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Hornets Nest Stirred Up At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...Through the years, the Four Cylinder division has sometimes been an after thought at Southern Oregon Speedway. That's simply not the case anymore. The Mini Stocks and JOAT Labs Hornets are putting on some great races, and that's expected to be the case when these two classes join the Kendall Oil Winged Sprint Cars, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Valley Stor-All Late Model Lites and SODCA Dwarf Cars for a six division program this Saturday night. It's also a double header weekend as the Outlaw Kart track will have races on Friday night.
The Hornets division had everybody talking last week, and the talk started before the racing even happened. Reigning champion Tim Hedges is excited about the growth in this affordable, entry level class. In it's fifth year at the track, this division has never looked so good, and Hedges would like to keep that momentum going. He's even fielding four race cars this year. "The key is that I don't have to spend a lot of money on these cars, " said Hedges. "The rules are such that I can afford to do this, plus I get to race with my family."
Tim's wife Jenna and son Ashton drive two of the cars, and he has a guest driver in the fourth car. Tim's concern for the division is that cars are built legal to the rules. "There are a couple of things that need to be monitored with these cars, " says Hedges. "A few guys have played around with the rules a little bit, and this could all be sorted out with tech. We're just starting to get a good car count, and I want to see that continue."
JOAT Labs came on board this season as the title sponsor. Miles Deubert has been building safe, reliable roll cages for this class to get more cars out on the track. We've seen 16 different cars compete in the first three races, and JOAT Labs has built cages for David Coggins, point leader Jason Stoutenburgh, Christian Listro and the new Hedges car, among others.
Hedges believes the simple rules package, enforced properly, is key to the success of this division. "The cars are all pretty close on speed, " Tim observed. "That puts it in the hands of the drivers. There was a car out there that wasn't quite in the spirit of the rules. When the rules were enforced, suddenly that car wasn't as fast. We need more of that to keep everybody honest."
Hedges is definitely one of the more enthusiastic supporters of this class, but his night took a somewhat controversial turn in last week's Main Event. An official call was made to black flag David Coggins after he and leader Jason Stoutenburgh got together on the back stretch. The two drivers had a few lapped cars behind them and were behind slower cars when this happened, causing a moment of confusion as to who the leader was. It was Hedges, but the Stoutenburgh car was picked up as the leader. This caused Hedges to be scored twice on lap 18, and he ran his 20th lap on lap 19.
Hedges had actually won the scheduled 20 lap race, but he and Zach Nelson were still battling after completing their 20th lap. Nelson made a Turn 4 pass on the non existent 21st lap and was initially declared the winner when it was quickly discovered that Stoutenburgh was not the leader. Hedges, however, was treated like the final lead lap car in sixth, rather than the winner that he was. Officials resolved the matter on Sunday and declared Hedges the winner over Nelson and Stoutenburgh. It was his first career win.
With an extremely close Mini Stock point race, emotions boiled over a little bit after a heat race last week. The division now has six drivers within 19 points of the lead, and it is rookie Dillen Lausen leading two time winner David Steele by a mere point. Six points back in third is Kristopher Mix. Both Mix and Lausen are searching for their first career feature wins, but fourth place Gary Anderson won a few weeks ago. 2014 champion Anderson is 12 points out of the lead. Meanwhile, 2013 champion Steve Goetz grabbed his first win since his championship season to tie Michael Johnson for fifth, 19 points back. 15 year old Johnson won his first career heat race last week and went to Yreka on July 4th for his first ever Main Event win.
David Hibbard was within two laps of becoming the fourth different Kendall Oil Winged Sprint Car feature winner last week, but traffic gave Kyler Barraza the opening he needed to race by for his second win. Barraza has a 31 point lead over impressive rookie Merissa Henson. Merissa is just 16 years old, and she's done a good job of getting her car to the finish line in all but one of her races. She leads D. Hibbard by only three points in the battle for second. The Hibbard team, including David's son Bailey and family patriarch Calvin, are anticipated this week along with Enrique Jaime and Dwarf Car ace Camden Robustelli.
Mike Medel's disastrous night during Speedweek enabled Rich McCoy to close in on him in the IMCA Sport Modified point battle. Willie McFall is also off to a good start. These two drivers are within 15 points of Medel for the lead, but Medel is the only one of the three to win so far this season. These three are anticipated for a great night of racing along with two time champion Dwayne Melvin Jesse Merriman, A.J. Parker, Tony Bartell, Kalvin Morton and others.
Lee Doty has been the driver to beat since the Valley Stor-All Late Model Lites returned to the speedway. The reigning champion has six wins in nine starts, but the most recent race saw the return of Bob Westcott. Westcott has won many races in this class through the years, and he battled Doty to win the Main Event that night. These two may be at the front of the pack this week, but they can expect Bob Burkett, Charlie Eaton and Danny Prewitt to make their presence known as well.
