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Pit Stops Jefferson Edition
A busy weekend at Southern Oregon Speedway saw two nights of Dwarf Car racing at its finest. It was the annual WCDCA Dwarf Car Nationals event, hosted by the Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association. There were 62 cars in attendance for this event, representing roughly 10 different groups.
The Dwarf Car Nationals event was an idea conceived by then Nor Cal Dwarf Car Association president Frank Munroe. Munroe looked around and saw several different groups in existence and wondered why there couldn't be a big blowout race. He'd seen these kinds of events with Stock Cars and especially with Sprint Cars and knew it could work for Dwarf Cars.
The first one took place at Marysville over 20 years ago. It wasn't long after these special events were started that over 100 competitors were showing up for the annual race. As the years went on, there were Dwarf Car Nationals added to other locations, but the Marysville event remains. The Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association hosted event is over approaching 20 years as well.
In the early days, everybody ran as one group. Therefore, some drivers had to run through the "alphabet races" for a shot at the A Main Event. In the last decade, the group was broken up into three different categories. The Pro class is the featured group, the Veteran group is for those 45 years old and older and the Sportsman group is for the new drivers. It means less struggle to make it into the Main Event and gives more racers a shot at the glory.
The only group that had a B Main last week was the Pro group as 32 drivers signed up to compete. The competition was as tough as you would expect with some of the best Dwarf Car drivers on the West Coast converging on Southern Oregon Speedway, but it was a familiar name rising to the top as the final checkered flag waved. Shawn Jones was clearly the dominant force of the weekend.
The NorCal and South Bay Dwarf Car competitors know Shawn all too well. He wins frequently with both groups. The only driver who seemed to be close to Shawn in speed was current South Bay point leader David Teves, but he didn't quite have the setup to make it work on Saturday. He did make an amazing last lap pass pass on two time reigning CDCRA Dwarf Car champion John Isabella to earn the pole for the Main Event with his Fast Dash win.
David would finish second in Friday's Main Event, but once again it was Jones winning. That was the closest anybody got to the #80n car. Jones won Saturday's feature by a straight away, and there was a bigger story at play there as two time reigning Southern Oregon Dwarf Car champion Josh King piloted NorCal champion Ryan Winters's car to a second place finish over the consistent Gene "Punky" Pires. The reigning SBDCA champion was third in both Main Events as two time Antioch champion Danny Wagner and Isabella trailed him in the Top 5 on Saturday.
King had earned a starting spot in his own ride on Saturday, but the group ended up having hot laps prior to their Fast Dash. That was his undoing as he flipped his car in a rather impressive display. The driver was okay, but the car wasn't going anywhere after that. Ryan Winter was in attendance with newcomer David Braun driving his car on Friday night. On Saturday, Ryan had every intention of competing in the Pro class.
This reporter hasn't heard exactly how it came to be, but the two champions spoke after the flip, resulting in King getting to drive the fast #4n car. King earned his starting spot in the show by finishing fourth in the B Main and then came from the 7th row to a strong second place finish in the Main Event, giving the crowd a goodshow. We didn't hear who got the Hard Charger award in the group as the Dwarf Car groups tend to keep a lot of this stuff secret, but he passed over a dozen cars to get that finish.
As you might expect in these events, the NorCal contingent is one of the strongest represented groups at any Dwarf Car National event. These drivers come to race, and they're usually among the front runners in any category. In this case, the Sportsman division was also a place for the NorCal drivers to shine.
Or Friday, it looked like the driver to beat in the big feature would be local ace Cody Peters. Peters won his heat race that night and won what would be his first Main Event, but chasing him was Ben Wiesz after Brett Olney spun into the infield and lost a couple of laps. Peters gave no indication on Saturday that he was going to slow down as he won the Fast Dash, but a flat tire on the opening lap of the Main Event changed the dynamics of the race. As Ben Wiesz led the way, Peters had to come from the back of the pack. He had a good car and made that charge, but once he got up to second, he was no match for Wiesz. For Wiesz, the Sportsman feature win on Saturday was his first victory. Kyle Jones had a third place finish on Saturday ahead of Ken Radabaugh and Tim Reeder.
There is also the Veteran category, and another driver had his night to shine on Saturday night. There were several drivers jockeying for position at the front of a very competitive race, including NorCal competitor Buddy Olschowka and South Bay competitor Eric Weisler. In fact, Weisler ended up winning the Friday night show ahead of Olschowka, setting these two drivers up as the favorites for Saturday night.
