If You Like Reading Our Articles
DCRR Racing Radio Racing Radio Show
Can Be Heard HERE
Southern Oregon Speedway Racing Discussion
Can Be Heard HERE
The Dwarf Car Nationals Return
To Southern Oregon Speedway This Weekend
White City, Oregon...The start of August signals the return of the Western States Dwarf Car Association Nationals at Southern Oregon Speedway. The event is hosted annually by the locally-based Southern Oregon Dwarf Car Association. It brings some of the best drivers from throughout the West Coast to one place to enjoy some great competition.
It was over 20 years ago when then NorCal Dwarf Car Association President Frank Munroe saw the potential for big Dwarf Car events. He chose Marysville Raceway in California as the first track, and within a couple of years, there were over 100 Dwarf Cars competing. As the years went on, new tracks were added to the series, and eventually Southern Oregon Speedway got one of these dates.
Within the last 10 years, the format was changed just a bit to make things more competitive within the different groups. The Pro Division was created, and it pitted the very best drivers from the various associations against each other. Generally speaking, this is the category that gets the most entries at every race.
The Veterans Division is for the drivers who are a bit older. Many of these drivers would do well in the Pro class, but they run with the veterans and have some very good races as well.
Then, you have the Sportsman Division. Some drivers might be a little intimidated going to a big event like the Nationals when they just get started driving a Dwarf Car. This category was created for the drivers with just a few years of experience.
The format puts the emphasis on Saturday night while making Friday important as well. Drivers will run their heat races on Friday as well as a Preliminary Feature. If car count dictates, there will also be B Main events. The Top 10 finishers in the Preliminary Feature then earn spots in Saturday's Fast Dash to determine the front rows of the Main Event. That number can be adjusted from 10 cars depending on car count.
On Saturday, in addition to the Fast Dash, the remaining drivers run heat races and B Mains before running the Main Event.
Last season saw about 70 competitors come in from throughout Oregon, California and Nevada. Through the years, some very good drivers from the Medford area have tried to win a Nationals race. Last year, an unlikely winner stepped forward to claim the prize. Just a year earlier, Cody Peters was winning a Preliminary Sportsman Main Event. Last year, he made a last turn pass on NorCal Champion Danny Wagner to steal the victory. It was his first start in the Pro Division. Kevin Bender won a very competitive Veteran's Main Event that night as well.
From Southern Oregon, stars such as Cody Peters and his two-time champion father Brock Peters, Camden Robustelli, Kalvin Morton, Chad Cardoza, Fred Hay, Ryan Smith and two-time champion Josh King will be on hand. Randy Slater will be competing as well, but the club president will also find himself organizing the after race banquet and keeping things going behind the scenes.
From outside of the state, such noteworthy competitors as Danny Wagner, Ryan Winter, Shawn Jones, Scott Dahlgren, Buddy Olschowka, Kevin Bender and Mike Reeder will be coming from the NorCal group. South Bay will be represented by such champions as Gene Punky Pires, Mark Biscardi and reigning SBDCA champion Cameron Diatte. Other noteworthy drivers from outside the state, such as champions Matt Sargent and John Isabella, are anticipated. There will also be stars coming in from the north, such as James Brinster, Ryan Martinez and Jake Van Ortwick.
Getting back to the local Southern Oregon group, the car count has grown this season in part due to the new drivers on the roster. This means the Sportsman division may see such locals as Joe Sanders, Andrew Hall and young up and comers Ashleigh Strain and Michael Johnson out there going for their first wins. Some of the best Southern Oregon racers, such as Brock Peters, Camden Robustelli and Kaycee Sheeler, got their first wins in the Sportsman Division.
On Friday night, the Dwarf Cars will be joined in support by the JOAT Labs Hornets. The Hornets are the entry-level class at Southern Oregon Speedway, and they have been having a wide-open battle all season long. 2016 champion Tim Hedges gained the point lead from his two time Main Event winning son Ashtin Hedges by winning the most recent Main Event. With three second place finishes in a row, Bree Tritchler is on the verge of victory, and other drivers to watch this week include Jason Stoutenburgh, Dylan Irving, Chris Boynton and Zach Nelson.
The Kendall Oil Winged Sprint Cars will be there on Saturday night, and David Hibbard is on fire this year. He has won all but one of the Main Events held so far as he continues to stretch his point lead. Jeffrey Hudson and rookie Blaine Cory are on the verge of victory and providing Hibbard with his closest competition in the standings so far. David's son Bailey Hibbard is the only other driver to win a Main Event, but racers such as Charlie Thompson, Enrique Jaime and Aaron Miller will be out there giving it their best.