So far, reigning champion Brock Peters and son Cody Peters have been two of the fastest competitors at the track after three SODCA Dwarf Car races. Brock has led Cody across the line for the 1-2 finish these past two races, while Camden Robustelli won the first race. These three have been putting on a great battle up front so far, but you can expect Rob Gergel, Chad Cardoza, Josh King, Randy Slater, Ryan Smith and Fred Hay to be among those giving them a run for their money this week.
Friday night will offer Outlaw Kart racing on the smaller track. There are four classes of racing, and the most recent winners were Tanner Holmes (500 Open), Carley Holmes (250 Karts), Trevor Grimes (Box Stock) and Jacob James (Beginners Box Stocks). Car count is expected to increase this week for the second event of the season. Gates open a 5:00 PM with the first race at 7:00 PM. General Admission is $10 for the Friday night races.
On Saturday night, gates open a 5:00 PM with racing on the big track starting at 7:00. Ticket prices for the six division program are $12.00 for General Admission, $6.00 for Seniors, Juniors and Military and children 5 and under free. For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Pit Stops
There is a bit of excitement surrounding the Southern Oregon Speedway Late Model effort. The fact is, this track has never really made a serious effort to start it's own division until Mike McCann became promoter last year. If you go back to the old Medford Speedway, Late Models were the class. When Southern Oregon Speedway opened, much like the Street Stock division, the Late Models were conspicuously absent from the roster. There's always been rumblings about this division through the years, and the track did book special Late Model tour races. The ill fated revival from seven years ago was marred by the fact that you didn't know what the purse might be from race to race.
The last two races have had eight car fields. While that may not be huge, it is progress from where it was last year. We saw the return of Trent Elliott, who made appearances when the class had race dates seven years ago. Championship contenders Nathan Augustine, Dustin Knight and Kristy Grout were also among the field. Knight arrived a bit late and gave up his starting spot in the Trophy Dash, which was won for the second time by Augustine. However, Knight won his heat race to keep pace with fellow heat winner Elliott.
What was interesting was Knight gave up a front row spot to start back in the fourth row of the Main Event. He wanted to give the fans a little show, and he did. The past Dirt Modified and Pro Stock champion quickly worked his way up to second. The problem was Elliott had a straightaway advantage, and no yellow flags flew to bunch the field. Elliott became the third different winner of the season, while Knight used his second place finish to take the point lead. The other factor in that was Kristy Grout. After Augustine spun from second, it seemed like all wasn't well with his car. Augustine was lapped late, but he made a move to pass Grout. While the eyes might have judged it in Augustine's favor, the scoring loop saw Grout taking fourth by a very slim margin. That .001 second margin cost Augustine two points.
You can ask Bob Dees how every point matters. Dees was trailing two time 2016 feature winner Mike Linder last year until making his move in the season finale to win the championship. For this season, Bob got a newer 2009 chassis, but he wanted to make it just right. He did all of the interior, while Bruce Rayburn did the body. He missed the season opener, but the car turned out beautifully. After watching his son Garrett lead two laps of the Trophy Dash, Bob battled Augustine for the win before settling for second. It's also worth noting that Garrett Dees had the body of his car done by Rayburn, and it too is a nice looking car. Bob Dees ran a good Main Event and was a lead lap third. He's hoping to get a win this year, and he might just do it when the division returns on July 22nd.
G. Dees and Dave Foote took checkered flags in sixth and seventh last week, but Mike Linder retired early in the race. Part of the reason for the optimism for the Late Model division has to do with the fact that there are other cars being built. Don Garrett Jr. discovered a motor issue two days before the race and and to miss the week, while John Dees missed the show due to his work schedule. Steve Lemley has had a busy work schedule, but he's planning to make the 22nd with his new trailer bringing the car. We've heard rumors of a few cars being prepared, one of which will be piloted by Sport Mod and Modified ace Rich McCoy. Are we entering a new Late Model era at the speedway? It might be too early two say, but it's looking better than it has in a long time.
The Pro Stock division is a bit of a mystery. There is a question about who is willing to support the Medford effort at the moment. Both drivers who were present at the first two races this year were absent last week. Josh Kralicek was the leader coming into the night. Derrel Nelson Jr. had been driving the Hackworth Racing #30 car, but word is that this car was sold to Chris Silva. Silva had the #203 IMCA Modified at the speedway earlier this year. The Association group, which is largely based out of Klamath Falls, originally only committed to four dates. When a rainout occurred earlier this year, they chose to move that race to another track, rather than reschedule a later Medford date. They supported the Roger Haudenshild Tribute and are only planning to support two more races at the moment.