A scheduling snafu threatened to keep Kevin Miraglio back in Antioch, but there was no way the Antioch point leader was going to skip out on the Nationals. Kevin held a big enough lead in Antioch that he could miss the race without losing his lead, so he, along with third ranked Tim Reeder, made the trip to Oregon. He did pretty well for himself with a pair of top 5 finishes in the two Main Events. Miraglio struggled to a fifth place finish on Friday, but things were back to normal for him on Saturday.
Nevada racer Tim Fitzpatrick grabbed the lead by mid race as Miraglio quickly found his way into second. He appeared to have a slightly faster car, but making his move would be a challenge. Running closely behind in second, Kevin got some momentum on the high grove exiting Turn 2 and carried that momentum on the back straight away. He stayed with the outside line and brushed the back wall, slowing him down just enough for Fitzpatrick to prevail. In the end, it was a big win for Fitzpatrick, as Miraglio settled for second ahead of Scott Dahlgen, Mark Biscardi and Kevin Bender.
Full results have been posted, but what they may not adequately convey was just what a Dwarf Car Nationals event is all about. The competition is fierce on the race track, and the racing is definitely entertaining. However, that is not the only reason these drivers flock to these big events. There is a certain camaraderie you get at a Dwarf Car National event. Oftentimes, Dwarf Cars are the overlooked class on a racing schedule, but they are front and center at a Dwarf Car Nationals.
Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association president Randy Slater was busy overseeing things and trying to keep it going smoothly. He and the others who worked with him deserve kudos for putting this big event together. When the drivers arrive there on Thursday, the party atmosphere begins. After the racing is done on Friday night, the tables have been set up for everybody to have a sort of after race banquet, the same as you might see in some of the big league racing events. The drivers are then presented their winner's awards for that night. Then, it's about good food and conversation.
On Saturday night, they repeat the process again, only with a few more trophies as this is the Main Event for the show. The West Coast Dwarf Car Association, which was founded by Frank Munroe, oversees the special series and crowns its own championship for the big National and Regional events. In fact, head Dwarf Car guru Munroe was in attendance along with his wife Janis Munroe, interacting with everybody. Though the car count numbers aren't what they were a few years back, they are still doing pretty well, and Frank can't help but be proud of what he and the other groups have put together for the Dwarf Cars. Really, other racing divisions can learn from this. What division do you ever see these days produce 60 car fields four times a year for special shows on the West Coast?
Not to be forgotten in the mix is the OTRO Hardtop division, which brought seven cars for their Saturday night show. Surprisingly, Trevor Thomason did not win the Main Event as he pitted the Vic and Louise Bridges owned car on the opening lap of the Main Event. The point leader did not go winless as he picked up a heat race victory, but the Main Event went to Mark Minter, who was driving the Bill Trotter owned entry. Trotter has driven that car to three Top 3 finishes and a Trophy dash win, but Minter took it up a notch with his feature and Trophy Dash wins.
These Hardtop drivers are just out there having a little fun and trying to put on a show for the fans. Jimmy Del Castille had a solid night of his own with second place finishes in the heat, Trophy Dash and Main Event. Dean Cass made his first start and ended up with a third place finish. By all accounts, these Hardtop drivers are delivering a nice little addition to the programs at Southern Oregon Speedway, and they're not doing so bad for payment racers running slick tires. They have some of the nicest looking cars at the race track and will be back again on August 27th.
Next up for Southern Oregon Speedway this Saturday night is the Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stocks, Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars, Mini Stocks and Super 4 division. The is preview article is posted below this article.
The Open Stock division returns to Southern Oregon Speedway on August 20th, and there is the possibility of improving on the six car field that was there last time. Coos Bay Speedway point leader Nathan Augustine and his team are said to be coming back to town to see if they can pick up a second straight victory. Nathan was at his regular stomping grounds last week finishing second to Kelly McIntyre in the Main Event.
In fact, three Southern Oregon Speedway regulars were also supporting that show, including point leader Mike Linder, Bob Dees and son John Dees. Linder picked up the Trophy Dash victory. It appeared as if the handling was going away just a little bit on Mike's car last time at Southern Oregon Speedway as he fell back a couple of spots, but it didn't look like anybody had anything for Augustine at that point.
