Wheeler, Borror Win Season Openers
At Southern Oregon Speedway
Vern Wheeler dominated the action in the season opener for the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars. Vern won the heat race before leading every lap of the 25 lap Main Event. V. Wheeler found his pace slowed by traffic by lap 18, allowing Jake Wheeler and Jeffrey Hudson to close the gap. However, V. Wheeler pulled away after moving by traffic and scored the impressive victory. J. Wheeler was second with Hudson a close third. Camden Robustelli outdueled Todd Whipple for the fourth place finish.
Steve Borror staged a dominating performance in the Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stock 20 lap Main Event. Borror came from mid pack and chased down two time champion Ken Irving by lap five. Borror raced by on the inside down the front stretch on lap eight and was never seriously threatened as he won by a half lap. Irving settled for second ahead of James Flowers and Roy Bain. Matt Harlow was a lap down for the fifth place finish, right in front of Johnny Cobb. Rick Lukens and Irving were heat race winners.
In the Dwarf Car action, it was a return of The King as two time defending champion Josh King won impressively in the Main Event. Ryan Smith led five laps before King moved in for a side by side battle on the restart. On lap eight, King slipped by on the inside in Turn 2 and would pull away from there to a straightaway advantage. Smith was a solid second place ahead of recent Yreka winner Kalvin Morton and Chad Cardoza. Mason Lewman was fifth. Camden Robustelli was the B Dash winner. Cardoza won a heat and the A Dash. He also collected the $1000 prize in the special Fred Hay fund raiser 15 lap race.
Bob Burkett opened the 2016 Mini Stock season with a feature win and has reaffirmed that he is in fact racing for the championship this season. Burkett has been runner up in points in the Mini Stocks four times in his impressive career. Burkett had the front row start and led for 12 laps before 2014 champion Gary Anderson slipped underneath him for the lead in Turn 4. Burkett ran closely behind Anderson until Anderson got pinned behind slower traffic on the outside. Burkett made the inside pass in Turn 2 of the 18th lap and brought it home to victory. Anderson settled for second with Marrissa Henson a close third. Kristopher Mix and Andrew Hall rounded out the Top 5.
Racing resumes next week with the return of IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds. The Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars and Mini Stocks will be back as well. For further information, check the official website at www.southernoregonspeedway.com
Race Results Saturday, April 30
Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Vern Wheeler Jr. Main Event (25 laps)-V. Wheeler, Jake Wheeler, Jeffrey Hudson, Camden Robustelli, Todd Whipple.
Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stocks
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Rick Lukens, Ken Irving. Main Event (20 Laps)-Steve Borror, Irving, James Flowers, Roy Bain, Matt Harlow
SODCA Dwarf Cars
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Chad Cardoza, Josh King. Fred Hay Race (15 Laps)-Cardoza, Brock Peters, King. A Dash (6 Laps)-Cardoza. B Dash (6 Laps)-Camden Robustelli. Main Event (20 Laps)-King, Ryan Smith, Kalvin Morton, Cardoza, Mason Lewman.
Mini Stocks
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Bob Burkett, Andrew Hall. Main Event (20 Laps)-Burkett, Gary Anderson, Marrissa Henson, Kristopher Mix, Hall.
