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Racing season is nearing its conclusion at tracks up and down the Jefferson Region, which makes us think about the 2017 season and beyond. What will be in store next year, and will track unity factor into any of the scheduling decisions? Obviously, you can't always consider what the other track is doing. Sometimes, you can't help but book a certain way in the interest of your own track. Sometimes, there are scheduling decisions that are real head scratchers. Take for instance the Open Stock division at Southern Oregon Speedway.
On September 17th, the new division, which is an attempt to bring Late Models back to the area, will run their final event of the season. About a month ago, Coos Bay decided to put a race on the schedule where there was none on September 17th. Initially, it was even booked as a double point event to make sure the regulars never strayed. Management has since backed off of the double points aspect, but the date itself remains. Coos Bay is usually paying $200-$300 to win, depending on car count, while Southern Oregon Speedway is paying $500 regardless of car count.
Word was that a few racers brought up the money difference at Coos Bay, which wasn't received well by the powers that be. Might that have factored into the hastily scheduled race date? Whatever the case may be, there were a few teams planning to come to Southern Oregon Speedway that have had to reconsider due to the point racing situation. Nathan Augustine and Kristy Grout visited Southern Oregon Speedway earlier this season and hoped to make a return on August 20th before that race was canceled due to excessive heat. It might have been a missed opportunity as support was said to be in the ten car area that weekend.
Coos Bay added a date that weekend after the cancellation to give the racers a place to go and did pretty well considering the late booking. It's still a bit disappointing that they went with the September 17th date knowing fully well that Southern Oregon Speedway had a race. Coos Bay is also hosting the final SODCA Dwarf Car point race that night, making sure they had a division that could match Late Models in car count to go along with all of the other classes. Southern Oregon Speedway will still go on with the planned race date and anticipates a field of six cars will be there just like last time.
There are some good examples of tracks working together in Jefferson. Tracks in Chico, Marysville, Placerville and Orland tend to work together. It does help things that Chico and Marysville have the same management. When one track has a big race for a certain division, the others tend to leave that date alone if possible. Ukiah and Lakeport share the same car base and are promoted by Furia Motorsports and NCRA. They are examples of tracks working together so that everybody wins.
Then, you have the case of Southern Oregon Speedway and Siskiyou Motor Speedway. In some circles in the Medford area, the Yreka Fairgrounds facility is seen as mooching off of their car base. Some see it as another racing opportunity and some see it in a negative light. Back in the 1980's, Yreka was that option for the disgruntled Medford area racer. In the late 1980's, it was the only option as The Posse Grounds track closed. For seven seasons, Yreka was the only game in town, and they did well.
When Southern Oregon Speedway opened, there was a period of about a decade where they were putting out some really good car counts. Yreka stumbled out of the 1990's, but they had some good seasons as the next decade began. These days, it is the racer organized SCMA that is promoting the track, which may mean a difference in philosophy from Medford promotions, where it is more of a business. The prime goal in Yreka is to keep the track alive, while the goal in Medford is to run it like a business. Keep the track alive, but also make it profitable after years of neglect. And, make it worthwhile to put forth the effort. Can the two tracks forge a partnership under these circumstances?
Medford has ten different divisions. The two tracks share IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds and Mini Stocks. The SODCA Dwarf Cars and Outlaw Pro Stocks race at both places. Medford is doing slightly better in Mini Stocks, Yreka is slightly better in IMCA Sport Modifieds and Medford has the IMCA Modified car base. If Yreka has success in that class, it's largely due to Medford support. There are cars in the Yreka area that barely support or don't support. This needs to be examined. Can Yreka build this class back up, or is it on it's last legs? Chico faced a similar decision, and they had more cars before making a decision to drop the class.
The problem is, what do you add to Yreka's roster? It's obvious that they can use a new division or two to help round out the Sport Modified and Mini Stock shows. However, what can they add? Keeping Dwarf Car and Pro Stock visits on the schedule wouldn't hurt. The track did have a Street Stock effort before that had 6-8 cars showing up. Even that many cars in Pro Stocks would help. Two obvious possibilities are a bare bones Hobby Stock or Pure Stock division and Hornets. A key to this is having somebody in the area who could build some cars, and Hornets might be the quicker route. The cars are cheaper to build, and you could have somebody build a half dozen of them quickly, possibility with support from an auto wrecker sponsor that could be the title sponsor of the Hornets.
But, the bigger question is could there be a series worked out between the two tracks or at least something the two tracks could share for a couple of weekends next year? Might a track go to Friday nights in the interest of making it possible for two track racers to compete? The only down side to that regarding IMCA is it would not go towards a State point race as the two tacks are in different states. However, there's no rule that says there couldn't be a two track series that would involve the three divisions they have in common. Of course, which track would make the move to Friday? This is all speculative. If nothing else, it would not take much work to plan out a little something where both tracks can benefit.
Yreka race fans would probably love to have a taste of Sprint Car racing. One of the things Medford management is intent on doing is establishing a Sprint Car program. Through the years, Mike McCann has built up some nice Sprint Car programs. He established divisions in Marysville and Cottage Grove and had Sprint Cars at Sunset Speedway and Eugene Speedway as well. Plus, there was the Double Shot Series that he founded. McCann entered the picture in Medford with the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car class and allowed all Sprint Cars an opportunity to be a part of it. However, he met with resistance from a certain individual who used his influence to keep drivers from supporting.
While there is a desire for Wingless Sprint Car racing and something will happen at some point, the need for a winged division is there. Two weeks ago, the track welcomed the Extreme Sprint Cars. There are said to be a half dozen cars in production in the area for next year, and there were ten racers at the track last Saturday for the event that David Hibbard put together. Odds are petty good that this may be the way the track goes next season, and the good news for those drivers is that the purse paid this season will remain next year. Therefore, they are getting a raise over the purse they compete for in Cottage Grove. There will be more news in the weeks ahead.
IMCA Modified and Sport Modified races are also on the schedule this week at Southern Oregon Speedway. Certainly, Modified drivers would have liked a few more races in 2016, but that could go in their favor next year. As it is, they have mostly delivered decent car counts on those regular nights, and the fans have seen some good racers such as Mark Wauge, two time reigning champion Albert Gill, rookie James Welshonse, Yreka point leader Duane Orsburn, Monte Bischoff and Ray Kniffen Jr. Wauge has two big wins this year and leads Welshonse by just nine points going into the finale.
The IMCA Sport Modified race was rocked by the dream come true turned nightmare scenario of two time reigning champion Jorddon Braaten. Braaten went to Boone, Iowa for the IMCA Nationals, and left with a broken wrist suffered in the pits. Braaten had already decided he was moving up to Modifieds next year and willingly sacrificed his lead in points at the track to reigning Oregon State champion Mike Medel. However, he still had a shot to win the State this year and will win the $600 prize and trophy in the North West Sport Modified Challenge Series. As it looks like Braaten will not start this week, Medel is poised to repeat as State champion as well.
Medel celebrated his good fortune with a non point win last week ahead of likely "Rookie Of The Year" David Marble and newcomer Kalvin Morton. Morton got the ride in the #2 car and hopes to be able to go full time next year. Last week also saw the season debut of Mini Stock graduate Toby Judd. The Sport Modifieds don't have the car base that the Modifieds have just yet, but drivers have generally been supportive this season. It will be interesting to see how they close the season. As it is, you have to salute such dedicated racers as A.J. Parker, Tony Bartell, Willie McFall and Rich McCoy for being good supporters of the class.