The hope with Open Stock racing is that it can help bring a new Stock Car presence to the racetrack that is much needed. At this point, the Street Stock side of things has not been represented, and it's unclear if the drivers still have cars or are even interested in racing at this point. However, there is clearly some interest in the Late Model drivers coming out and racing. Other cars are being prepared, including one that will be driven by Garrett Dees and one that will be driven by veteran Steve Limley. Word from Limley is that it may not be until September before we see his car at the track.
The Augustine team is actively trying to recruit more cars for the August 20th event, and there was a possibility of two more drivers showing up. The wild card in the equation is what other Late Model drivers are sitting and waiting to come out and race, where are the Street Stock drivers and what Pro Stock competitors might be interested in coming out to race this event. The first prize money is $500 to win, and the payout is similar to that being offered for the Late Model show at Cottage Grove Speedway.
There seems to be some confusion in the ranks of the Pro Stock division from drivers who feel they cannot be competitive in Open Stock. A miscommunication last time saw Tyler Lockwood, who was coming out to compete with the Pro Stocks, leave before anybody else showed up because he was concerned over having to compete with the Open Stock Late Models. This was not going to be the case, but Lockwood obviously didn't understand that. However, there is reason to believe that some of these Pro Stock drivers can be competitive in this show.
A late entrant in the most recent Open Stock race was the Pro Stock owned by Rocky Nash and driven by Jeffrey Hudson. Hudson and his father were pitting for Rocky that night, and Rocky made the determination that if there was a car left after his race he would let him drive it in the open Stock Main Event. After permission was granted by track management, provided Hudson paid his entry fee the same as the other drivers, he was allowed to come out and compete. What happened was a late race charge that saw the talented teen and reigning Pro Stock champion Hudson make two late passes to leap from fourth to second at the end of the race.
Pro Stocks not competitive in the Open Stock class? Hudson just proved otherwise. There is no Pro Stock race on the calendar anywhere on August 20th, so if a few drivers were interested in going out and getting more seat time and making a run at it, this would be the perfect opportunity. The Open Stock division is not an attempt to wipe out the Pro Stock division, but rather an attempt to see if Late Models and Street Stocks can be brought back to the track. However, the open nature of the rules allows for the Pro Stock and even the Super 4 class to be there. When this division rolls into town next week, it will be interesting to see who is there, but there's already a lot of buzz about a potential future for the class.
The work in progress division at Southern Oregon Speedway is the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car class. Despite the fact that the last attempted race was a bit of a disaster, the calendar is open for a good night of racing on August 20th. With Cottage Grove Speedway dark that night, there is the potential of Limited Sprint Car drivers coming to town and competing. Again, there may be Limited Sprint drivers wondering if they can compete with Jake Wheeler, the current point leader, but David Hibbard prove clearly the last time that he certainly can. He won that race with a late pass on Wheeler, while another Limited Sprint, driven by Jeffrey Hudson, finished third and won a heat race. It seems like the Limited Sprint Cars can be competitive, and the purse they are running for at Southern Oregon Speedway is slightly bigger than the one they run for a Cottage Grove.
Further incentive for the Limited Sprint Car drivers to support the two dates that they are available for as the season comes to a close for the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car class is the fact that they have a September 10th Limited Sprint Car race on the Southern Oregon Speedway schedule. These drivers are hoping that they get their foot in the door for a schedule in 2017, and it will certainly go a long way towards generating interest in making that happen if they were to support the dates they can support.
As a past champion at Cottage Grove and serious title contender there this year, David Hibbard is leading the charge to try to make this happen. Hibbard is the one that has helped put together the September 10th event, and word was there could be 8-12 cars for that event. They don't have a date booked on August 20th, so if Hibbard and his son Bailey a few other drivers were to come out and support, that certainly shows that there really is interest in a Limited Sprint class versus the 360 Sprint Car class.
The other thing that makes Hibbard such a good leader in the movement is the fact that he sees that there are a few 360 cars that could get displaced should the open nature of the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car rules he changed to Limited Sprints. Wanting those drivers to continue to compete, Hibbard is working on ways to make it possible with a few restrictions. That line of thinking is why the open rules was set up in the first place to enable anybody to come out who wanted to race. The unfortunate side effect is the fact that Limited Sprint Car drivers have felt they can't compete. Hibbard beating Wheeler last time out proved that it can happen.