It was anticipated that there might only be 6-8 cars from the Medford area supporting the effort to bring the class back under the track's umbrella, but that support hasn't come despite an increased purse. Racers such as Tyler Lockwood, Brian Johnsen, Dave Everson and Darron Arnold haven't been seen yet, while we've seen Ken Irving and Dan Randall once. Irving commented that he prefers racing here and he will support the association races at the track. Eventually, his son Dillon Irving will be taking the wheel of the #1 car. Saturday saw the return of Dr. Scott Lenz, who is hoping for the division's inclusion at the R. Charles Snyder Salute. However, lack of support from a division capable of bringing 12-16 cars leaves that possibility in doubt. Lenz is definitely an asset to Pro Stock racing, and he won the heat, dash and Main Event ahead of Miles Deubert and Tom Hackworth last week. What happens to this division in the future depends on the support of the racers, but the purse has not been cut due to low turnout.
OTRO Hardtops fielded five cars this past week. Jamie Britton looked pretty fast when he showed up out of nowhere for the opener. He wasn't even an OTRO member. He just wanted to race on the dirt. He's since joined the group, and he drove the #11 car to a heat win and a third in the feature at the second race. Jamie took it up a notch last week in winning his heat race, the dash and feature, snapping a two race winning streak for Mark Minter. He also joins Trevor Thomason as the only other OTRO driver to score a sweep in their eight appearances. Thomason is no longer driving the Vic & Louise Bridges #63 car, but past Marysville Raceway Stock Car competitor Bruce Wilkerson is now driving. Bruce had a good battle going with Minter last week before settling for third as Bill Trotter and Ken Lerwell both took checkered flags. OTRO comes back on July 22nd and will race on Night #2 of the Dwarf Car Nationals on August 5th.
Also competing at those two events as well as this week will be the Kendall Oil Winged Sprint Cars. We haven't gotten the chance to see much of Camden Robustelli in his Sprint Car, but scheduling is such that he can race both his Dwarf Car and Sprint Car at all three events. Camden has missed a couple of Dwarf Car point races, but the two race throwaway rule allows for that. He's very much interested in winning the SODCA Dwarf Car championship after back to back runnerup seasons. It's the last accomplishment left to be had on that level as Camden is also an Outlaw Kart champion. Robustelli started racing in the Sprint Car class two years ago and already has two wins at Cottage Grove to his credit. Still on the horizon is his first Medford win. What he needs is more seat time at his home track, and as he gets comfortable, he will be a factor in the battle for victory.
This is something you'd expect from 2014 Cottage Grove champion David Hibbard. Hibbard has won his share of races at both Cottage Grove and Medford through the years. When the rules were open last year, David beat some 360 Sprint Cars in a thrilling battle for a win. This year has been a mixed bag for the man who has gone above and beyond in the effort to grow this class at his home track. He fell out of the opener with motor problems and was eliminated in an opening lap crash at the next race. He finished second to his son Bailey in Race #3, but last week's win had David's name written all over it. He won his heat race and the Scramble and for 23 glorious laps led the way in the Main Event. He wasn't putting a lot of distance between himself and point leader Kyler Barraza, but barring any mistakes, David was going to be the fourth different winner in four races.
Unfortunately, in a 25 lap race, anything can happen. Enrique Jaime was having an overheating issue during the race. He went to the high side and ran about five laps at a reduced speed in an effort to cool off his engine. Once the numbers read a but lower, he got back on it, but leaders D. Hibbard, Barraza and B. Hibbard were approaching fast. As they exited Turn 2 on lap 24, Jaime was in D. Hibbard's path. This opened the door wide, and Barraza drove by for his second win of the season. D. Hibbard was a disappointed second. It was still a solid point night that moved him to within three points of Merissa Henson, but if you know the competitor that David is, he really wanted that win. It would not be wise to count him out this week.
The points may be shuffled further. With a special Wingless Sprint Car race being sponsored by Mark Herz of Herz Precision Parts at another track this week, Barraza may make a run for a big payday this Saturday. He ran the July 4th Extreme Sprint twin features at Cottage Grove and had a fourth and a third that night. If Barraza skips this week's race, it will not end his championship effort by any means. He could still be leading, and he'd only be a few points behind if not. Impressive rookie Merissa Henson is the next in line, and she has done a good job of staying smooth and getting good finishes this season. She was a lead lap fourth last week, which helped keep her in second in the standings. "Rookie Of the Year" was her first goal for this year, but the other two possibilities should not be dismissed. She could win the championship, and she could also win her first race before the season is over.