The Open Stocks had six cars the last time they competed, but two of those visitors are tied up in points at Coos Bay and won't be there this week. Speaking of points, Mike Linder leads Bob Dees going into this race. These two are staunch supporters of the division. John Dees is anticipated this week along with the two time Outlaw Pro Stock winner Miles Deubert, who ran the first race with the Open Stock class. Dustin Comer and a car from the shops of Rapp Racing are also said to be coming, and we'll see how things go. If this thing can gather some momentum, the Open Stocks could become quite a show to watch in 2017. The rules allow for Late Models, Street Stocks, Pro Stocks and any fendered Stock Cars to compete.
The Super 4's have now had nine different competitors as the class has returned to Medford after a two year layoff. They run the final two races of the season and are hoping to end the season on a high note. After failing to start the season opener, three time winner Lee Doty trails 2013 champion John Barger by only two points. Doty and Barger are the two drivers leading the crusade to build this class. Doty has been actively working to get more drivers to join the cause, and next season should be even better. Doty's teammate Bill Spencer holds a slim lead over one time winner Dan Prewitt in a good race for third. Add Charlie Eaton, Eric Oahs and hopefully Terry and Krista Hadley to the mix this week, and it should be a good show.
The call has been made to get the Hornets to the track and a purse has been paid, but there is still a struggle to grow the class in what is its third season. Joby Shields won for the third time last week, but he's not in the championship battle due to missing the opener. However, with all Top 3 finishes and still no feature wins, Tim Hedges leads a good battle with two time winner Derrel Nelson Jr. and John Hoult. Who else might show up is still a mystery after the revelation that Mini Stock racer Devon Weiser and his Hornet driving girlfriend Heather Menzel aren't racing anymore this year. Jesse Merriman raced last week but fell out of second when the battery cable came off. Word was there might be a new driver or two, but that remains to be seen. Hedges revealed his intent to build two more cars next season due to the affordability of the class.
Mini Stocks will be back on September 24th. In terms of dedicated support, this division has gone unmatched this season. After four second place point seasons, Bob Burkett will be the 2016 champion. Up until now, he has had three wins and all Top 3 Main Event finishes. With two wins, 2014 champion Gary Anderson will finish second. The battle is for third where only four points separate Andrew Hall, two time Trophy Dash winner Merissa Henson and five time Main Event winner David Steele in a good battle for third. Steele impressed with his most recent victory, but Hall had a strong season best second and Henson finished fifth after earlier winning the Trophy Dash.
Also slated to be on the program for the drivers who have supported the show is a B Dash for non race winners. This will provide teenagers Dillen Lausen, Mikey Johnson and Garrett Fredrickson a chance to race for a win. Other drivers eligible include Randy Simmons, Dan Borror, Eric Hanson and Patrick Stringer-Stine. These drivers have all done a great job of supporting the races this season, and one of them will win a trophy with their first win of the year here. The question is, who?
The other question is who is the SODCA Dwarf Car point leader. The official website has no current points, and we have assumed with all of the winning he has been doing that Brock Peters is the leader. However, we've been informed that there is a two race throwaway rule that will keep multi time feature winners Kalvin Morton and Camden Robustelli in the hunt. There was word that Morton may not be in this week's finale at Coos Bay, though we will wait and see. If he's not, he will likely be driving the #2 Sport Modified. Of course, last week it was Josh King reminding the others who the two time reigning champion is when he won for the third time this year. Cody Peters led 16 laps of the race and lost second with a final turn spin as Robustelli claimed the finish over Chad Cardoza. That duo had won the two Main Events a week earlier as part of the Lon Skinner Memorial race weekend.
There is also the matter of the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car point season finale, and Wayne Kniffen might be kicking himself that he had that crash in a race and declined the offer from others to get his car ready for the Main Event. With those points, he might be in the championship hunt in the September 24th event. As it is, he feels good about his chances of grabbing a win and has secured the outside front row start for the Trophy Dash. We anticipate that previous winner Aaron Miller, Rowdy McClennon and title hopeful Jeffrey Hudson will be there. There's no word on Jake Wheeler, Jeremy Lowe or Todd Whipple, but there could be an Extreme Sprint Car competitor or two in the field.
What you have in the field at Siskiyou Motor Speedway are some talented younger drivers rising up the ladder of success. Second generation leadfoot Colton Cheffey has surprised the roster in the O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modified division at the top of the feature winner's list with three victories. Colton won last week ahead of second ranked Garrett Hamilton. Though it wasn't for regular points due to the fact that IMCA doesn't allow tracks to have points on National's Weekend, he did win the Patriot Series Championship. The win list is loaded with talent, including IMCA point leader Jimmy Lipke, Randy Wright, Kurt Lorenzini, reigning champion Colter Boswell and Doug Franlkin. The win list is now up to a dozen drivers, and the list of Trophy Dash winners is nearly as long. Last week, another second generation star, D.J. Bottoms, grabbed a win in that race.
McDonald's Mini Stocks are always an exciting show to see. Reigning champion David Steele bowed out of the race to go have some fun at his home track in Medford, leaving the race between "Big Mac" Marilyn Yawnick, "The Holy Terror" Terry Kendrick and young gun Ethan Killingsworth. Killingsworth had a near perfect weekend last week in winning his first career Main Event ahead of Kendrick. Kendrick is a past champion in this division. Killingsworth is currently second in the standings in a close battle with one time winner Kendrick. Yawnick wasn't lurking too far back in fourth, and the three time winner is just two races away from wrapping up what could be her fist career championship. Marilyn has been a staunch supporter of this division for several years. There are some good drivers in this division, including feature winners Brian Jorgensen and "Magic " Mike Whitaker, Mike Frost, Mike Colson and Amber Waldon. Whitaker is the 2015 runnerup and 2014 champion, but this year has been up and down for him.
The exclamation point on the season comes on September 24th with the Annual Rod Restad Memorial IMCA Modified race. It will pay $3000 to win, $2000 for second and $1000 for third, making this one of the highest paying races for this division anywhere in California. Last year, a $4000 prize was claimed by Jake Holland, who recently won $2500 in the Lon Skinner Memorial race at Medford for second. There were 32 cars last year, and a similar field is anticipated this year. It should include two time race winner and 2015 champion Nick Trenchard, six time Medford champion Mark Wauge, two time Medford champion Albert Gill, multi division Medford champion Brian Poppa, point leader Duane Orsburn, hard charger Monte Bischoff and several others. Add Mini Stocks and Sport Modifieds to the program, and this will be a great race to see.
Up at Douglas County Speedway, they had another show with a variety of divisions. The track features Hardtop racing, and they were on the card last Saturday night with Harlem Cox winning ahead of Doug Coffman and Greg Hickman. Noteworthy in the Pro 4 Wedge Car class was Medford Sport Modified racer Rich McCoy finishing second behind Dustin Knight. Andy Nelson was third. Daniel Jobe won the Modified feature ahead of Devin LaHourge and Herman Pulyer. Roseburg does have a Street Stock class, and Matt Klass won the Main Event ahead of Kevin Ballard and Nicholas Hansen. Not to be forgotten are the Hornets, which usually field the most cars in the PRA events. That was again the case last week as Pete Lemon won ahead of Bob Vancil and hard charger Neil Pecor.
Hornets were part of the NASCAR West event at the end of August with Roseville racer Keith Hopkinson making the trip north and winning ahead of Donnie Fain and Vancil. The Modifieds had one of their better turnouts of the year with Kris Price winning ahead of Eric Price and Andrew Koens.