So who might show up on August 20th? We know Jake Wheeler is interested in winning the championship, despite the fact that he took off from the last show, causing its cancellation. It is anticipated that he will be there along with Jeremy Lowe. Wayne Kniffin has confirmed that he will be there, and we're unsure of the status of Bill Hopper and Todd Whipple at this time. The damage sustained in his Cottage Grove crash may still keep Jeffrey Hudson from being there. Camden Robustelli would have an open date to run there unless he opted to go to the Dwarf Car event at Coos Bay that week. Because there are some iffy areas in the car count, Limited Sprint support may be the only way to salvage a date on August 20th. How badly do these guys want to race at Southern Oregon Speedway? We'll find out in a week.
Another work in progress division on the card on August 20th in the Hornet division. Six different cars have been seen so far this year, but management had hoped to see the record get broken at some point. So far, they have only tried it with the six cars showing up all at once. The racing has not been too bad, but more cars are needed in this field. Management's commitment to this class includes giving them their first purse and some publicity in addition to their Main Event and Trophy Dash winner's trophies. Darrel Nelson Jr., Tim Hedges, John Hoult, Joby Shields and Heather Menzel have answered the call. The #77 car has been at the track twice with two different drivers. There are at least a half a dozen other cars that could be out at the race track that haven't shown up yet.
The reality is the Hornet division has been on the schedule since 2014, but management during the first two years was not seriously committed to building this class. It was sort of out on the track as an after thought. This year has been the first time this division has been promoted in any sort of meaningful way. Management wants this class to succeed as it is a perfect entry level class to get new people into racing. Drivers in this class have gotten their cars to the track for less than $1,000, which you can't really do with the other classes. The cars are equally matched, and it's been pretty competitive so far. So if the 5-6 cars that have been out there so far show up on August 20th, who else is ready to join them? Hopefully there will be a new car or two in the field.
The Mini Stock division has been clicking on all cylinders and "steady as she goes" this year as the workhorse division at the track. They have done an exceptional job of keeping a decent car count, and the racing has been good. The drivers with experience have been the ones winning, but some of the other drivers are getting better as they get more time behind the wheel. More cars have been coming out in the last few weeks and more cars are in the works. Overall, the Mini Stock division has been a positive at Southern Oregon Speedway and something that we can depend on.
IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds are also on the card on August 20th. As for the Modified drivers, this is the perfect time for a tune up before the Lon Skinner Memorial Race that will take place on September 2-4. That race is one of the biggest races on the West Coast, offering $5,000 to win the Sunday event and a minimum of $500 to start that race. So, it's in the best interest of some of the racers to do a tune up on August 20th to see how things are shaping up ahead of the big show.
The unfortunate part is that we can't really tell you who might race that night as we never know what the mood of the drivers is. We anticipate Duane Orsburn will continue to compete as he is running for the championship along with James Welshonse. Reigning champion Albert Gill seems a very good possibility along with Ray Kniffen Jr. and Bo Shields. It is hoped that we will see Mark Waige on the track, but at this stage we don't know for sure. A field of 10-12 cars should be in the pits, but perhaps we'll have a better idea of who is coming in the next few days.
The IMCA Sport Modified division doesn't have nearly the roster that the IMCA Modifieds have to draw upon. However, the support has been pretty solid in the 8-12 car range, and the racing is good. There is some good racing to be had all the way through the pack. Though Jorddon Braaten has won the most, his wins are not a guarantee. Mike Medel had an impressive run last time as he came from no hot laps or heat race at all, started last in the Main Event and finished second. It was a brilliant drive for the reigning IMCA State champion. Add people like rookie David Marble, A.J. Parker, Tony Bartell, Willie McFall, Jimmy Lapke and Glen Severson, and you have a pretty good show set for August 20th.
With Yreka closed for two more weeks, there's not a lot that we can report, but they have released information on the Rod Restad Memorial race, which is set for September 24th. Again, this race will feature one of the biggest payoffs for the IMCA Modifieds anywhere in the state of California. With that kind of money, the field could just stretch into the 30's at a track that at times has had nobody show up for one of their regular IMCA Modified events this year. This race is still a special event that people mark on their calendars. What's interesting is that the last two regular show attempts have yielded six car fields, so it could be possible that the division is rebounding at least a little bit. We'll find out more when the next regular IMCA Modified show takes place on August 27th.