We've heard some Sprint Car news on two fronts moments before this column was to run. The Shawna Overton Sprint Car has just been purchased and should see it's first Medford start on July 22nd. However, the bigger news is the return of reigning champion Jake Wheeler to the fold this week. Wheeler will be using a motor from the Hibbard Racing Team as he returns for a couple of races. The Wheeler family has been strong supporters of Sprint Car racing in Medford through the years, and both he and his father Vern Wheeler were Main Event winners last season. Having Jake in the field is good news for the fans as this kid is a hard charger and a threat to win when he's racing at his home track.
The "always exciting" Mini Stocks lived up to their name last week. With points as close as they are, there were a few animated discussions taking place in the pits after the races. The motor problems encountered by 2015 Yreka champion David Steele have been the difference after four events. Steele shot out of the gate like a cannon ball with back to back wins to kick off the season. He started encountering motor issues in his back to back visits to Yreka, and he missed both of those Main Events. In the third Medford race, Steele knew the motor wasn't long for this world, but he gave it one more effort to get a feature start. It lasted a lap before it let go.
While David has been working out his own motor issues, he's also been working on teammate Steve Goetz's motor. He encountered a change in the way the oil pumps are made that has forced him to change the way he's been doing his motor, but all seemed well last Saturday. As for Goetz, a rocker arm needed replacing following his third start. The race was going well in the Top 3, but it didn't end so well. Both Steele and Goetz had their fingers crossed last Saturday, and Steele started things off with a heat race win. Unfortunately, after getting as high as second, Steele ended up watching the finish from the sidelines. He was still scored in fifth, meaning it was an acceptable point night. It certainly could have been much worse.
For Goetz, it was time to end the streak of only five different drivers to win Main Events since 2014. The 2013 champion led from the start and won his first Main Event since 2013. He had to beat the guy wheeling his old championship car, 2014 champion Gary Anderson. Both Goetz and Anderson are back in the championship hunt now. Anderson can relate to the motor problems as he had back to back bad nights before putting it together for his first win of the year in the third event. Anderson decided to go back to his motor from last year, which served him well in his runnerup point season last year. The fact that these two are now running strong is bad news for the hungry young drivers seeking their first feature wins. By the way, the Goetz win now means there are eight different winners since 2013. Only Steele, Goetz, Anderson and reigning champion Bob Burkett are left on the roster from the list of eight, and Burkett is expected to be in the Valley Stor-All Late Model Lites field this week.
Michael Johnson has everybody taking notice of him in the #777 car. The son of past division champion Mike "Zeus" Johnson is just 15 years old, but he's been getting up on the wheel and running the high groove lately. Johnson needed help getting pushed off and nearly did not start his heat race last week. Fortunately for him, the car finally started and he battled fellow championship hopeful Kristopher Mix for his first career heat race win. It gets better for Johnson. After a career best third in the Main Event, his team headed to Yreka to tackle the dry slick conditions there on July 4th. Michael was working the outside groove like nobody else, but third generation racer Mix was getting it done on the inside until a mistake with two laps to go cost him the lead and forced him to settle for third. Johnson made no such mistakes, even with 2014 Yreka champion "Magic" Mike Whitaker trailing him. He made Zeus a proud papa by bringing the winner's trophy back to the Johnson house.
Is Johnson going to be the driver to finally break the strangle hold of the veterans for a Main Event win at his home track? Mix is hoping to have something to say about that. The same can be said for 16 year old Dillen Lausen, who currently leads the points. These three have to be considered threats to win now. Andrew Hall seems to be as fast as any of them in his Pinto Wagon. He won his first career Trophy Dash at the third event of the season, but he got caught up in a tangle that left him with a damaged front bumper in last week's feature. He came back after losing laps, but it was a disappointing night for both he and Neon Mafia teammate Mix. It certainly wasn't a night that had rookie Hunter Magnan turning cartwheels either. He was out of the race early with front end damage. There might have been a question of whether Hunter would have the #33m car ready for this week, but he was in Yreka on July 4th and finishing a career best fourth in the Main Event that was won by Johnson.
In the JOAT Labs Hornets division, it has been a wide open battle after three races with three different winners in Joby Shields, David Coggins and Tim Hedges. Shields sold his #555 car prior to the most recent race as he has begun working on an IMCA Sport Modified. Last week, he took the wheel of the JOAT Labs #553 rental car. What is interesting to note is the point leader so far is Jason Stoutenburgh. Jason is still looking for his first feature win, but he can also point to 2016 champion Tim Hedges, who won his championship without a Main Event win. Stoutenburgh won both his heat race and the Trophy Dash last week. He was leading when the moment occurred that thrust the finish of the race into chaos. Up until that point, he and Coggins were in heavy traffic in a battle for the lead.