Rounding out Saturday's program will be the Valley Store All Late Model Lite. With three feature wins so far, Charlie Eaton is the point leader. He's getting pressure from one time winner Greg Arnold in the championship battle. However, 2016 champion Lee Doty and reigning champion Bob Burkett are shaking things up with second place finishes in recent weeks. The cars are fast and the competition is close.
Gates open at 5 p.m. on both nights with the first race scheduled to start at 7 p.m. General Admission for Friday is $12 with Seniors, Veterans and Juniors (7 to 12) $6. Children 6 and under are free. On Saturday, General Admission is $15 with Seniors, Veterans and Juniors (7 to 12) $10. Children 6 and under are free.
Dwarf Car Nationals Finale Top 5’s Since 2009
Pro First Second Third Fourth Fifth
2009 Brian Quilty Kevin Bender Ryan Winter Henry Corbin III Patrick Weger
2010 Monte Morris Ryan Winter Patrick Weger Gene Pires Jr. Chance Damron
2011 Ronnie Williams Ryan Diatte Michael Grenert Ryan Winter Henry Corbin III
2012 Shawn Jones Cameron Diatte Ronnie Williams C.J. Putnam Ryan Diatte
2013 Ryan Winter Josh King Gene Pires Jr. Michael Grenert Shawn Jones
2014 Shawn Jones C.J. Putnam Ronnie Williams Matt Sargent Ryan Diatte
2015 Shawn Jones Josh King Joe Frock Matt Sargent Ronnie Williams
2016 Shawn Jones Josh King Gene Pires Danny Wagner John Isabella
2017 Cody Peters Danny Wagner Chad Matthias Brock Peters John Isabella
Vet. First Second Third Fourth Fifth
2009 Kelly Gutches Terry Kendrick Stanley Meeks Ted Stinson Chuck Conover
2010 Kelly Gutches Dan Van Acker Mike Miller Scott Dahlgren Fred Hay
2011 Kelly Gutches Fred Hay Neil Stinson Henry Corbin III Leroy Kay
2012 Gilbert Toste Kevin Bender Kelly Gutches Jerry Hauck Don Mortensen
2013 Kevin Bender Fred Hay Dan Van Acker Kelly Gutches Mike Miller
2014 Kelly Gutches Fred Hay Kevin Bender Angel Figueroa Buddy Olschowka
2015 Angel Figueroa Scott Dahlgren Gary Tow Sr. Buddy Olschowka Jerry Hauck
2016 Tim Fitzpatrick Kevin Miraglio Scott Dahlgren Mark Biscardi Kevin Bender
2017 Kevin Bender Jack Haverty Kevin Miraglio Scott Dahlgren Mark Biscardi
Sports. First Second Third Fourth Fifth
2009 R.J. McGahuey Chris Thresher Dean Pires Glen Perry Jason Bartholomew
2010 Henry Corbin II John Chrisman Cecilia Dille Igor Gradziuk Mason Lewman
2011 Cecilia Dille Brock Peters Henry Corbin II John Chrisman Alicia Youngblood
2012 Brock Peters Dylan Chrisman Michael Quilty Hannah Mayhew Jeff Fitch
2013 Kaycee Sheeler Tom Fitch Randy Slater Dylan Chrisman Dan Geil
2014 Camden Robustelli Kalvin Morton Jesse Lorenz Adam Teves Sam Bender
2015 Joey Dale Jesse Lorenz Rob Gergel Chris Kenner Cody Peters
2016 Ben Wiesz Cody Peters Kyle Jones Ken Radabaugh Tim Reeder
2017 Josh Wiesz Teagon Fisher Clayton Parsons Chris Wright Travis Gergel
K&N Engineering Fan Appreciation Night
At Coos Bay Speedway
Coos Bay, Oregon...The excitement continues at the Coos Bay Speedway oval track this Saturday night. It is K&N Engineering Fan Appreciation Night at the races, meaning the fans will get to meet their favorite drivers and get autographs. Scheduled to compete this Saturday night will be the Winged Sprint Cars along with the NASCAR Super Late Models, Sportsman Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Outlaws and Hornets.
Throughout the season, Promoter Drake Nelson endeavors to give the fans a little bit more excitement, and Saturday's Sportsman Late Model portion of the card will be extra special. The Calculated Comfort Outlaw Pro Stock Tour will be coming to town to do battle with the local stars. This means an increased car count and even better racing than usual.
Dr Scott Lenz is a name Southern Oregon racing fans are familiar with. Lenz is a multi-time champion in the Medford area and the reigning champion of the Pro Stock Association. With four wins on the tour, he is well on his way to repeating as the champion. Coos Bay fans have seen Lenz make three appearances in the last two years, and he's left with the Main Event winner's prize money twice. The Pro Stock group will be represented by some top notch talent, including 2016 champion Steve Borror, current second-ranked point competitor Scott Flowers, James Flowers, Matt Harlow and Johnny Cobb.