The divisions doing the heavy lifting in Yreka this year are the McDonald's Mini Socks in the O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modifieds. Neither one of these championships is currently being controlled, and the point lead could change hands in either class. The Mini Stock division has been an exciting battle between Marilyn Yawnick, Terry Kendrick and Ethan Killingsworth. Yawnick was leading the points at the last report, but it's not a comfortable advantage over Kendrick or Killingsworth. Kendrick should have his truck running in tip top shape next time out as he had a month to get things dialed in. You will recall that in July he rolled his truck in a tangle with reigning champion David Steele. These three drivers might be at the front of the pack in the race to win, but Killingsworeth is still searching for his first career win. However, you can't count out racers like Bryan Jorgenson, Mike Frost, Mike Whitaker and Mike Colson.
Unpredictable is an understatement when it comes to the IMCA Sport Modified division as about a dozen drivers have had Main Event wins so far this year. The point battle is reflective of that as Jimmy Lipke, Garrett Hamilton and Doug Franklin are still very much in the hunt for the championship. This is a battle that could go down to the final checkered flag, and the unpredictable nature of these Main Events makes them exciting to watch from from week to week.
Orland Raceway is running the Schmitke Memorial "Race For A Cure" event this Saturday night. Six races into the season, promoter Rich Hood still struggles to get the car count, but he is doing various things to build a relationship with the community as soccer continues to struggle at the fairgrounds as well. The stronger the race track becomes, the more it will help ensure that soccer doesn't take racing's place. This week includes the Micro Sprints, Hobby Stocks, Mini Trucks and Mini Stocks.
In The Hobby Stock division, last time out was an occasion for the track to get its first repeat winner as Shannon Collins won for the second straight time. The winner's list for the division also includes Placerville leadfoot Jason Armstrong, Brad Ray, Jeremy Langenderfer and point leader Steve Martin. The road to victory goes through the past champion Martin as he has four second place finishes. Will this be the week of another new winner, will Collins get his third in a row or will one of our previous winners win again?
Not to be forgotten in the mix are the Mini Trucks. It seems like every year, Dan Webster is in the hunt for the championship in the Mini Truck class, and this year is no exception. A veteran of many seasons in this division, Dan has yet to win the championship, but he is only 10 points behind William Fogle going into Saturday's race. Last time out, Webster won for the third time this year, beating two time winner Olin Crane on the winner's list. He outran reigning champion Keith Ross, who accounts for the other feature win this year. Much like the Hobby Stock and Mini Stock divisions, there are enough cars in the area that double digit count can be achieved in the truck class.
The Mini Stock division saw Tom Davis win for the third time this year last time out. He now leads two time winner Donovan Chilton in the win department, while the consistent John Kirkpatrick leads the point battle in a quest for his second track championship. Not far behind Kirkpatrick, however, is one time winner Robert Hunt, who is also a past track champion. The two drivers passed Jeff Bennett in the standings as Bennett turned the wheel of his car over to the co-owner, Barbara Crane, while he drove Olin Crane truck that night.
While the local Wingless Sprint Car drivers sit at home having not been booked on the schedule, the Micro Sprint class has been booked for all six dates and continues to struggle to put anything on the track. Jeromie Crismon continues to lead the 600 division in an bid to win his second straight championship, while Andrew Love leads the 250 Micro class. Word was that there were at least a half dozen Micro Sprints planning to be at this Saturday's event. When enough cars show up, this is actually an entertaining race.
Hayfork Speedway will be running a race again this Saturday, but with Orland Raceway running, they won't get any visitation from there. This also means the man who's been winning a lot of Mini Stock races at Hayfork this year, Ross Vige, will be back at his home track in Orland. The show will still go on at Hayfork with the Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Pro Stocks and the Enduro class.
It's been a bit of a mystery finding results from Diamond Mountain Speedway in Susanville. However, we finally got reports from the July 4th and late July Lassen County Fair race. The IMCA Modifieds continue to have a solid season with fields of 13 and 15 cars for these two races, and it was the same driver winning both of them. Past champion Chris Olexiewicz has not been racing much there this year, but he swept July. Matt Murphy continues to lead the championship battle. There have been some good competitors in the field in July, including reigning champion Wade Kennemore, past champions Jeff Chew and Late Model veteran B.J. Pearson, who was second in first July race.