Further south on the dirt of Chico Silver Dollar Speedway, the World of Outlaws stars came to support Gold Cup Weekend. Rico Abreu walked away with one of his biggest dirt track wins ahead of Daryn Pittman. Local area star Andy Forsberg, Shane Stewart and Austin Wheatley rounded out the Top 5 in the big event. The companion IMCA Sport Modified race was won by Marysville champion Todd Cooper ahead of Friday night winner Mark Abouzeid and Yreka point leader Jimmy Lipke.
Back to the pavement, we give shout outs to Chris Paulson for his win at Roseville in the Bomber class ahead of Blake Disoma and Chris Stachniuk. Roseburg Street Stock Smackdown winner Rich Lavallee won the Street Stock race ahead of Andrew Peeler and Dan Farrington. Erick Ray won the F4 feature ahead of Travis Lewis and Keith Hopkinson Jr. Cody Jessop won the NCMA race ahead of Denny Burrell and Jerry Kobza.
At Lakeport, Bob Mook won the Bomber race ahead of Roy Ingalls Jr. and Dave Land III. Darin Sullivan won the Modified race ahead of veteran Richie Potts and Darrin Knight. Cameron Austin won the Legends Main Event ahead of Jeremy Doss and Cody Winchel. Jimmy Badeker won the Pro 4 race ahead of Sami Nuno and Neo Nuno.
This weekend's slate includes an IMCA Modifieds and Sport Modifieds, Super 4's, Open Stocks and Hornets race at Southern Oregon Speedway. Siskiyou Motor Speedway has O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks. On Fan Appreciation Night, Orland Raceway wraps up their point season with Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Mini Trucks and Micro Sprints. It's another opportunity to check out some great racing with some good weather as well.
Welshonse Could End Rookie Season With IMCA Modified Championship At Southern Oregon Speedway
Racing season is nearing its conclusion at tracks up and down the Jefferson Region, which makes us think about the 2017 season and beyond. What will be in store next year, and will track unity factor into any of the scheduling decisions? Obviously, you can't always consider what the other track is doing. Sometimes, you can't help but book a certain way in the interest of your own track. Sometimes, there are scheduling decisions that are real head scratchers. Take for instance the Open Stock division at Southern Oregon Speedway.
On September 17th, the new division, which is an attempt to bring Late Models back to the area, will run their final event of the season. About a month ago, Coos Bay decided to put a race on the schedule where there was none on September 17th. Initially, it was even booked as a double point event to make sure the regulars never strayed. Management has since backed off of the double points aspect, but the date itself remains. Coos Bay is usually paying $200-$300 to win, depending on car count, while Southern Oregon Speedway is paying $500 regardless of car count.
Word was that a few racers brought up the money difference at Coos Bay, which wasn't received well by the powers that be. Might that have factored into the hastily scheduled race date? Whatever the case may be, there were a few teams planning to come to Southern Oregon Speedway that have had to reconsider due to the point racing situation. Nathan Augustine and Kristy Grout visited Southern Oregon Speedway earlier this season and hoped to make a return on August 20th before that race was canceled due to excessive heat. It might have been a missed opportunity as support was said to be in the ten car area that weekend.
Coos Bay added a date that weekend after the cancellation to give the racers a place to go and did pretty well considering the late booking. It's still a bit disappointing that they went with the September 17th date knowing fully well that Southern Oregon Speedway had a race. Coos Bay is also hosting the final SODCA Dwarf Car point race that night, making sure they had a division that could match Late Models in car count to go along with all of the other classes. Southern Oregon Speedway will still go on with the planned race date and anticipates a field of six cars will be there just like last time.
There are some good examples of tracks working together in Jefferson. Tracks in Chico, Marysville, Placerville and Orland tend to work together. It does help things that Chico and Marysville have the same management. When one track has a big race for a certain division, the others tend to leave that date alone if possible. Ukiah and Lakeport share the same car base and are promoted by Furia Motorsports and NCRA. They are examples of tracks working together so that everybody wins.
Then, you have the case of Southern Oregon Speedway and Siskiyou Motor Speedway. In some circles in the Medford area, the Yreka Fairgrounds facility is seen as mooching off of their car base. Some see it as another racing opportunity and some see it in a negative light. Back in the 1980's, Yreka was that option for the disgruntled Medford area racer. In the late 1980's, it was the only option as The Posse Grounds track closed. For seven seasons, Yreka was the only game in town, and they did well.
When Southern Oregon Speedway opened, there was a period of about a decade where they were putting out some really good car counts. Yreka stumbled out of the 1990's, but they had some good seasons as the next decade began. These days, it is the racer organized SCMA that is promoting the track, which may mean a difference in philosophy from Medford promotions, where it is more of a business. The prime goal in Yreka is to keep the track alive, while the goal in Medford is to run it like a business. Keep the track alive, but also make it profitable after years of neglect. And, make it worthwhile to put forth the effort. Can the two tracks forge a partnership under these circumstances?
Medford has ten different divisions. The two tracks share IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds and Mini Stocks. The SODCA Dwarf Cars and Outlaw Pro Stocks race at both places. Medford is doing slightly better in Mini Stocks, Yreka is slightly better in IMCA Sport Modifieds and Medford has the IMCA Modified car base. If Yreka has success in that class, it's largely due to Medford support. There are cars in the Yreka area that barely support or don't support. This needs to be examined. Can Yreka build this class back up, or is it on it's last legs? Chico faced a similar decision, and they had more cars before making a decision to drop the class.
The problem is, what do you add to Yreka's roster? It's obvious that they can use a new division or two to help round out the Sport Modified and Mini Stock shows. However, what can they add? Keeping Dwarf Car and Pro Stock visits on the schedule wouldn't hurt. The track did have a Street Stock effort before that had 6-8 cars showing up. Even that many cars in Pro Stocks would help. Two obvious possibilities are a bare bones Hobby Stock or Pure Stock division and Hornets. A key to this is having somebody in the area who could build some cars, and Hornets might be the quicker route. The cars are cheaper to build, and you could have somebody build a half dozen of them quickly, possibility with support from an auto wrecker sponsor that could be the title sponsor of the Hornets.
But, the bigger question is could there be a series worked out between the two tracks or at least something the two tracks could share for a couple of weekends next year? Might a track go to Friday nights in the interest of making it possible for two track racers to compete? The only down side to that regarding IMCA is it would not go towards a State point race as the two tacks are in different states. However, there's no rule that says there couldn't be a two track series that would involve the three divisions they have in common. Of course, which track would make the move to Friday? This is all speculative. If nothing else, it would not take much work to plan out a little something where both tracks can benefit.
Yreka race fans would probably love to have a taste of Sprint Car racing. One of the things Medford management is intent on doing is establishing a Sprint Car program. Through the years, Mike McCann has built up some nice Sprint Car programs. He established divisions in Marysville and Cottage Grove and had Sprint Cars at Sunset Speedway and Eugene Speedway as well. Plus, there was the Double Shot Series that he founded. McCann entered the picture in Medford with the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car class and allowed all Sprint Cars an opportunity to be a part of it. However, he met with resistance from a certain individual who used his influence to keep drivers from supporting.
While there is a desire for Wingless Sprint Car racing and something will happen at some point, the need for a winged division is there. Two weeks ago, the track welcomed the Extreme Sprint Cars. There are said to be a half dozen cars in production in the area for next year, and there were ten racers at the track last Saturday for the event that David Hibbard put together. Odds are petty good that this may be the way the track goes next season, and the good news for those drivers is that the purse paid this season will remain next year. Therefore, they are getting a raise over the purse they compete for in Cottage Grove. There will be more news in the weeks ahead.