Locally speaking, Dyllan Siewell has been leading the championship race since the beginning of the season. Two-time champion Wayne Butler had problems early on and has been playing catch-up, 52 points behind Siewell in second. Both drivers have won six Main Events so far and figure to be the track's best chance of grabbing the Main Event glory on Saturday night. Other local heroes to keep an eye on this week include Tom Williams, Stacy Robison and Charlie Withers.
The Sprint Car division featured a crowd-pleasing battle last week between reigning champion Lawrence Van Hoof and Kayla Green. Green, who has run with the BCRA Midget Lites in recent seasons, has taken on the next challenge of running a Sprint Car and done quite well for herself this year. Last Saturday, she scored a popular Trophy Dash win and came very close to beating Van Hoof in the Main Event. It was Van Hoof's second win of the season, but Kayla will be out to grab the glory this week. Brett Hulsey is the current leader in the points, 40 ahead of Van Hoof. Other racers to watch for this week include two-time champion Dave May, Mike Crawford and Donovan Prather.
Brody Montgomery may be well on his way to the NASCAR Super Late Model championship, but he has been deprived of any visits to the Winner's Circle in the past 2 weeks. Last week, it was Tom Elam picking up his first win of the season at the speedway. Elam is wheeling the former Mike George car, but dirt hasn't been enough for him this year. He currently leads the Modified point standings at Roseburg. As that track isn't racing this week, it's possible we'll see him going for two in a row on Saturday night.
With seven wins to his credit so far, Montgomery leads the standings by 130 points ahead of Chris Ray. Ray is facing a challenge from Thor Kristensen. Thor is trailing by just 18 points after his most recent third place finish. Wayne Butler, Richard Wallace and Deven Brown are three others we could be seeing this week. Brown and Butler have raced in both the Super and Sportsman Late Model classes this season.
Ken Fox has shown everybody that his point lead in the Street Stock division is no fluke. Following up on his double win weekend at the Tidal Wave shows, he won again last week. He now has eight wins and a solid 94 point lead over David Smith. Jeff Thurman has moved into third in the standings, but he's on the verge of getting his first win of the season. Last week, he again lost is bid for victory by mere inches behind Fox. Other racers to watch for this week include two-time winners Steve Dubisar and Daniel Land.
Fox has been competing in the Mini Outlaw division lately as well. The driver out front in that class once again is Sam Talon. It's not even close as Sam has racked up nine wins compared to two victories for second-ranked Jason Kellam. Fox only recently returned behind the wheel of the #12 car and picked up a pair of wins on Tidal Wave Weekend. Other drivers to watch for this week include Thomas Siewell, Carl Johnson and Jason Berrier.
Tyler Tullos is leaving no doubt who the point leader is in the Hornets division. With his sixth feature triumph of the season last week, he now has a commanding 100 point lead over one time winner April Warmack. Warmack isn't too comfortable ahead of two-time winner Hannah Robison, who trails by 32 points. Four-time winner Braden Fugate and one time winner Trace Fugate are the only other drivers to visit the Winner's Circle in the Hornets so far this year. Kris Parker, Chuck Peck, David Pellum and Leroy Rockwell are the next likely candidates to get a win.
K&N Engineering Fan Appreciation Night is going to be a show you won't want to miss. The shootout between the local Sportsman Late Model and visiting Outlaw Pro Stock racers alone will be leaving the fans on the edge of their seats. Add in Sprint Cars and Super Late Models among the other classes, and you'll want to be at Coos Bay Speedway this Saturday night. For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
Van Hoof, Elam Score Feature Wins On Whelen Night
At Coos Bay Speedway
Coos Bay, Oregon...July 28...Reigning champion Lawrence Van Hoof picked up the win in the 20 lap Winged Sprint Car Main Event Saturday night at Coos Bay Speedway. It was Whelen Night at the races, and some lucky kids got to make some pace laps with their favorite drivers in the race cars. This was the second win of the season for Van Hoof, and he had his hands full battling Kayla Green. Green had the fastest Main Event lap of 13.857, but her bid to beat Van Hoof came up just short at the checkered flag. Two time champion Dave May finished third, followed by Mike Crawford, point leader Brett Hulsey, Donovan Prather and Michael Cinollo. Three drivers shared preliminary glory as Crawford and May were the 10 lap heat race winners. Green scored a popular five lap Trophy Dash win ahead of Prather.