Strictly Stock races had two different winners in July as Richard Longacre and Dan Dias collected the victories. Dias beat Chris Annas and James Huffman to get his win, and Huffman actually finished second to Longacre in the next race. The Mini Stock division produced a 13 car field on the 4th of July with past champion Larry Whitebird picking up the win over Orland visitor Tom Davis. Davis turned the tables on Whitebird the next time by holding him off to the win that race.
In the dog days of summer, racing is happening throughout Jefferson as the tracks get ready for their big finishes. This is the time to get out to the race track and check out a good show, and there are some good shows on tap at all of these places. Southern Oregon Speedway comes at you with the $1,000 to win Roger Haudenshild Honors race for the Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stocks this Saturday night, along with Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars, Mini Stocks and the Super 4 division. For further information, check out www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
In Other Jefferson racing news - Top Finishers At A Glance
Placerville Speedway August 6
Forni Classic $5000 Sprint Car Civil War
1 75 Sean Becker
2 73 Kyle Hirst
3 x1 Mason Moore
4 7C Andy Forsberg
5 45 Jake Morgan
BCRA Midget Lites
1 2K Kyle Offill
2 72S Craig Dillard
3 25K Hunter Kinney
4 13 Danika Jo Parker
5 51 Logan Seavey
Chico Silver Dollar Speedway - August 5
360 Sprint Cars
1 3C Tyler Walker
2 75 Sean Becker
3 92 Andy Forsberg
4 5 Kirt Organ
5 M21 Kalib Henry
Street Stocks
1 #86 Phillip Shelby
2 #27 Kevin Lesch
3 #2 Shawn Smith
4 #48 Richard Workman
5 #73 Gary Newman
IMCA Sport Modified
1 #17C Brian Cooper
2 #44 Shane DeVolder
3 #22M Damian Merritt
4 #86 Phillip Shelby
5 #14 Howard Law
Hobby Stocks
1 #4 Brad Ray
2 #18 Brian Compton
3 #21A Kyle Allen
4 #7C Cy Cooper
5 #92 Jay Bryant
All American Speedway Roseville - August 6
Bomber
1 #3 Chris Paulson
2 #77 Erick Ray
3 #64 Blake Disomma
4 #69 Wayne Hickok
5 #10 Tony Latimer
Street Stock
1 #32 Rich Lavallee
2 #28 Mark Gardiner
3 #59 Andrew Peeler=
4 #27 Dan Farrington
5 #4 Dylan Blanton
Limited Modified Main
1 #17 Jim Badeker
2 #43 Nick Lyons
3 #10 Billy Bowerman=
4 #33 Mike Gorhman
5 #1 Jeff Bye
F4
1 #55 Travis Lewis
2 #22 Keith Hopkinson
3 #3 Mel Wilson
4 #44 Don McMullen
5 #5 Jess Yendes
Douglas County Speedway Roseburg - July 30
Street Stock $500 To Win 50 Lap Smackdown
1 32 Rich LaValee
2 05 Nicholas Hansen
3 36r Johnathon Doyle
4 88 Rob Mueller
5 02 Kevin Ballard
Hornet
1 00 Skyler Thompson
2 94 Neil Pecor
3 09 Richard Fleming
4 23 Dylan Gricher
5 42 Chris Becker
Mini Stock
1 55 Dale Roth
2 21 Karl Smith
3 34 Jimmy Smith
4 10 Robert McMahan
5 12 Greg Hickman
Pro 4 Wedge Car
1 7 Dustin Knight
2 17 Andy Nelson
3 99 Jeff Proudy
4 34 Harold Silver
5 78 Casey O'Suna
Outlaw Pro Stocks Headline Four Division Show
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...The Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stocks will stage their tenth race of the season this Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. The event is a special occasion for the group as the Haudenshild family has sponsored $1,000 to win in what is being billed as the Roger Haudenshild Honors Race. Joining the Pro Stocks on the card this week will be the Mini Stocks, Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars and Super 4's.
