six dates that have been scheduled are Blaine Taylor, Bob Dees, and Mike Linder. Linder is a name many people already know as a Sprint Car star in the Southern Oregon area, and his son Garen races them now. Mike currently has a Late Model. Dees raced Late Models here in the past and recently got a new car.
Blaine Thomas is a name familiar up north for racing Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds and Late Models, where he had a strong second place season as a Main Event winner at Cottage Grove back in 2014. There are others watching the class closely with an eye toward supporting. If the Late Model support can consistently reach 8-10 cars, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they will become their own division.
The Street Stocks were popular at the old Medford race track, but for whatever reason were not included as part of Southern Oregon Speedway's launch back in 1996. It wasn't until 2011 when the division was added. It seemed poised to go somewhere, but after the 2014 season, it was dropped. Ten different cars had competed that year. The division is responsible for bringing in two top area stars in Jorddon Braaten and Duane Osburn. Both of them won championships in the class, before moving up.
The 2014 season championship went to Miles Deubert. Deubert, third ranked Daron Arnold, fifth place Garrett Dees, Chris Howard and Daniel Herrera fielded cars that season and haven't raced much since. It is known that there are Street Stocks sitting in the area, and this is the drivers' chance to dig their cars out of mothballs and go racing again.
The Open Stocks will allow Late Models, Pro Stocks, Sportsman cars and Street Stocks to race together under an open rules set. It will also give the fans a unique class to watch with varying styles of appearance. The idea is to get something started now and see where it can go next year.
At most of the tracks at which McCann has promoted, he's had one variety of Stock Car at least, and it's something he wants to continue to do at Southern Oregon Speedway. This is the chance for the area racers to build something that can grow and become an attraction in the coming years.
The first race is set for May 21th, and the following dates are June 4th June 18th, July 30th, August 20th and September 17th. It's the beginning of a new era in Stock Car racing at the speedway. For further information and rules, visit the official website at, www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