When Coggins and Stoutenburgh got together on the back stretch, resulting in Jason spinning, David was given the black flag. With several of the cars running close together and a few getting their laps back, there was confusion as to who was leading the race. It was Tim Hedges, but the scorers picked up on Stoutenburgh. This resulted in Hedges and Zach Nelson both being scored twice on lap 18. They both ran their 20th lap on lap 19 with Hedges in front, and the non existent 21st lap was where Nelson made a pass for the lead. Unfortunately for Hedges, Nelson was honored as the winner, but it was determined on Sunday that Hedges was the actual winner. This was his first win, and his stable of four cars were all in the Top 6 at the finish. Tim is now in second and zeroing in on Stoutenburgh in the championship battle. Jenna Hedges has been quietly lurking in this point battle and enjoyed a fourth place finish last time. She is currently third in the standings.
We're still seeing new drivers joining the ranks as 16 cars have competed after three races. In the third event, young Dillon Irving was there in his red #11 car. The son of two time Pro Stock champion Ken Irving is being groomed for his eventual Pro Stock ride. Brandon Wonsyld and Matt Butler were two new competitors last week. Wonsyld was making his first start, while Butler has been competing at Coos Bay Speedway this season and was running in the Top 10 in points there. All three of these drivers grabbed a checkered flag as 10 of the 11 starters finished the competitive race.
Siskiyou Motor Speedway has been in the midst of an important stretch of races. It started with the opener for IMCA Modified Wild West Speedweek, where Nick Trenchard scored his third win in four starts. The championship race is now official with four races in, and it seems likely that Trenchard will win this one. The 2015 champion is almost certain to support the Rod Restad Memorial in September if the purse is up to its usual standards, and he's an early favorite to win it. There was nearly a big race on July 4th, but the timing was off. SCMA approval had been given to make that a $704 to win race, but the purse details weren't even announced until the night before. Even with a better purse, only 2015 point runnerup "Cowboy" Duane Orsburn showed up. Because the track operates with a sliding scale purse for this class, the drivers won't see $500 to win until 13 cars compete. They were one shy of that at the opener, and the racers weren't delighted after the payout.
The sliding scale is actually an improvement for the IMCA Sport Modifieds. Anytime they get to 13 cars, they have the highest regular point race to win payout anywhere on the West Coast. They also have a highly competitive battle for wins. After ten races, Justin Foux, D.J. Bottoms, Speedweek and Hitson Memorial winner Jorddon Braaten and Justin McCreadie are two time winners as Keith Brown Jr. and Cory Biggs each have one. Surprisingly absent from that list, but with two seconds, was third ranked competitor Colton Cheffey. Both he and second ranked Bottoms had a chance to race for $704 on July 4th and gain on point leader Foux, who was in Texas. Despite his crash and his mechanical issues this year, Cheffey comes back and races hard every week. On this occasion, he outran 2015 SCMA Sport Modified champion Doug Franklin and reigning IMCA Sport Modified champion Jimmy Lipke for his first win of the season. It took 11 races to do it, and this was reason for the Cheffey team to celebrate. It's a good bet that it won't take 11 races for him to win again.
Randy Wright got his first win last year as the group ran a support race with the NST Sprint Car Speedweek race, which they are set to do again on Monday. Wright has been running pretty well so far and is currently fourth in the standings. In fact, he was only eight points behind Cheffey heading into the 4th Of July race. Wright seems like the next guy likely to add his name to the winner's list, but Franklin now has finished second in two of the last three races. This division is still very exciting and unpredictable, making it a big attraction each week. Ryder Boswell finished a lead lap fifth last time out and is hungry for his first win.
The McDonald's Mini Stocks have hit a bit of a rough patch with a few local stars absent in recent weeks. Terry Kendrick has pretty much fallen out of the hunt, leaving the battle between reigning champion Marilyn Yawnick, Ethan Killingsworth and Mike Whitaker. The story has been Whitaker's bad luck over the last year and a half, but it was Yawnick having a "Dukes Of Hazard" moment on Tuesday, while Killingsworth slammed the front wall to end his race before a lap was complete. Yawnick managed to have a slightly better night than Killingsworth in points, though Killingsworth won his heat and the dash before his bid for a fourth straight feature win ended. Yawnick was also a heat winner. Whitaker actually led the feature early before finishing second for the second time this season. "Magic Mike" also has a feature win this season.
