Dwarf Car Nationals Comes To Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...The biggest Dwarf Car gathering in the state of Oregon is coming this Friday and Saturday night to Southern Oregon Speedway. It puts some of the best drivers from Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona and Utah against each other in the spirit of fun and close competition.
During the past five years, Southern Oregon Speedway has hosted the event four times. Generally, car count has been in the 60 car range. The format is to split the group up among the Pros, the Veterans for the older drivers and the Sportsman class for the newer competitors. Usually, the Pros will check in with enough cars to make a B Main necessary.
National events are held at four locations. This year, the schedule includes Vernal, UT, Pahrump, NV, Marysville, CA and Southern Oregon Speedway. They also hold two Regional events at Petaluma, CA and Fernley, NV.
The origins of the Dwarf Car Nationals goes back over 20 years ago to former Nor Cal Dwarf Car Association President and West Coast Dwarf Car Association founder Frank Munroe. Ever the big thinker, Frank had a vision of a big blow out event for Dwarf Cars. Marysville was the site, and car count grew rather quickly into the 100's.
An accomplished Dwarf Car champion, car builder and winner of many races in his time behind the wheel, Murnoe wanted the two day event to be about more than just who won. It became a bit of a gathering among friends from different states. Gradually, a few other tracks were added, and the Southern Oregon event has been happening for several years now. The racing is good, and then there are the after race gatherings and the camaraderie that goes with it.
Even with a party atmosphere, it is still a competition. Each night has a full format of heats, dashes and Main Events, and points are totaled in the three groups. Champions last season included Shawn Jones (Pros), Scott Dahlgren (Veterans) and Chris Kenner (Sportsmans), all from California. The local Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association, which plays host to this weekend's event, was represented well by Rob Gergel in second in the Sportsman category and Josh King in third in Pros. King is also the two time reigning champion of the SODCA group.
The fact is, King will be one of the regulars hoping to defend the local SODCA honor, and you can expect point leader Brock Peters, second ranked Kalvin Morton, Camden Robustelli, Gergel, Chad Cardoza and Ryan Smith to be in the hunt as well.
The roster will read like a "who's who" of Dwarf Car racing's best on the West Coast with about ten groups represented. Shawn Jones has been a force with the NCDCA and SBDCA in California, and he is the two time reigning race champion at Southern Oregon Speedway. SBDCA should be represented by reigning champion Gene "Punky" Pires and current point leader David Teves. Teves is the reigning Antioch Speedy champion. Add hard chargers like past NCDCA champions Ryan "Ice Chip" Winter and Scott Dahlgren and past CDDCA champions Angel Figuergoa and Ronnie Williams, and you have some top notch competitors to keep an eye on.
Those are just some of the drivers to watch among this talented group of racers. Just to stand on the podium on Saturday night means you've earned something. Last year, NCDCA competitor Joey Dale won the Sportsman class ahead of Jesse Lorenz and Rob Gergel. Figueroa won the Veteran's race ahead of Dahlgren and Guy Tow Sr. Shawn Jones scored his win in the Pros ahead of Josh King and Joe Frock. Who will it be this year?
The Dwarf Cars run complete programs both Friday and Saturday, and they are joined on Saturday by the OTRO Hardtops, who are making their fourth of five appearances. Point leader Trevor Thomason was unstoppable in winning his third straight race last time ahead of Rhett Lange, while Bill Trotter won the Trophy Dash. The drivers will be out to end Thomason's reign of Main Event domination.
For further information, check out www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Dwarf Car Nationals Finale Top 5’s
Pro
2009 Brian Quilty Kevin Bender Ryan Winter Henry Corbin III Patrick Weger
2010 Monte Morris Ryan Winter Patrick Weger Gene Pires Jr. Chance Damron
2011 Ronnie Williams Ryan Diatte Michael Grenert Ryan Winter Henry Corbin III
2012 Shawn Jones Cameron Diatte Ronnie Williams C.J. Putnam Ryan Diatte
2013 Ryan Winter Josh King Gene P:ires Jr. Michael Grenert Shawn Jones
2014 Shawn Jones C.J. Putnam Ronnie Williams Matt Sargent Ryan Diatte
2015 Shawn Jones Josh King Joe Frock Matt Sargent Ronnie Williams
Veteran
2009 Kelly Gutches Terry Kendrick Stanley Meeks Ted Stinson Chuck Connover
2010 Kelly Gutches Dan Van Acker Mike Miller Scott Dahlgren Fred Hay
2011 Kelly Gutches Fred Hay Neil Stinson Henry Corbin III Leroy Kay
2012 Gilbert Toste Kevin Bender Kelly Gutches Jerry Hauck Don Mortensen
2013 Kevin Bender Fred Hay Dan Van Acker Kelly Gutches Mike Miller
2014 Kelly Gutches Fred Hay Kevin Bender Angel Figueroa Buddy Olschowka
2015 Angel Figueroa Scott Dahlgren Gary Tow Sr. Buddy Olschowka Jerry Hauck
Sports.
2009 R.J. McGahuey Chris Thresher Dean Pires Glen Perry Jason Bartholomew
2010 Henry Corbin II John Chrisman Cecilia Dille Igor Gradziuk Mason Lewman
2011 Cecilia Dille Brock Peters Henry Corbin II John Chrisman Alicia Youngblood
2012 Brock Peters Dylan Chrisman Michael Quilty Hannah Mayhew Jeff Fitch
2013 Kaycee Shedler Tom Fitch Randy Slater Dylan Chrisman Dan Geil
2015 Camden Robustelli Kalvin Morton Jesse Lorenz Adam Teves Sam Bender
2015 Joey Dale Jesse Lorenz Rob Gergel Chris Kenner Cody Peters