Tom Elam won the 25 lap NASCAR Super Late Model Main Event. This was the first win of the season for Elam, who was coming off of a strong third place finish in the Tidal Wave 50 last Sunday. Elam set a rapid pace at the front of the pack, and he won by about half a straightaway ahead of point leader Brody Montgomery. Josh Sim was the final lead lap finisher as Thor Kristensen, Wayne Butler, Jerry Phillips and Chris Ray rounded out the finishing order. Montgomery and Elam each won their respective 10 lap heat races, while Sim outran Montgomery to win the five lap Trophy Dash.
Wayne Butler picked up the win in the 20 lap Sportsman Late Model Main Event. The two-time champion matched point leader Dyllan Siewell on the winner's board with his sixth victory of the season. Butler won with Siewell nearly a straight away behind him in second. John Bell and Tom Williams completed the finishing order. Butler won the 10 lap heat race, but Siewell beat him in the five lap Trophy Dash to prevent the clean sweep.
Ken Fox won the 20 lap Street Stock Main Event. This was the eighth win of the season for the current point leader. Still looking for his first feature victory of the season, Jeff Thurman gave Fox a great run at the front of the pack, but Fox won a photo finish to the checkered flag. David Smith and Lance Handsaker completed the lead lap finishing order. Fox won both the 10 lap heat race and the five lap Trophy Dash.
Mini Outlaw point leaders Sam Talon earned his ninth 20 lap Main Event win of the season. Street Stock star Ken Fox has returned to the Mini Outlaws in recent weeks and gave Talon a good battle for the win before settling for a very close second. Jason Berrier finished third. Talon won the 10 lap heat race, but Fox picked up five lap Trophy Dash honors.
Tyler Tullos won the 20 lap Hornets Main Event. Tullos seems to be hitting his stride as he increased his point lead to over 100 points over April Warmack following his sixth win of the season. Once Tullos got into the lead, he hit the afterburners and took the checkered flag a half lap ahead of heat race winner Hannah Robison. Robison was unchallenged in second, and heat race winner Travis Pugh won a good battle with Chuck Peck for third. Warmack was a lead lap fifth as Diana Marshall, Dusty Shingleton, Roy Pugh and Leroy Rockwell completed the finishing order. Tullos was the five lap Trophy Dash winner.
Griff Smith continues to dominate the Jr Stingers division. This class is for Hornet racers 11 to 14 years old, and Smith won his fifth 12 lap feature by a wide margin ahead of Alex Butler and James Shingleton. It was a clean sweep performance for Smith with wins in the eight lap heat race and five lap Trophy Dash.
Next Saturday night will be a special night at the Coos Bay oval track. It is K&N Engineering Fan Appreciation Night at the races. The Outlaw Pro Stock Association will be coming to town to do battle with the local NASCAR Sportsman Late Model racers in head-to-head competition. Winged Sprint Cars will also be there along with NASCAR Super Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Outlaws, and Hornets. For further information, go to www.coosbayspeedway.us.
Roth Wins Street Stock Smackdown
At Douglas County Speedway
Roseburg, Oregon...July 28...Dale Roth scored the victory in the Street Stock Smackdown 50 lap Main Event Saturday night at Douglas County Speedway. This race pitted the local regulars in head-to-head competition with the drivers from the Iron Giant Street Stock Series, which normally runs at various dirt tracks throughout Oregon. Roth set a rapid pace in the long-distance event and had his best time of 16.675 on the 42nd lap. He won the race by a straightaway ahead of Iron Giant Series point leader Don Schott, and Iron Giant Series regulars David Cronk, Erik Jarnport and Jeff Marson. Richard Karr was the final lead lap finisher. Bill Stewart was three laps back in seventh as Gary Perry, Kevin Ballard and Josh Sheller were also Top 10 finishers.
Roth had the fastest time in qualifying with a lap of 16.442, beating Perry's 16.531 effort. Karr and Schott were the eight lap heat race winners, and Cronk won the four lap Trophy Dash by a good margin ahead of Roth.
Point leader Harlon Cox continued to roll in the PRA Hardtop division. Cox won the 25 lap Main Event by about half a straightaway in front of championship rival Kyran Greene. Mike Batman was a solid third as 2016 champion Greg Hickman rounded out the led lap finishers. Troy Gasner finished fifth ahead of Jamie Britton, Donni Fain, Brian Lenihan and Travis Lillard. Cox was also the quickest qualifier with a lap of 16.950, beating Batman's 17.094 lap. Fain and Cox won eight lap heat races, and Fain also picked up four lap Trophy Dash honors.