An invasion of Medford regulars starred in the most recent race as Kristopher Mix returned along with Michael Johnson. Mix was debating if he should go as he's in the point battle at Medford, but he rolled the dice. The fact that he already has a second in Yreka was incentive enough to for him to go see if he could get his first win. Mix led the race for several laps as Johnson worked the outside groove closely behind in second. Mix messed up on the back stretch as he nearly spun, but he recovered in second. Another mistake on the last lap cost him second to Whitaker. Johnson was smooth down the stretch and earned his first career win. It was also a good night for Medford rookie Hunter Magnan, who won a battle with Jason Frost for a fourth place finish
The Outlaw Pro Stock Association was in town on the 4th for the first of two July appearances, and Dr. Scott Lenz conducted business as usual in winning his fifth Main Event at the track, a race sponsored by Hammond Construction. Lenz is trying to nail down the series championship, and second ranked Scott Flowers is doing everything he can to keep up with him. Flowers won a heat race and added a Lucas Oil Trophy Dash win, but the best he could manage in the feature was a lead lap fourth behind third ranked Johnny Cobb. Jeffrey Hudson missed a race earlier this year to compete in his Sprint Car, which cost him second in points. Hudson won the $1750 prize in this year's non point Billy Geyer Memorial Race, and his four other Yreka starts resulted in second place finishes. Hudson also won his heat race. Honorable mention also goes out to Brian Hammond, who was a lead lap fifth in the Main Event. The Pro Stocks return to Yreka on July 15th.
There's also word out of Coos Bay of the Super Late Model Tidal Wave 50. The Les Swafford Classic is a NASCAR event paying $3,000 to win, $1,000 for second, $600 for third and a minimum of $200 to start. It turns out that Cottage Grove, Willamette and Southern Oregon are all dark to the class that week, and even Antioch, CA Speedway, the home track of Richard Papenhausen, is dark. Coos Bay is a NASCAR track, but drivers can buy a temporary $50 NASCAR license to compete that night, making it only a $100 total non member entry for car and driver. Mike George has been the man to beat and is leading 2015 champion Toby McIntyre in the championship battle. Thor Kristensen, Chris Ray, Jared Bemetz and 2014 champion Trina Post are other drivers from the area who are anticipated, but you can expect racers like Nathan Augustine, Kristy Grout, Dees Racing, Trent Elliott and likely some big Willamette and Cottage Grove names will come play for that kind of money.
Eve Of Destruction, NASCAR Racing Set For Coos Bay Speedway
Coos Bay, Oregon...The busy stretch of entertainment at Coos Bay Speedway continues Saturday night with NASCAR Whelen All American Series Sportsman Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Outlaws, Hornets and Humboldt Motorsports Side By Sides. Saturday is also Eve of Destruction VIII with American Dare Devil Mr. Dizzy & the Oregon Coast's Best Fireworks. The Super Late Models are off this week, but purse money was just announced for the July 29th Tidal Wave 50/Les Swafford Classic. The race will now pay $3,000 to win, $1,000 for second and a minimum $200 to start. Non NASCAR members must pay a temporary NASCAR license fee of $50 in addition to the $50 entry fee for car and driver.
After his two win weekend last week gave him eight victories for the season, Brody Montgomery managed to shake third ranked Dyllan Siewell off his tail, but the tenacious Wayne Butler is still not far behind him. Butler has been finishing second to Montgomery most of the time in addition to two feature wins for the two time reigning champion. Montgomery leads Butler by just 20 points, and it's amazing to consider that if Brody has a bad week after all of the winning he's been doing, Butler can still take the lead. Last weekend was not kind to 2016 point runnerup Siewell. He still holds third, 96 points behind the leader, only 38 ahead of the steady Charlie Withers. Withers continues to plug along in search of his first Top 3 finish of the season. Deven Brown made his first two starts of the season last weekend and grabbed a second and a third. Hopefully, we'll see him again this week along with Jeff Krossman, Steve Dubisar and Troy Chamberlain.
Dubisar has been on fire lately in the Street Stocks as he runs two divisions. However, his late start has pretty much eliminated the five time winner in the championship battle unless point leader and five time winner Justin Krossman misses races. Ken Fox is comfortably in second in the standings while recent winner Jeff Thurman is third. These four are likely to be there this week along with Daniel Land, Josh Bearedn and Dustin Hitner.
The busy week shook up the Mini Outlaw point race last week. After five time winner Rob Lauver's points were adjusted to reflect the fact that he has driven the #52 Beetle all season, Lauver missed last Saturday's races and blew a motor in his Monday visit to Cottage Grove. This resulted in him falling out of contention. Dan Daniels also missed a race, giving three time winner and 2015 champion Sam Talon a huge lead over Daniels. Last week saw three different winners with Ken Fox, John Henry and Jason Kallam. Kallam had been knocking on the door for a few weeks, and the win put him to within 28 points of Daniels for second.
If you were expecting point leader Ryan Siewell to fade after his DNF at the Modified Gambler, you were wrong. Siewell dominated last weekend with a pair of victories to maintain his 70 point advantage over second. Hannah Robison's weekend was a mixed bag. She ended up losing second in the standings by just six points to the consistent Sam Taylor. Both of these hard chargers are still in search of their first feature wins of the season. Reigning champion and two time winner Jeremiah Reiber is still within 28 points of second. These tough competitors should be there this week along with one time winners Tom Williams and Braden Fugate, Jeremy Beard, April Warmack, Patrick Nagel and Tim Young.