IMCA Modified and Sport Modified races are also on the schedule this week at Southern Oregon Speedway. Certainly, Modified drivers would have liked a few more races in 2016, but that could go in their favor next year. As it is, they have mostly delivered decent car counts on those regular nights, and the fans have seen some good racers such as Mark Wauge, two time reigning champion Albert Gill, rookie James Welshonse, Yreka point leader Duane Orsburn, Monte Bischoff and Ray Kniffen Jr. Wauge has two big wins this year and leads Welshonse by just nine points going into the finale.
The IMCA Sport Modified race was rocked by the dream come true turned nightmare scenario of two time reigning champion Jorddon Braaten. Braaten went to Boone, Iowa for the IMCA Nationals, and left with a broken wrist suffered in the pits. Braaten had already decided he was moving up to Modifieds next year and willingly sacrificed his lead in points at the track to reigning Oregon State champion Mike Medel. However, he still had a shot to win the State this year and will win the $600 prize and trophy in the North West Sport Modified Challenge Series. As it looks like Braaten will not start this week, Medel is poised to repeat as State champion as well.
Medel celebrated his good fortune with a non point win last week ahead of likely "Rookie Of The Year" David Marble and newcomer Kalvin Morton. Morton got the ride in the #2 car and hopes to be able to go full time next year. Last week also saw the season debut of Mini Stock graduate Toby Judd. The Sport Modifieds don't have the car base that the Modifieds have just yet, but drivers have generally been supportive this season. It will be interesting to see how they close the season. As it is, you have to salute such dedicated racers as A.J. Parker, Tony Bartell, Willie McFall and Rich McCoy for being good supporters of the class.
The Open Stocks had six cars the last time they competed, but two of those visitors are tied up in points at Coos Bay and won't be there this week. Speaking of points, Mike Linder leads Bob Dees going into this race. These two are staunch supporters of the division. John Dees is anticipated this week along with the two time Outlaw Pro Stock winner Miles Deubert, who ran the first race with the Open Stock class. Dustin Comer and a car from the shops of Rapp Racing are also said to be coming, and we'll see how things go. If this thing can gather some momentum, the Open Stocks could become quite a show to watch in 2017. The rules allow for Late Models, Street Stocks, Pro Stocks and any fendered Stock Cars to compete.
The Super 4's have now had nine different competitors as the class has returned to Medford after a two year layoff. They run the final two races of the season and are hoping to end the season on a high note. After failing to start the season opener, three time winner Lee Doty trails 2013 champion John Barger by only two points. Doty and Barger are the two drivers leading the crusade to build this class. Doty has been actively working to get more drivers to join the cause, and next season should be even better. Doty's teammate Bill Spencer holds a slim lead over one time winner Dan Prewitt in a good race for third. Add Charlie Eaton, Eric Oahs and hopefully Terry and Krista Hadley to the mix this week, and it should be a good show.
The call has been made to get the Hornets to the track and a purse has been paid, but there is still a struggle to grow the class in what is its third season. Joby Shields won for the third time last week, but he's not in the championship battle due to missing the opener. However, with all Top 3 finishes and still no feature wins, Tim Hedges leads a good battle with two time winner Derrel Nelson Jr. and John Hoult. Who else might show up is still a mystery after the revelation that Mini Stock racer Devon Weiser and his Hornet driving girlfriend Heather Menzel aren't racing anymore this year. Jesse Merriman raced last week but fell out of second when the battery cable came off. Word was there might be a new driver or two, but that remains to be seen. Hedges revealed his intent to build two more cars next season due to the affordability of the class.
Mini Stocks will be back on September 24th. In terms of dedicated support, this division has gone unmatched this season. After four second place point seasons, Bob Burkett will be the 2016 champion. Up until now, he has had three wins and all Top 3 Main Event finishes. With two wins, 2014 champion Gary Anderson will finish second. The battle is for third where only four points separate Andrew Hall, two time Trophy Dash winner Merissa Henson and five time Main Event winner David Steele in a good battle for third. Steele impressed with his most recent victory, but Hall had a strong season best second and Henson finished fifth after earlier winning the Trophy Dash.
Also slated to be on the program for the drivers who have supported the show is a B Dash for non race winners. This will provide teenagers Dillen Lausen, Mikey Johnson and Garrett Fredrickson a chance to race for a win. Other drivers eligible include Randy Simmons, Dan Borror, Eric Hanson and Patrick Stringer-Stine. These drivers have all done a great job of supporting the races this season, and one of them will win a trophy with their first win of the year here. The question is, who?
The other question is who is the SODCA Dwarf Car point leader. The official website has no current points, and we have assumed with all of the winning he has been doing that Brock Peters is the leader. However, we've been informed that there is a two race throwaway rule that will keep multi time feature winners Kalvin Morton and Camden Robustelli in the hunt. There was word that Morton may not be in this week's finale at Coos Bay, though we will wait and see. If he's not, he will likely be driving the #2 Sport Modified. Of course, last week it was Josh King reminding the others who the two time reigning champion is when he won for the third time this year. Cody Peters led 16 laps of the race and lost second with a final turn spin as Robustelli claimed the finish over Chad Cardoza. That duo had won the two Main Events a week earlier as part of the Lon Skinner Memorial race weekend.
There is also the matter of the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car point season finale, and Wayne Kniffen might be kicking himself that he had that crash in a race and declined the offer from others to get his car ready for the Main Event. With those points, he might be in the championship hunt in the September 24th event. As it is, he feels good about his chances of grabbing a win and has secured the outside front row start for the Trophy Dash. We anticipate that previous winner Aaron Miller, Rowdy McClennon and title hopeful Jeffrey Hudson will be there. There's no word on Jake Wheeler, Jeremy Lowe or Todd Whipple, but there could be an Extreme Sprint Car competitor or two in the field.
What you have in the field at Siskiyou Motor Speedway are some talented younger drivers rising up the ladder of success. Second generation leadfoot Colton Cheffey has surprised the roster in the O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modified division at the top of the feature winner's list with three victories. Colton won last week ahead of second ranked Garrett Hamilton. Though it wasn't for regular points due to the fact that IMCA doesn't allow tracks to have points on National's Weekend, he did win the Patriot Series Championship. The win list is loaded with talent, including IMCA point leader Jimmy Lipke, Randy Wright, Kurt Lorenzini, reigning champion Colter Boswell and Doug Franlkin. The win list is now up to a dozen drivers, and the list of Trophy Dash winners is nearly as long. Last week, another second generation star, D.J. Bottoms, grabbed a win in that race.
McDonald's Mini Stocks are always an exciting show to see. Reigning champion David Steele bowed out of the race to go have some fun at his home track in Medford, leaving the race between "Big Mac" Marilyn Yawnick, "The Holy Terror" Terry Kendrick and young gun Ethan Killingsworth. Killingsworth had a near perfect weekend last week in winning his first career Main Event ahead of Kendrick. Kendrick is a past champion in this division. Killingsworth is currently second in the standings in a close battle with one time winner Kendrick. Yawnick wasn't lurking too far back in fourth, and the three time winner is just two races away from wrapping up what could be her fist career championship. Marilyn has been a staunch supporter of this division for several years. There are some good drivers in this division, including feature winners Brian Jorgensen and "Magic " Mike Whitaker, Mike Frost, Mike Colson and Amber Waldon. Whitaker is the 2015 runnerup and 2014 champion, but this year has been up and down for him.
The exclamation point on the season comes on September 24th with the Annual Rod Restad Memorial IMCA Modified race. It will pay $3000 to win, $2000 for second and $1000 for third, making this one of the highest paying races for this division anywhere in California. Last year, a $4000 prize was claimed by Jake Holland, who recently won $2500 in the Lon Skinner Memorial race at Medford for second. There were 32 cars last year, and a similar field is anticipated this year. It should include two time race winner and 2015 champion Nick Trenchard, six time Medford champion Mark Wauge, two time Medford champion Albert Gill, multi division Medford champion Brian Poppa, point leader Duane Orsburn, hard charger Monte Bischoff and several others. Add Mini Stocks and Sport Modifieds to the program, and this will be a great race to see.