One of the division's the Haudenshild family has been involved with through the years is the Outlaw Pro Stock division, and the late Roger Haudenshild was a fan of this class. In addition to the $1,000 to win first prize being offered Saturday night, the group will also get to run a "Crack The Whip Challenge" with a cash prize on the line in that race as well. A favorite race of Roger's, it runs as many laps as there are cars in the race with the last place car on each lap pitting until one car remains for the first prize.
When it comes to the $1000 Main Event winner's prize, point leader Steve Borror would have to be considered the favorite to win this race. Borror has won six of the nine races held so far, which includes the most recent race at Southern Oregon Speedway and the $2500 to win Billy Geyer Memorial Race at Yreka the week before.
Borror knows the competition is getting tougher, and last time out he had to contend with Matt Harlow for much of the race. "Matt drove a great race, " Steve admitted afterwards. "All of these guys are getting a lot faster and it's getting harder to stay at the front of the pack. I don't take anything for granted any time I'm out on the track with these guys."
Pavement racing veteran Rocky Nash is hoping to give Borror a run for the money this week. Nash has won his share of races through the years, including wins on the NASCAR West circuit, and he has two wins in the last two seasons in the Pro Stock division. Last time out, he finished second after a battle with Borror. "It's been a lot of fun racing with these guys on the dirt, " said Nash, who won the most recent Trophy Dash. "Steve has been pretty fast this year, but I think we've got our car running pretty well now. I think we're capable of getting a win any time we're out there."
If Nash is a threat to win, so are the two other drivers who have feature wins this year, Miles Deubert and two time Super 4's champion Brian Johnsen. You also can't count out current point runner up Scott Flowers, who has been close to the front just about every week. Other drivers to watch for this week include Scott's son James Flowers, two-time champion Ken Irving, Rick Lukens, John David Duffie, Scott Bennett and Roy Bain.
Mini Stock racing so far has seen Bob Burkett, Gary Anderson and David Steele battling fiercely at the front of the pack. Steele is now a four time winner to three for Burkett and one for Anderson. Anderson is coming off of a good night last time in which he won his heat race and the Trophy Dash before settling for third in the Main Event. "I think we have a car capable of winning, " said Anderson, who is the 2014 division champion. "It's just that there is little margin for error out there. As fast as David and Bob are, if you make one mistake they're going to capitalize on it."
Anderson currently holds down second in the point standings ahead of the unique Pinto Wagon of Andrew Hall. Hall had a good showing last time in forth, which will put him in this Saturday's Trophy Dash along with the big three competitors. "I think we're capable of getting a win against these guys, " Hall remarked. "At least I know we're close. I'd love to get a Trophy Dash win, so I'm going to give it my best this week. If you beat those guys, you know you've earned it."
Paul's teammate Kristopher Mix and 14 year old Merissa Henson also currently reside in the Top 5 in the standings and should be in action this week along with Dillen Lausen, Mike Cloud, Eric Hanson, Mikey Johnson and Garrett Frederickson.
On the heels of a 62 car Nationals event for the Dwarf Car division, the Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars return for a regular show this Saturday night. The battle between Brock Peters and Kalvin Morton will be rejoined this week. Peters carries a slight point lead over Morton, who had been struggling in recent weeks following his flip on the 4th Of July weekend. Morton appears to have his car dialed in once again.
However, two time reigning champion Josh King has much work to do to get his car ready for Saturday night. King flipped his car in hot laps just before the Fast Dash was to begin last week, forcing him to scramble for another ride. Northern California star Ryan Winter gave King the ride in his car, and King proceeded to come from 14th to 2nd in the Pro Division Main Event that night. "That was really nice of Brian to let me run his car, " King observed. "I definitely appreciate that. It's a good car, and we gave it everything we had. Shawn (Jones) was just a bit faster than us, but I'll take a second place finish after the way the night was going."
Other drivers to watch for this Saturday night include Camden Robustelli, Randy Slater, rising young star Cody Peters, Chad Cardoza and Ryan Smith.
The Super 4 division continues to grow, and seven cars were in action last time out. Indications are that there could be a new car or two in the field this week, and they will have to deal with the red, white and blue #7 car of Lee Doty. Doty is coming off of back to back Main Event wins, but winning this week isn't the only goal he has in mind.
"I just want to see more cars out there, " said Doty. "I enjoy racing in this class, but it's more fun when you have other drivers out there to contend with. We've been trying to spread the word and help others get their cars out here, and there are more drivers coming. Hopefully we can get this class back up to where it was a few years ago."