Street Stock star Jeff Solberg took a night off from running the Street Stocks to compete with the Hornet division and won their 30 lap Main Event. Solberg finished second in the previous week's Hornet's Nest 50, and he won this race by a straightaway ahead of Hornet's Nest 50 winner Dave Beals, who was the final lead lap finisher. Bart Pulse, Ron Johnson, Jeremy Simms and Pete Lemon were all a lap down as Matt Schoenborn, Jerry Phifher, Valerie West and Cherish Wilson made up the remainder of the Top 10 finishers. Ron Dickinson was the fastest qualifier with a lap of 19.696, beating the 19.814 of Solberg. Logan Barron outran Wilson to win the four lap Trophy Dash, and Pulse and Beals were the eight lap heat race winners.
The Pro 4 Wedge Cars made their first appearance of the season, and Dustin Knight won a good battle with Rich McCoy to claim the 25 lap feature victory. Southern Oregon Speedway IMCA Sport Modified point leader David Marble was a strong third ahead of Jeff Proudy and Casey Osuna. McCoy set the fast time of 15.890, beating the 16.592 of Marble. Knight won the eight lap heat race and four lap Trophy Dash, both ahead of Marble
Douglas County Speedway will go dark until August 25th when the West Coast Modified Shootout headlines the show. PRA Hardtops, Mini Stocks, Hornets and Pro 4 Wedge Cars will also be competing. For further information, go to www.douglascountyspeedway.com.
Wiesz, Jones Win At Marysville Raceway
Marysville, CA...July 28...Colby Wiesz went flag-to-flag for the victory in the 25 lap Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event Saturday night at Marysville Raceway. This was the first feature victory of the season for the three-time champion. Wiesz raced into the early lead ahead of Billy Wallace and Kyle Allen. A yellow flag flew on lap six for Mark Ballantine in Turn 2, and Allen's run in the Top 3 came to an abrupt end in a heated moment. Wiesz continued to lead Wallace on the restart as Cody Hodgson settled into third. The final caution flag waved on lap 14 for Brent Bjork. Wiesz maintained command ahead of Wallace and Hanson on the restart, but Hodgson made his move around Wallace for second on lap 21. Hodgson was putting some good pressure on Wiesz down the stretch, but his bid to overtake him fell just short at the checkered flag as Wiesz was the happy winner. Wallace settled for third ahead of Mike Monahan, Bjork, Alec Justeson, Jimmy Steward, Adam Walters, Mike Sullivan and Mike Ballantine. Going into the night, Monahan trailed Allen by just seven points and may have emerged with the lead by the end of the evening.
Walters surprised the field with the fastest lap of 12.488, barely beating the 12.490 effort of Allen. Monahan picked up his eight lap heat race win ahead of Walters, while Allen outran Wiesz to win the second race.
Past champion Shawn Jones returned and won the NorCal Dwarf Car 20 lap Main Event. Jones has been racing regularly with the Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series and is the current point leader there. The Main Event had to be restarted when Devan Kammermann was eliminated in a crash. Scott Dahlgren set the early pace ahead of Dan Geil and Jones. Jones slipped past Geil for second on lap two and set his sights on Dahlgren. Jones made the pass for the lead on lap nine, and the caution flag waived for Shawn Whitney in Turn 3. Jones led as past series champion Ryan Winter was challenging Geil for second. Unfortunately, Winters' race came to an end in a Turn 4 crash involving Kevin Miraglio. Jones led Geil on the restart, and the two ran closely with Jones winning ahead of a season-best effort in second for Geil. Mike Reeder was a solid third, followed by Jeff Fitch, Tim Fitzpatrick, Ben Wiesz, Josh Wiesz, Ron Jones, Shawn Whitney and Colby Wiesz.
The NorCal Dwarf Cars once again brought a huge turn out of 26 competitors. They ran four eight lap qualifying heat races with wins going to Whitney, Reeder, Jack Haverty and Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick won the closest battle in a near photo finish ahead of Josh Wiesz. They ran a 10 lap B Main to determine the final starters for the Main Event, and Kevin Bender won that race ahead of Jeff Fitch and Ben Wiesz.
Matt Davis scored the victory in the 20 lap Super Stock Main Event. Davis is one of the front-runners at Placerville Speedway and recently won a Main Event there. Several Placerville regulars helped grow the car count, and Eddie Gardner set the early pace ahead of Dan Brown Jr and reigning champion James Castleberry. Unfortunately, Brown's race up front ended in Turn 4 with a lap five caution flag. Castleberry raced into the lead on the restart, followed by Jay Norton and Davis. Castleberry saw Davis in his rear-view mirror on a lap 11 restart, and Davis set his sights on the victory. Following a lap 15 caution flag for Danielle Clauson, Davis began to pressure Castleberry and made his winning move on lap 17. Davis brought it home to a well-earned victory, and Norton overtook Castleberry for the second place finish. Past Marysville Late Model star Leroy Perry finished fourth ahead of two-time Petaluma champion Steve Studebaker, Clauson, Rod Oliver, Chris Warner, Eddie Gardner and Dan Brown Jr. They ran two six lap heat races with wins being recorded by Gardner and Brown.