Up at Douglas County Speedway, they had another show with a variety of divisions. The track features Hardtop racing, and they were on the card last Saturday night with Harlem Cox winning ahead of Doug Coffman and Greg Hickman. Noteworthy in the Pro 4 Wedge Car class was Medford Sport Modified racer Rich McCoy finishing second behind Dustin Knight. Andy Nelson was third. Daniel Jobe won the Modified feature ahead of Devin LaHourge and Herman Pulyer. Roseburg does have a Street Stock class, and Matt Klass won the Main Event ahead of Kevin Ballard and Nicholas Hansen. Not to be forgotten are the Hornets, which usually field the most cars in the PRA events. That was again the case last week as Pete Lemon won ahead of Bob Vancil and hard charger Neil Pecor.
Hornets were part of the NASCAR West event at the end of August with Roseville racer Keith Hopkinson making the trip north and winning ahead of Donnie Fain and Vancil. The Modifieds had one of their better turnouts of the year with Kris Price winning ahead of Eric Price and Andrew Koens.
Further south on the dirt of Chico Silver Dollar Speedway, the World of Outlaws stars came to support Gold Cup Weekend. Rico Abreu walked away with one of his biggest dirt track wins ahead of Daryn Pittman. Local area star Andy Forsberg, Shane Stewart and Austin Wheatley rounded out the Top 5 in the big event. The companion IMCA Sport Modified race was won by Marysville champion Todd Cooper ahead of Friday night winner Mark Abouzeid and Yreka point leader Jimmy Lipke.
Back to the pavement, we give shout outs to Chris Paulson for his win at Roseville in the Bomber class ahead of Blake Disoma and Chris Stachniuk. Roseburg Street Stock Smackdown winner Rich Lavallee won the Street Stock race ahead of Andrew Peeler and Dan Farrington. Erick Ray won the F4 feature ahead of Travis Lewis and Keith Hopkinson Jr. Cody Jessop won the NCMA race ahead of Denny Burrell and Jerry Kobza.
At Lakeport, Bob Mook won the Bomber race ahead of Roy Ingalls Jr. and Dave Land III. Darin Sullivan won the Modified race ahead of veteran Richie Potts and Darrin Knight. Cameron Austin won the Legends Main Event ahead of Jeremy Doss and Cody Winchel. Jimmy Badeker won the Pro 4 race ahead of Sami Nuno and Neo Nuno.
This weekend's slate includes an IMCA Modifieds and Sport Modifieds, Super 4's, Open Stocks and Hornets race at Southern Oregon Speedway. Siskiyou Motor Speedway has O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks. On Fan Appreciation Night, Orland Raceway wraps up their point season with Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Mini Trucks and Micro Sprints. It's another opportunity to check out some great racing with some good weather as well.
Welshonse Could End Rookie Season With IMCA Modified Championship At Southern Oregon Speedway
White
City, Oregon...With one race remaining on the schedule for the IMCA
Modifieds, the track championship is still up for grabs. It probably
comes as no surprise to find Mark Wauge leading the way in his bid for a
seventh division championship. You may not be surprised to see two
time Street Stock champion Duane Orsburn in the mix. However, it's
doubtful anybody anticipated that James Welshonse would be nine points
out of the lead going into the final race.
In fact, James wasn't even sure he would be racing an IMCA Modified this year. He sold his Sport Modified prior to the season. "We were looking at another Sport Modified, but I was also a bit concerned with car count in the division " said Welshonse. "The Modifieds had better driver support last season, and the deal for this car was just too good to pass up."
James has been competitive in several different divisions in his career. At Reno-Fernley Raceway in Nevada, he just missed winning a very competitive championship and settled for second. He came to Southern Oregon Speedway a few seasons ago in hopes of running the Street Stock class. "I was a bit disappointed when only two cars showed up, " he recalled. "I was used to the full fields we had in Nevada."
Fortunately, the program offered something he could get behind in the Mini Stock division. He improved from sixth in points in 2013 to fourth a year later. "I built a car, and we were pretty competitive, but then the car got destroyed at Yreka, " James explained. "It was a two race weekend. We won the first one, but got taken out the next night. That's when I decided to move up."
Welshonse got a good deal on a Sport Modified and split his time racing at Medford and Yreka last year. When he got a good offer from someone looking to buy the car during the off season, he made the sale. The opportunity to move up to a full IMCA Modified was too good to pass up. "These cars are a blast to drive, and I've already learned so much. I feel like we are pretty competitive already."
James has won two Trophy Dashes at Medford and another one in Yreka, where he lost a close race for a Main Event win. His real opportunity for a feature win came earlier this season at Southern Oregon Speedway. After winning the heat race and Trophy Dash, he led most of the Main Event ahead of Orsburn. Then, it slipped away from him when the yellow flag flew for Daniel Herrera's crash. "I could feel the handling on the car going away, " said Welshonse. "but I felt like I could still win the race. What we didn't need was that yellow flag. I tried, but I couldn't hold Duane off. It was disappointing, but we're still having fun."
After the Lon Skinner Memorial, he actually gained more points than either Mark Wauge or Duane Orsburn. He moved into second in the standings, just nine points behind Wauge and four ahead of Orsburn. Considering how hard he had to work coming from the C Main to the big 100 lap Main Event, it was a big accomplishment. "I figured we might have a shot at Rookie Of The Year, " James admitted. "If we can pull off the championship, that would be nice too. It's nice just to be in contention."
IMCA Modifieds are only part of this week's show. Mike Medel is poised to win his first IMCA Sport Modified track championship this week. The Open Stock Car class will reportedly see some new visitors this week, while Hornets and Super 4's round out a five division program. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. with the first race starting at 7:00 p.m. Adult tickets are $12 with Juniors and Seniors $6.00 and children 5 and under free. For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Pit Stops
Mike Medel appeared to be headed for another respectable second place finish in IMCA Sport Modified points when point leader Jorddon Braatten got the offer to load his car with California IMCA State champion Fred Ryland and compete in the big IMCA Nationals event in Boone, Iowa. There was no way Braaten was passing that up. Having won the last two track championships, the decision has already been made by Braaten to move up to the IMCA Modifieds in 2017.
Medel and rookie David Marble both moved by Braaten after the two races on Lon Skinner Memorial weekend, though the weekend wasn't the best for either of them. Medel left little doubt after the points were tallied that he will be the likely champion as long as he takes a green flag in the Main Event this week. He also stands a good chance of repeating as Oregon State champion.
After gaining the point lead, Mike flew to Iowa to crew for his good friend's racing effort. Unfortunately for Bratten, an accident in the pits left him with a wrist injury and unable to compete. Medel caught a flight back in time to race in the non point event last week.
Despite heavy pressure from Marble and Dwarf Car ace Kalvin Morton, Medel won his first Main Event of the season. "David has done a good job all year and it's been fun racing with him, " said Medel. "The car was running pretty good, and it feels good to finally get a win here. Hopefully we can do it again."
While Morton will reportedly be one of the rookies in the class next year, A.J. Parker is a rookie this year. He nearly pulled off the surprise Trophy Dash win last week before settling for second behind Marble. Parker has a shot at third in the standings. "I'm hoping we can get it, " said A.J. "It would be nice, but it's been a good season either way. We've had fun, and we're coming back next year with a new car."