Other drivers to keep an eye on this week include point leader John Barger, Terry Hadley and his wife Krista Hadley, Bill Spencer and Charlie Eaton.
It all adds up to an exciting night at the races this Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. The gates will open at 5 p.m. with the Trophy Dashes scheduled to start at 7 p.m. sharp. Adult tickets are $12 and juniors and seniors are $6. Children 5 and under are free. For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Point Standings
Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stocks
b40 Steve Borror 428
21 Scott Flowers 389
0m Matt Harlow 317
4 James Flowers 304
20 Julia Flowers 294
12 Rick Lukens 252
88 Rocky Nash 249
19 Roy Bain 238
15 Scott Bennet 229
42 John Duffie 224
Mini Stock
43 Bob Burkett 289
0 Gary Anderson 230
007 Andrew Hall 214
17h Merissa Henson 188
89 Kristopher Mix 180
67 David Steele 176
7x Ethan Killingsworth 139
49h Eric Hanson 133
9c Mike Cloud 118
77 Dillen Lausen 106
Super 4's
7b John Barger 95
7 Lee Doty 75
99 Bill Spencer 73
16 Krista Hadley 59
18 Terry Hadley 57
5 Charlie Eaton 57
2 Steve Thompson 40
29 Dan Pruett 33
The Initial News Release For The Lon Skinner Memorial Race
Lon Skinner Memorial Race Set For September 2-4
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...August 6...The 21st running of the Lon Skinner Memorial Race will be happening on Labor Day Weekend (September 2-4) at Southern Oregon Speedway. This is one of THE biggest races held on the West Coast every year. The race pays tribute to Lon Skinner. Lon is the father of the man who built Southern Oregon Speedway, John Skinner. Ever year, some of the very best IMCA Modified drivers on the West Coast flock to the fast 3/10th mile clay oval to do battle for big prize money.
And, the first prize on Sunday is once again very big. In fact, a win in this race will be a "season maker" for that driver as it pays $5000! Just to make the 24 car Main Event guarantees that driver $500 minimum! Entry fees turned in by August 20th will only cost the racer $175 for both nights of racing. After August 20th is $200 and at the gate is $250. The time is now to guarantee your entry at the best rate possible. Just click the link to the downloadable flier.
http://www.southernoregonspeedway.com/Skinner.pdf
Through the years, the winner's list for the Lon Skinner Memorial Race has read like a who's who of the best competitors out there. Mark Wauge, John DeBenedetti, Jesse Williamson, Scott Lenz, Tom Glover... California superstar Bobby Hogge IV won for the fourth time last year. Medford area champion Brian Poppa has three wins, while California Late Model ace Richard Papenhausen has two wins. Will there be a new winner this year, or will one of our previous winners do it again?
Joining the IMCA Modifieds for both nights will be the IMCA Sport Modifieds. The Sport Modifieds will race for $400 to win on Saturday and $600 on Sunday. The division was added as a companion class in 2013, and each year has seen the car count in this class increase. Many top Sport Modified teams are now marking this race on their schedules as the place to be.
For the early birds who can't wait to get spots in the pits and put their cars on the track, Friday will be the day for early registration and practice. The $10 cost also includes hot dogs and beverages. Saturday is Preliminary Day, and there's still a nice $600 to win $100 minimum to start Main Event. Sunday is when the $5000 prize will be on the line!
So on September 2-4, it's the 20th Anniversary (1996-2016) and 21st running of the Lon Skinner Memorial Race. It's a race you won't want to miss. Who will claim the $5000 first prize this year? Two day grandstand tickets are $30, Satgurday only is $15 and Sunday only is $20. For further information, check out www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Past Lon Skinner Memorial Race Winners
1996 Ron Haggard
1997 Scott Lenz
1998 Tom Glover
1999 Richard Papenhausen
2000 Don Estramado
2001 Brian Poppa
2002 Richard Papenhausen
2003 Dennis Silva
2004 Scott Weldon
2005 Brian Poppa
2006 Mark Wauge
2007 Jon DeBenedetti
2008 Bobby Hogge IV
2009 Bobby Hogge IV
2010 Bobby Hogge IV
2011 Brian Poppa
2012 Matt Duste
2013 Jesse Williamson
2014 Nick Trenchard
2015 Bobby Hogge IV