Racing will return on August 11th with Kids Night. The Winged 360 Sprint Cars will be back along with the Crate Sprints, Hobby Stocks, California Hardtop Association and RaceSaver Sprint Cars. There will also be Kids Bike Races. For further information, go to www.marysvilleraceway.com.
Becker Scores Sprint Car Victory At Silver Dollar Speedway
Chico, CA...July 27...Leading all the way from the start, Sean Becker scored the victory in the 25 lap Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. It was the first win of the season for the 2016 champion aboard the Dan Menne owned entry. Becker led from the outset ahead of Mason Moore and Kalib Henry. The first of only two yellow flags waved on Lap 11 for Brent Bjork in Turn 4. Becker continued to lead Moore and Henry on the restart. A final caution flag waved on lap 13 for Bjork and Chelsea Blevins in Turn 4. Reigning champion Andy Forsberg slipped past Henry for third on the restart as Becker continued to lead Moore. Forsberg raced past Moore for second on lap 24, and Becker scored the impressive victory ahead of Forsberg, Moore, Henry, Shawn Conde, Cody Lamar, Cody Hodgson, Blevins, Kenny Allen and Peter Paulson. Forsberg set the quickest lap of 11.749, beating the 11.859 of Allen. Moore outran Blevins to win their eight lap heat race, and Hodgson beat Lamar to win the second heat.
Shawn Jones picked up the win in the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event. Jones is the current Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series point leader, and he led from the start ahead of point leader Tony Richards and Brett Youngman. By the halfway point, Jones held a straightaway advantage over Richards. Jones scored the victory ahead of Richards, Youngman, Matthew Haulot and Kelly Hicks. Braedon Enos was a Main Event scratch. Jones also outran Richards to win the eight lap heat race.
Corey Hall scored the victory in the 20 lap Street Stock Main Event. This was the fourth win of the season for Hall, who is the current point leader ahead of Gary Newman. Reigning champion Phil Marino set the early pace ahead of multi-time Petaluma Speedway champion Steve Studebaker. Hall took third from Newman on lap five, and problems struck Marino on lap nine as Studebaker assumed the lead ahead of Hall and Richard Workman. Studebaker led the way until Hall finally made his winning pass on lap 18. Hall went on to win with Studebaker settling for second ahead of Workman, Ken Micheli, Newman, Fritz Zanker and Marino. However, Studebaker was disqualified in post-race tech, moving everybody behind him up a spot in the finishing order. Hall won the 8 lap heat race ahead of Marino.
James West grabbed the victory in the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. It was the second win of the season for West. Marysville point leader Shannon Collins set the pace at the start ahead of West and Colin Ferguson. West made the pass for the lead on lap eight. However, Collins stayed right behind West the rest of the way as Ferguson made it a three car battle in the waning laps. West held off a late surge from Collins for the win as Ferguson settled for third ahead of Mel Byers and incoming point leader Jeremy Langenderfer. Ferguson won the eight lap heat race ahead of West.
Racing resumes next Friday night with IMCA Sport Modifieds back on the card again along with Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Street Stocks and Hobby Stocks. There will also be kids bike races. For further information, go to www.silverdollarspeedway.com.
Pit Stops
Southern Oregon Speedway ended July with a five division offering for the fans. With the IMCA Modifieds having some big events elsewhere, car count took a little bit of a hit, but 10 racers still came out there to do battle. One of the drivers missing in action was the bounty hunter of the group, Nick Trenchard. Nick has won some big races through the years and had his eyes on a bigger prize out of town.
In Trenchard's absence, two-time champion Albert Gill was poised to take over the point lead. In the IMCA point structure, Gill's heat race and Trophy Dash wins didn't matter. There has been talk about possibly going to the track's regular point format for the IMCA Modifieds when it comes to who is honored at the banquet in 2019, but for now, the track honors the IMCA point format. Gill needed to get his points in the Main Event like everybody else.
When he spun on lap 24, Gill was going to drop a couple of spots in the finish. Zach Fettinger had already taken the white flag, but instead of a checkered flag the next time by, he got a yellow flag. This set up a wild finish that left Jantzen Knips coming out on the bad end of the deal. Gill managed to get himself a third place finish and stepped into the point lead as a result.