The Open Stock division comes back this week with Mike Linder holding a six point lead over Bob Dees. Linder has two feature wins so far this year. Both drivers have done some racing at Cottage Grove and Coos Bay this year as they work to spread the word of Late Models returning to Southern Oregon Speedway via the Open Stock class. Bob's son John Dees made his division debut last time.
The last race was won impressively by Coos Bay point leader Nathan Augustine. The original plans were for Augustine, Kristy Grout and others to come this week, but those plans have been effected by Coos Bay's addition of another point race for the Late Models this week. Late Model veteran Dustin Comer is planning to visit, and we've gotten word that two time Outlaw Pro Stock feature winner Miles Deubert is preparing for another visit to shake things down for the September 24th Pro Stock finale.
The Super 4's division continues to gather momentum, and the drivers are hoping to end things on a strong note this week and next week. With three Top 3 finishes and a Trophy Dash win, John Barger is clinging to a two point lead over Lee Doty.
If not for the fact that he scratched from the Main Event at the season opener, Doty would be leading the standings now. He came back in the next race and hit the wall in his heat race. His night might have ended there if not for the help he had from his fellow competitors getting the car back together for the Main Event. With three dash wins and three feature wins, Doty is very much the driver to beat.
Of more importance to these competitors is the fact that they are reestablishing a division at the track that was popular and very competitive for years. After John Barger's 2013 championship run, the class was dropped. Already nine different drivers have competed this year, and Doty is working to get others out there before season's end.
Doty's teammate, Bill Spencer, has been running on backup power as he holds a three point lead over Dan Prewitt in the race for third. "Other than the blown motor we had, I've been having a lot of fun racing here this season, " said Spencer, who has one third place finish so far. "It's great to be able to race here again."
The Hornets have struggled to gain traction at the speedway this season. Car count average is up, but it was hoped that there would be more of them out there. Though rumors have circulated to the contrary, Hornets will be back in 2017. This is good news to Tim Hedges, who just used a second place finish to take the point lead going into this week. "We're planning to build a couple more cars next year, " Hedges revealed. "I'm having fun here, and it's affordable enough for us to build a couple more cars and help get things going."
Two time winner Derrel Nelson Jr. had a disappointing night at the back of the pack last week, which cost him the lead to Hedges. However, the team will be back next year. In fact, Darrel is also planning to put together a second car. They may all be chasing Joby Shields, who won his third Main Event last week. Shields is not in the championship battle due to missing a race, but he is a threat to win any race in which he starts.
In fact, James wasn't even sure he would be racing an IMCA Modified this year. He sold his Sport Modified prior to the season. "We were looking at another Sport Modified, but I was also a bit concerned with car count in the division " said Welshonse. "The Modifieds had better driver support last season, and the deal for this car was just too good to pass up."
James has been competitive in several different divisions in his career. At Reno-Fernley Raceway in Nevada, he just missed winning a very competitive championship and settled for second. He came to Southern Oregon Speedway a few seasons ago in hopes of running the Street Stock class. "I was a bit disappointed when only two cars showed up, " he recalled. "I was used to the full fields we had in Nevada."
Fortunately, the program offered something he could get behind in the Mini Stock division. He improved from sixth in points in 2013 to fourth a year later. "I built a car, and we were pretty competitive, but then the car got destroyed at Yreka, " James explained. "It was a two race weekend. We won the first one, but got taken out the next night. That's when I decided to move up."
Welshonse got a good deal on a Sport Modified and split his time racing at Medford and Yreka last year. When he got a good offer from someone looking to buy the car during the off season, he made the sale. The opportunity to move up to a full IMCA Modified was too good to pass up. "These cars are a blast to drive, and I've already learned so much. I feel like we are pretty competitive already."
James has won two Trophy Dashes at Medford and another one in Yreka, where he lost a close race for a Main Event win. His real opportunity for a feature win came earlier this season at Southern Oregon Speedway. After winning the heat race and Trophy Dash, he led most of the Main Event ahead of Orsburn. Then, it slipped away from him when the yellow flag flew for Daniel Herrera's crash. "I could feel the handling on the car going away, " said Welshonse. "but I felt like I could still win the race. What we didn't need was that yellow flag. I tried, but I couldn't hold Duane off. It was disappointing, but we're still having fun."
After the Lon Skinner Memorial, he actually gained more points than either Mark Wauge or Duane Orsburn. He moved into second in the standings, just nine points behind Wauge and four ahead of Orsburn. Considering how hard he had to work coming from the C Main to the big 100 lap Main Event, it was a big accomplishment. "I figured we might have a shot at Rookie Of The Year, " James admitted. "If we can pull off the championship, that would be nice too. It's nice just to be in contention."
IMCA Modifieds are only part of this week's show. Mike Medel is poised to win his first IMCA Sport Modified track championship this week. The Open Stock Car class will reportedly see some new visitors this week, while Hornets and Super 4's round out a five division program. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. with the first race starting at 7:00 p.m. Adult tickets are $12 with Juniors and Seniors $6.00 and children 5 and under free. For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Pit Stops
Mike Medel appeared to be headed for another respectable second place finish in IMCA Sport Modified points when point leader Jorddon Braatten got the offer to load his car with California IMCA State champion Fred Ryland and compete in the big IMCA Nationals event in Boone, Iowa. There was no way Braaten was passing that up. Having won the last two track championships, the decision has already been made by Braaten to move up to the IMCA Modifieds in 2017.
Medel and rookie David Marble both moved by Braaten after the two races on Lon Skinner Memorial weekend, though the weekend wasn't the best for either of them. Medel left little doubt after the points were tallied that he will be the likely champion as long as he takes a green flag in the Main Event this week. He also stands a good chance of repeating as Oregon State champion.
After gaining the point lead, Mike flew to Iowa to crew for his good friend's racing effort. Unfortunately for Bratten, an accident in the pits left him with a wrist injury and unable to compete. Medel caught a flight back in time to race in the non point event last week.
Despite heavy pressure from Marble and Dwarf Car ace Kalvin Morton, Medel won his first Main Event of the season. "David has done a good job all year and it's been fun racing with him, " said Medel. "The car was running pretty good, and it feels good to finally get a win here. Hopefully we can do it again."
While Morton will reportedly be one of the rookies in the class next year, A.J. Parker is a rookie this year. He nearly pulled off the surprise Trophy Dash win last week before settling for second behind Marble. Parker has a shot at third in the standings. "I'm hoping we can get it, " said A.J. "It would be nice, but it's been a good season either way. We've had fun, and we're coming back next year with a new car."
The Open Stock division comes back this week with Mike Linder holding a six point lead over Bob Dees. Linder has two feature wins so far this year. Both drivers have done some racing at Cottage Grove and Coos Bay this year as they work to spread the word of Late Models returning to Southern Oregon Speedway via the Open Stock class. Bob's son John Dees made his division debut last time.
The last race was won impressively by Coos Bay point leader Nathan Augustine. The original plans were for Augustine, Kristy Grout and others to come this week, but those plans have been effected by Coos Bay's addition of another point race for the Late Models this week. Late Model veteran Dustin Comer is planning to visit, and we've gotten word that two time Outlaw Pro Stock feature winner Miles Deubert is preparing for another visit to shake things down for the September 24th Pro Stock finale.
The Super 4's division continues to gather momentum, and the drivers are hoping to end things on a strong note this week and next week. With three Top 3 finishes and a Trophy Dash win, John Barger is clinging to a two point lead over Lee Doty.