Eve of Destruction VIII will be an exciting night at the track, capped by a thrilling fireworks show. For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
Cheffey, Johnson, Peters Win Firecracker Challenge
At Siskiyou Speedway
Yreka, CA...July 4...On the night on which we celebrated our nation's birth, three racers celebrated their first feature victories of the season Tuesday night at Siskiyou Motor Speedway. The Firecracker Challenge offered the fans a chance to see a great night of racing and a big fireworks display after the final checkered flag flew. Colton Cheffey was winless this season, but he collected a big $704 victory in the IMCA Sport Modified Main Event. Meanwhile, Michael Johnson won his first career McDonald's Mini Stocks Main Event, while Cody Peters was a first time winner in the SODCA Dwarf Car division. Dr. Scott Lenz remains perfect in Outlaw Pro Stock point races this year as he won another 20 lap Main Event.
Colton Cheffey led the pack with four IMCA Sport Modified Main Event wins last year, but he had been shut out of the win column after ten races this year. Despite some bad luck, Cheffey still entered the night ranked third in points. Cheffey had his hands full holding off Doug Franklin and reigning champion Jimmy Lipke down the stretch, but he stayed smooth and grabbed a well earned victory. Randy Wright finished a strong fourth ahead of Ryder Boswell, Keith Brown Jr., championship contender D.J. Bottoms, Jack Waldon III, Donovan Rodgers and Wyatt Westphall. R. Boswell and Franklin were eight lap heat race winners, while Hamilton won the four lap Trophy Dash.
Ethan Killingsworth entered the night on a roll with three straight McDonald's Mini Stock Main Event wins. It looked like business as usual for young Killingsworth as he joined point leader Marilyn Yawnick in winning an eight lap heat race, and he followed that up with another four lap Trophy Dash triumph. However, Killingsworth saw an abrupt end to his night before a lap of the Main Event had been completed. He was caught up in a front stretch crash and hit the wall. Yawnick's night ended before the race hit the halfway mark. This opened the door for a pair of Medford stars to battle for their first win as proud new father Kristopher Mix and Michael Johnson ran closely. Mix got sideways on the back stretch and lost the lead Johnson. Johnson drove a great race for his first win. 2014 champion Mike Whitaker and Mix were lead lap finishers in second and third, respectively. Hunter Magnan won a good battle with Jason Frost for his best effort in fourth as Amber Waldon was the final driver to take a checkered flag in sixth.
Since taking the wheel of his father Brock's championship car, Cody Peters has been knocking on the door to victory in the SODCA Dwarf Car division. After back to back seconds in Medford, Peters raced to a clean sweep of his eight lap heat race, the six lap A Dash and the 20 lap Main Event. The Main Event win was a close battle between C. Peters, B Dash winner Chad Cardoza and ageless veteran Fred Hay. With the two long time competitors giving him all he could handle, C. Peters scored a hard fought victory. Cardoza was a close second ahead of Hay, heat winner Ryan Smith, Mason Lewman, Brock Peters, Joe Sanders, Randy Slater and Paul Haslow.
Scott Flowers was again the class of the field in winning his sixth Outlaw Pro Stock Main Event. To date, he's won all of the group's point races. This time, Lenz was shut out in the preliminaries. Scott Flowers won his eight lap heat race and the four lap Trophy Dash, while 2015 champion Jeffrey Hudson won the other heat race. Once Lenz got the lead in the Main Event, he set a rapid pace and pulled away to a straightaway advantage over Hudson. Johnny Cobb, Flowers and Brian Hammond completed the lead lap finishers in the rapidly run event.
The speedway is dark on Saturday night, but there is a special Monday race on July 10th. It's the opening race of the WST Sprint Car Speedweek Series. Joining the Sprint Cars that night will be the IMCA Sport Modifieds. For further information, go to www.siskiyoumotorspeedway.com.
Murphy Sixth Different IMCA Modified Winner At Susanville
Susanville, CA...July 4...Matt Murphy won the special Fourth Of July 15 lap IMCA Modified Main Event Tuesday night at Diamond Mountain Speedway. Murphy is now the sixth different winner in six races. Murphy was chased by past champion Jeff Chew and reigning champion Chris Nieman in second and third. Mitch Murphy finished fourth, followed by Scott Foreman, Bill Pearson, Jeff Olschowka, Galen Hainline, Dustin Sell and Larry McCracken. This was also the second race of a three races in eight days period. They ran on July 1st, and Matt Murphy ran strong in that race before settling for second behind of Stock Car and Modified veteran Foreman. Chris Nieman was third in this race as well, followed by McCracken, Pearson, Hainline, Sell, Tyler Patzke and season opener winner Neven Kennemore.