It's been since 2015 since we've had a triple Main Event winner for the IMCA Modifieds. Zach Fettinger has been on fire this year. By all rights, he should be the point leader, but the team elected not to come to the Wild West Speedweek race. Nonetheless, Fettinger has moved all the way to second in the standings with his third Main Event win. He's having a huge breakout season. Like Gill, he was also a heat race winner. Though Fettinger missed a race, he could still end up winning the championship.
The pressure will be on during the R Charles Snyder Salute weekend. With all of the talent coming in from out of town, the locals will have a challenge just making it into the Main Event. This could be what shakes things up at the end, and even Trenchard is in this battle. But the way Fettinger is looking right now, you have to wonder how many more Main Events he might win before the season ends.
Another driver looking good out there all race long was "Cowboy" Duane Orsburn. He had a race earlier this year that saw him run second for several laps and spin from third on the last lap. This time, the two-time Street Stock champion wasn't going to let a good finish get away. He kept it smooth and fast and was rewarded with a strong second place finish. It appears as if Orsburn has his car dialed in, and his first Main Event win since 2016 is certainly not out of the question.
After the races, Jantzen Knips was understandably a little bit upset with the outcome and the fact that there was a one lap shootout to the checkered flag at all. He was on his way to a third place finish when he got turned around in the second turn. Though he managed a fourth place feature finish to stay within seven points of Fettinger for second in the standings, Jantzen had quite a bit of work to do on his car to get it ready for the next race.
David Satterfield quietly continues to enjoy a good season. Though he's raced Pro Stocks in the past, David is a rookie in the IMCA Modifieds. He's going out there and making his laps and improving with each race. With his sixth place finish last time out behind James Welshonse, Satterfield is still third in the standings, two ahead of Trenchard and two behind Fettinger.
The IMCA Sport Modifieds continue what has been a strong season for the group. The roster now reaches into the twenties, and even if there are certain drivers missing on any given week, there are enough competitors to keep the car count in the teens most of the time. Fourteen racers showed up on Saturday, and this included a surprise visitor from California named Tyler Rodgers. Rodgers races at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico and Marysville Raceway.
2016 Yreka champion Jimmy Lipke announced his plans to come out and try for another win. Even when his home track made an announcement a couple days later that their race was on, Jimmy still wanted to come to Southern Oregon Speedway. The fact is, his car has been running strong this year, as his recent win down in Chico can attest. He's also picked up a pair of victories in Yreka, and he came within a few inches of winning the previous Southern Oregon Speedway race. Jimmy led most of the way, only to be surprised on the last lap by Branden Wilson.
On Saturday night, Lipke raced into the lead. However, that lead was short-lived. After winning his heat race in dominant fashion, Rodgers charged past Lipke for the lead and began to pull away. Even the few yellow flags the race had were not enough to slow Rodgers down. In his very first trip to Medford, Rodgers left with the winner's paycheck and the trophy. Lipke, meanwhile, settled for second. But, the car is running well and he didn't have a bunch of damage to repair.
Two-time reigning champion Mike Medel can attest to having to repair damage. He's been racing everywhere this year, and his car has been put through its paces. After a recent visit to Willamette, Medel had a broken frame to deal with. His return to Southern Oregon Speedway left him less than happy. However, Mike still wants to support his home track and came back for the most recent race. He gave it a good run at Lipke, but third was all he had for the night. Still, he drove it up on the trailer and will bring it back to go for another win.
Perhaps Branden Wilson was creeping along under the radar after the first few races, but people know who he is now. After winning the previous race, Wilson brought it home to a respectable fourth place finish. The finish should move him into second in the standings, but only three points separate he, Willie McFall, Tony Duste and Tony Bartell in what has been a really good battle. He'll still have to keep up with David Marble, who is sitting about 32 points ahead of him in the lead.
Marble has done the point racing thing before. With some 20 Mini Stock Main Event wins to his credit as well as the 2015 championship, he knows what it takes. David won top rookie honors in 2016, but this year he had a bigger plan. He wants the Sport Modified championship. He came into the season with much confidence, and an impressive feature victory at the opener did nothing to change that. Marble knows that in a point battle, you need to finish. His goal is to keep getting Top 5 finishes. On Saturday night, he got it to the checkered flag in fifth. With Wilson gathering some momentum, David knows he needs to keep this up.
The Tony's continue to do well. Bartell has been around the speedway for a while and is a past Late Model Lites Main Event winner. However, he's enjoying one of his best seasons yet as a Top 5 competitor. It was a solid point night for him in eighth, but Duste did just a little bit better in sixth. Duste is the third generation of his family to go racing, and though he ran a little bit last season, he is still pretty much a rookie in the Sport Modifieds.