If not for the fact that he scratched from the Main Event at the season opener, Doty would be leading the standings now. He came back in the next race and hit the wall in his heat race. His night might have ended there if not for the help he had from his fellow competitors getting the car back together for the Main Event. With three dash wins and three feature wins, Doty is very much the driver to beat.
Of more importance to these competitors is the fact that they are reestablishing a division at the track that was popular and very competitive for years. After John Barger's 2013 championship run, the class was dropped. Already nine different drivers have competed this year, and Doty is working to get others out there before season's end.
Doty's teammate, Bill Spencer, has been running on backup power as he holds a three point lead over Dan Prewitt in the race for third. "Other than the blown motor we had, I've been having a lot of fun racing here this season, " said Spencer, who has one third place finish so far. "It's great to be able to race here again."
The Hornets have struggled to gain traction at the speedway this season. Car count average is up, but it was hoped that there would be more of them out there. Though rumors have circulated to the contrary, Hornets will be back in 2017. This is good news to Tim Hedges, who just used a second place finish to take the point lead going into this week. "We're planning to build a couple more cars next year, " Hedges revealed. "I'm having fun here, and it's affordable enough for us to build a couple more cars and help get things going."
Two time winner Derrel Nelson Jr. had a disappointing night at the back of the pack last week, which cost him the lead to Hedges. However, the team will be back next year. In fact, Darrel is also planning to put together a second car. They may all be chasing Joby Shields, who won his third Main Event last week. Shields is not in the championship battle due to missing a race, but he is a threat to win any race in which he starts.
Southern Oregon Speedway Points
IMCA Modified
1m Mark Wauge 203
2g James Welshonse 194
0 Duane Orsburn 190
89c Albert Gill 180
54n Nick Trenchard 150
IMCA Sport Mod
30m Mike Medel 336
4m David Marble 322
84 Jorddon Braaten 304
76 A.J. Parker 278
4y Jimmy Lipke 250
Open Stock
22 Mike Linder 105
6 Bob Dees 99
24 Nathan Augustine 39
3d Miles Deubert 29
88 Jeffrey Hudson 28
Super 4's
7b John Barger 146
7 Lee Doty 144
99 Bill Spencer 122
5 Charlie Eaton 119
29 Dan Prewitt 97
Hornets
14 Tim Hedges 165
8g Derrel Nelson Jr. 160
67 John Hoult 155
555 Joby Shields 142
2h Heather Menzel 76
Orland, CA...The tenth and final point race of the season is set for this Saturday night at Orland Raceway, and there is news of more races to come next month. But first, it is O'Reilly Auto Parts Fan Appreciation Night this Saturday night with some special things lined up.
In addition to Hobby Stock, Mini Stock, Mini Truck and Micro Sprint racing on the one-fifth mile oval, there will be a meet and greet with the drivers in the grandstand area from 3-5:00 p.m. Saturday night. At that time, the track will be serving free hot dog meals while the fans get a chance to interact with their favorite drivers. Also during the night, the track will be raffling off a patio furniture set along with other prizes for some lucky fans.
After what has been a successful relaunching of the track under the new management team of Rich Hood, the track has added race dates on October 1st and 15th. Planning has already begun for a bigger race on October 29th. Before we get to those dates, there are some new champions to crown in the point series finale this Saturday night.
In the Pure Stock division, two time winner Steve Martin has already secured his second track championship, but there is a battle for second. Two time winner Jeremy Langenderfer has a five point advantage over three time winner Shannon Collins for second in the standings. Despite some bad luck lately, Cody Bundy is still only nine points out of second in the standings.
When two time winner Dan Webster takes the green flag this week, he will secure his first career Mini Truck championship. Reigning champion Keith Ross is a four time winner this year and leads William Fogle by 14 points in a good battle for second. Two time winner Olin Crane was in the battle before putting Jeff Bennett behind the wheel of his truck for a pair of races.
John Kirkpatrick will basically wrap up his second Mini Stock track championship simply by taking a green flag in the Main Event. Since he's finished as high as second this season, John is hoping to get a victory to end the point season. That may be difficult as Tom Davis won for the fifth time in the most recent race. One time winner Robert Hunt currently ranks second in the standings.
Andrew Love will be the 250 Micro Sprint champion while Jeremie Crismon repeats as 600 Micro Sprint champion. Both divisions have still produced several different winners. Kenny Wanderstadt (600's) and Jackie Whitson Jr. (250's) were the respective winners last time as the track focuses on building a Micro Sprint program.
The racers have been putting on a good show all season, and fans can meet them and get pictures and autographs before the races this Saturday night. Plus, the 3-5:00 p.m. gathering offers up free hot dog meals for everybody. It's all part of Fan Appreciation night at the races. Racing starts at 7:00 p.m. General admission is $7.00, children 7-12 are $5.00 and children 6 and under are free. For further information, go to, www.orlandraceway.org.
Orland Raceway Point Standings
Pure Stock
Steve Martin 443
Jeremy Langenderfer 312
Shannon Collins 307
Cody Bundy 303
Earl Adams 272
Mini Trucks
Dan Webster 413
Keith Ross 374
William Fogle 360
Olin Crain 264
Ross Vige 247
Mini Stock
John Kirkpatrick 425
Robert Hunt 396
Tom Davis 324
Donovan Chilton 263
Jeff Bennett 250
250 Micros
Andrew Love 288
Dave McKinnon 151
Ronnie Heyer 144
Jess Garland 140
Jackie Whitson Jr. 110
600 Micros
Jeromie Crismon 367
Skyler Richter 294
Toni Alosi 156
Kyra Michelet 153
Rick Gutzke 106
Yreka, CA...Racing continues at Siskiyou Motor Speedway this Saturday night with the IMCA Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks both in action. From 11:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon, there will also be a playday on the new banked, eighth-mile clay oval Outlaw Kart track. The smaller track is where the future stars of the bigger track will come from. Some of those drivers may some day be the ones challenging the stars who are now emerging on the big track.
Last week saw young Colton Cheffey score his third Main Event win of the season in the O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modifieds. Nobody has more wins in this division this season than Cheffey, who also won the Patriot Series championship with his latest victory. The reality is that the competition in this class is so fierce that there are a dozen different Main Event winners so far.
Another of the up and coming drivers, D.J. Bottoms, gave sign of things to come when he won his first Trophy Dash earlier in the evening. D.J. will be hoping to challenge for a Main Event victory this Saturday night when point racing resumes. At the top of the point ladder is Jimmy Lipke, who has been fairly consistent in finishing in the Top 5 this year. Lipke also got his first win earlier this season as he leads Garrett Hamilton in the IMCA championship battle.
The SCMA also keeps a point race for it's members, and Hamilton leads last year's association champion, Doug Franklin, in that race. These three front runners and the two rising young stars could be joined in battle this week by reigning championship Colter Boswell, Jack Waldon Jr., Randy Wright and others.
Another talented teen burning up the scene in McDonald's Mini Stocks is 14 year old Ethan Killingsworth. After several second and third place finishes, Killingsworth emerged with his first win last week. Ethan and fellow Mini Truck racer Terry Kendrick are battling fiercely for second in the standings, and the young leadfoot won a heat race and the Trophy Dash last week in a near perfect evening.
Having lurked in the Top 5 in the standings for the past several seasons, Marilyn Yawnick is having her best season yet as the point leader. Marilyn now has three feature wins and picked up a Top 5 finish last week. It should be another competitive race this week as these three racers are joined by such hard chargers as reigning champion David Steele, 2014 champion Mike Whitaker, Mike Colson, Mike Frost, Amber Waldon and others.