Craig Nieman continues to roll in the new IMCA Sport Modified division. Nieman won the July 4th race ahead of Jason Emmott, Bob Feller and Robert Patterson. Nieman and Emmott also had a 1-2 finish on July 1st as Tom Froggett and Feller followed. Ethan Kosub was a Main Event scratch.
Shawna Robertson helped her championship bid with July 4th and July 1st victories in Strictly Stocks. Robertson beat 2016 point runnerup Nathan Howard to win on the 4th. Joe Marlow was a strong third that night ahead of Jim Erle, Steve Goss, reigning champion Richard Longacre, Mike Nichols, Ray Talavara, Steven Cain and Gene Cain. On the 1st, there was a low turnout in this division as Robertson won ahead of Howard and Dan Dias.
Orland Raceway point leader Tom Davis returned for his third Mini Stock Main Event win of the season on July 4th. Colton Lawson and Colton Chew were close behind in second and third. Ray Talavara was a season best fourth, followed by Matt Canada, Fred Kresge, Jacob Foster, reigning champion Larry Whitebird, Kate Robertson and Ryan Belli. Belli earned much better results on the 1st as he scored his first Main Event victory. Kate Robertson was a season best second with Whitebird making her earn it in third. Suzie Schmidt was fourth ahead of Chew, Tyler Cheek, Anthony Howland, Wyatt Spaulding, Matt Canada and Cody Kennemore.
These same four divisions are running this Saturday night, and they all return on July 23rd for another race. For further information, go to https://lassencountyfair.org/interim-events/diamond-mountain-speedway/.
Point Leaders Forsberg, Shelby Win July 4th Special
At Silver Dollar Speedway
Chico, CA...July 4...Point leader Andy Forsberg won the 25 lap 410 Sprint Car Main Event Tuesday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. Forsberg led the race from start to finish. The nine time Civil War Series champion raced into the lead at the start ahead of reigning Placerville champion Mason Moore and Michael ing. The lead trio was the same when the only caution flag of the race on lap 19 erased Forsberg's lead. The green flag signaled more of the same as Forsberg sped to the victory ahead of Moore, Ing, Brad Bumgarner, Colby Wiesz, Justyn Cox and Chase Majdic. Forsberg's 11.664 lap beat the 11.672 lap of Ing for fast time, and Moore won the eight lap heat race ahead of Bumgarner.
Phillip Shelby continued his impressive season with another 20 lap IMCA Sport Modified feature triumph. Shelby leads the standings at both Chico and Marysville. The Main Event would be a non stop affair, and Shelby charged into the lead at the start ahead of Tyler Rodgers and State point leader Shane DeVolder. Past IMCA Modified champion Mark Abouzeid ran fourth. As the laps winded down, Shelby built a near straightaway lead over Rodgers. DeVolder settled for third, followed by Abouzeid, Jeremy Phillips, Mike Merritt, Greg Barnes, Mike Helwig and Cory Hall. Rodgers won the eight lap heat race ahead of DeVolder.
Cory Hall had a bit of luck on his side in winning the 20 lap Street Stock Main Event. Hall led the opening lap, but point leader Phil Marino raced into the lead on a lap two restart as Leif Berglund settled into third. A lap eight caution flag for Kevin Lesch and Danny Dozier effected the race. Marino made a pit stop and restarted in the rear as Hall raced into the lead over Fritz Zanker and Berglund. Gary Newman was running fourth before Marino passed him for the position on lap ten. Mariano slipped past Berglund for third on lap 14 and grabbed second from Zanker on lap 17. However, Zanker regained the position a lap later. Hall built a straightaway lead as he took the checkered flag ahead of Zanker, Marino, Newman, Richard Workman, Manny Avilla, Berglund, Lesch and Dozier. Dozier won the eight lap heat race ahead of Zanker.
Nick Vidovich won the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. James West set the early pace ahead of Vidovich and Matt Magenheimer. A lap six caution flag slowed the pace, and Magenheimer and Brad Ray raced into second and third behind West on the restart. Vidovich took third from Ray on lap nine, and Magenheimer put the moves on West to grab the lead on lap 14. Vidovich made his winning pass on Magenheimer on lap 18. Vidovich brought it home to a well earned victory ahead of Magenheimer, Ray, Kenny Allen, Kyle Cheney, West, Mike Chase, Mel Byers, Shannon Collins and Jeremy Langenderfer. Vidovich won his eight lap heat race in front of Collin Ferguson, while Magenheimer won the other heat over Ray.