Fans will want to mark September 24th on their calendar as the Annual Rod Restad Memorial race closes the championship season. This big race will pay $3000 to win for the IMCA Modifieds and should attract some of the best drivers in the area with that kind of money. Two time race winner, Nick Trenchard, point leader Duane Orsburn, six time Medford champion Mark Wauge and two time Medford champion Albert Gill are just some of the racers anticipated. Nevada visitor Jake Holland won the race last season.
In the meantime, it's O'Reilly Auto Parts Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks this week. The track will be "going gold" in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. There will be kids games and prizes during intermission. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. with the first race starting at 7:00 p.m. Adult tickets are $9, Seniors and Veterans are $7, Juniors (6-12) are $5 and kids five & under are free. For further information, go to www.siskiyoumotorspeedway.com.
IMCA Modified
1m Mark Wauge 203
2g James Welshonse 194
0 Duane Orsburn 190
89c Albert Gill 180
54n Nick Trenchard 150
IMCA Sport Mod
30m Mike Medel 336
4m David Marble 322
84 Jorddon Braaten 304
76 A.J. Parker 278
4y Jimmy Lipke 250
Open Stock
22 Mike Linder 105
6 Bob Dees 99
24 Nathan Augustine 39
3d Miles Deubert 29
88 Jeffrey Hudson 28
Super 4's
7b John Barger 146
7 Lee Doty 144
99 Bill Spencer 122
5 Charlie Eaton 119
29 Dan Prewitt 97
Hornets
14 Tim Hedges 165
8g Derrel Nelson Jr. 160
67 John Hoult 155
555 Joby Shields 142
2h Heather Menzel 76
Fan Appreciation Night This Saturday At Orland Raceway
Orland, CA...The tenth and final point race of the season is set for this Saturday night at Orland Raceway, and there is news of more races to come next month. But first, it is O'Reilly Auto Parts Fan Appreciation Night this Saturday night with some special things lined up.
In addition to Hobby Stock, Mini Stock, Mini Truck and Micro Sprint racing on the one-fifth mile oval, there will be a meet and greet with the drivers in the grandstand area from 3-5:00 p.m. Saturday night. At that time, the track will be serving free hot dog meals while the fans get a chance to interact with their favorite drivers. Also during the night, the track will be raffling off a patio furniture set along with other prizes for some lucky fans.
After what has been a successful relaunching of the track under the new management team of Rich Hood, the track has added race dates on October 1st and 15th. Planning has already begun for a bigger race on October 29th. Before we get to those dates, there are some new champions to crown in the point series finale this Saturday night.
In the Pure Stock division, two time winner Steve Martin has already secured his second track championship, but there is a battle for second. Two time winner Jeremy Langenderfer has a five point advantage over three time winner Shannon Collins for second in the standings. Despite some bad luck lately, Cody Bundy is still only nine points out of second in the standings.
When two time winner Dan Webster takes the green flag this week, he will secure his first career Mini Truck championship. Reigning champion Keith Ross is a four time winner this year and leads William Fogle by 14 points in a good battle for second. Two time winner Olin Crane was in the battle before putting Jeff Bennett behind the wheel of his truck for a pair of races.
John Kirkpatrick will basically wrap up his second Mini Stock track championship simply by taking a green flag in the Main Event. Since he's finished as high as second this season, John is hoping to get a victory to end the point season. That may be difficult as Tom Davis won for the fifth time in the most recent race. One time winner Robert Hunt currently ranks second in the standings.
Andrew Love will be the 250 Micro Sprint champion while Jeremie Crismon repeats as 600 Micro Sprint champion. Both divisions have still produced several different winners. Kenny Wanderstadt (600's) and Jackie Whitson Jr. (250's) were the respective winners last time as the track focuses on building a Micro Sprint program.
The racers have been putting on a good show all season, and fans can meet them and get pictures and autographs before the races this Saturday night. Plus, the 3-5:00 p.m. gathering offers up free hot dog meals for everybody. It's all part of Fan Appreciation night at the races. Racing starts at 7:00 p.m. General admission is $7.00, children 7-12 are $5.00 and children 6 and under are free. For further information, go to, www.orlandraceway.org.
Orland Raceway Point Standings
Pure Stock
Steve Martin 443
Jeremy Langenderfer 312
Shannon Collins 307
Cody Bundy 303
Earl Adams 272
Mini Trucks
Dan Webster 413
Keith Ross 374
William Fogle 360
Olin Crain 264
Ross Vige 247
Mini Stock
John Kirkpatrick 425
Robert Hunt 396
Tom Davis 324
Donovan Chilton 263
Jeff Bennett 250
250 Micros
Andrew Love 288
Dave McKinnon 151
Ronnie Heyer 144
Jess Garland 140
Jackie Whitson Jr. 110
600 Micros
Jeromie Crismon 367
Skyler Richter 294
Toni Alosi 156
Kyra Michelet 153
Rick Gutzke 106
New Stars Emerging At Siskiyou Motor Speedway
Yreka, CA...Racing continues at Siskiyou Motor Speedway this Saturday night with the IMCA Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks both in action. From 11:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon, there will also be a playday on the new banked, eighth-mile clay oval Outlaw Kart track. The smaller track is where the future stars of the bigger track will come from. Some of those drivers may some day be the ones challenging the stars who are now emerging on the big track.
Last week saw young Colton Cheffey score his third Main Event win of the season in the O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modifieds. Nobody has more wins in this division this season than Cheffey, who also won the Patriot Series championship with his latest victory. The reality is that the competition in this class is so fierce that there are a dozen different Main Event winners so far.
Another of the up and coming drivers, D.J. Bottoms, gave sign of things to come when he won his first Trophy Dash earlier in the evening. D.J. will be hoping to challenge for a Main Event victory this Saturday night when point racing resumes. At the top of the point ladder is Jimmy Lipke, who has been fairly consistent in finishing in the Top 5 this year. Lipke also got his first win earlier this season as he leads Garrett Hamilton in the IMCA championship battle.
The SCMA also keeps a point race for it's members, and Hamilton leads last year's association champion, Doug Franklin, in that race. These three front runners and the two rising young stars could be joined in battle this week by reigning championship Colter Boswell, Jack Waldon Jr., Randy Wright and others.
Another talented teen burning up the scene in McDonald's Mini Stocks is 14 year old Ethan Killingsworth. After several second and third place finishes, Killingsworth emerged with his first win last week. Ethan and fellow Mini Truck racer Terry Kendrick are battling fiercely for second in the standings, and the young leadfoot won a heat race and the Trophy Dash last week in a near perfect evening.
Having lurked in the Top 5 in the standings for the past several seasons, Marilyn Yawnick is having her best season yet as the point leader. Marilyn now has three feature wins and picked up a Top 5 finish last week. It should be another competitive race this week as these three racers are joined by such hard chargers as reigning champion David Steele, 2014 champion Mike Whitaker, Mike Colson, Mike Frost, Amber Waldon and others.
Fans will want to mark September 24th on their calendar as the Annual Rod Restad Memorial race closes the championship season. This big race will pay $3000 to win for the IMCA Modifieds and should attract some of the best drivers in the area with that kind of money. Two time race winner, Nick Trenchard, point leader Duane Orsburn, six time Medford champion Mark Wauge and two time Medford champion Albert Gill are just some of the racers anticipated. Nevada visitor Jake Holland won the race last season.
In the meantime, it's O'Reilly Auto Parts Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks this week. The track will be "going gold" in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. There will be kids games and prizes during intermission. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. with the first race starting at 7:00 p.m. Adult tickets are $9, Seniors and Veterans are $7, Juniors (6-12) are $5 and kids five & under are free. For further information, go to www.siskiyoumotorspeedway.com.