We only saw Toby Judd once or twice in 2016 in his Sport Modified. He was excited to get back out there and go racing again at the most recent event. Though he had to come from the back in all of his races, Toby still got it to the checkered flag in seventh. Not a bad effort for the 2012 Mini Stock champion. Another driver looking good with his second straight Top 10 finish was rookie Michael Rule. Rule got it to the checkered flag in ninth. Michael had no prior racing experience before getting into Sport Modifieds, and he hasn't really looked too bad so far.
Lee Doty has been the leader of the effort to reestablish a presence for the Valley Store All Late Model Lites at Southern Oregon Speedway. Doty was the one who pushed for the division to be added to the roster in 2016, and he ended up having a rather dominant performance that season in winning the championship. Fast forward to 2017, and the year was anything but good for Lee. Though he won the season opener and finished second in the next race, he had a broken axle in mud laps one week and he flipped his car while leading a heat race on another occasion. He didn't run the remaining races of the season after that.
But Doty continues to do what he can to get cars to the track. At the previous race, he mentioned that the #99 car was being retired as Dusty Aos would return to his #3 car. However, Danny Prewitt came back to drive the #99 car at the recent race. Doty has the rather fast #40 car that was driven to victories by Randy Hansen and Bob Westcott last season. Everything is for sale, including Lee's #7 car, if there is anybody looking to get into Late Model Lites.
Doty kicked off the night with a Trophy Dash win and then outran Bob Burkett to win the heat race. The two champions were going to share the front row of the Main Event, but Burkett revealed that he had a hole in his radiator. He was just going to make a few laps and head to the pits. Doty was planning to make it more than a few laps. He was going for the clean sweep. What he didn't count on was Charlie Eaton making the move and getting the victory.
In the prior two seasons of this division's revival, Eaton has had a fast car. He has racked up numerous Top 3 finishes, but the wins have always been elusive. This year, everything is coming together, and his beautiful blue #5 car has been seen more often in the winner's circle. Eaton made the pass on Doty on lap six and went from there to his third win of the season. This enabled him to add more points to his lead over Greg Arnold in a still close championship battle.
Arnold looked strong as the season got started, and he won a Main Event early. However, his luck has gone the other way in the most recent races. On Saturday night, he was battling Prewitt for third, but Prewitt came out ahead. Prewitt was just happy to be making Main Event laps at all. His own car, which has been junked, kept having problems last year that prevented him from even starting. He had fun taking the wheel of the #99 car and getting a good finish on the podium.
The Old Time Racers of Oregon were back for their fourth Hardtop race at Southern Oregon Speedway. This time, there were a couple of drivers missing in action as father Bill Trotter and son Dusty had prior engagements. However, Bill still sent his truck to the track with Jay Smith again behind the wheel. Car count was going to be light, but PRA Hardtop competitors Greg Hickman and Jamie Britton made the visit. Hickman won the 2016 championship in Roseburg. OTRO does not race for points, just trophies and the fun of it.
Dusty Trotter's old car was looking good with Justin Krossman behind the wheel. Krossman won both the Trophy Dash and heat race. The Main Event looked like it would go to Justin as well. He led for 13 laps as Mark Minter worked his way to the front. Krossman got his start In racing when Minter got him involved in the sport. The two are longtime friends. They ran a side-by-side lap at the white flag, but Minter moved the Harold Minter #33 car into the lead on the final lap to get the victory. It was his second straight win and makes him the only driver in the group to win a Main Event in Medford in all of the last three seasons.
Krossman still got it to the finish line in second, and that's indication that a feature win may be just around the corner. Meanwhile, Britton and Hickman were having a challenging time negotiating the track. The two drivers battled for third. Britton actually had a feature win earlier this season and was a Main Event winner with OTRO last year as well. However, Turn 2 was his nemesis as he had multiple spins. Hickman ended up getting third with Britton settling for fourth.
People might need to start taking Cody Peters a little more serious this year. His rise over the past couple of years in the Southern Oregon Dwarf Car group has been amazing. He won a Sportsman Preliminary Main Event at the Nationals in 2016, but then he won the Pro Division Main Event last year. This makes him the only driver In the area to win the big one. Cody was the point leader going into the most recent race. However, It was his father Brock Peters picking up the win in their heat race. Cody came back to win the A Dash.
It was another heat race that was giving the fans a preview of the Main Event. Chad Cardoza, who has come so close to winning some races in the past couple of years, was leading the heat race with Mason Lewman in close pursuit. Lewman made a slide job attempt in the final turn, and had Cardoza not backed off, it could have gotten ugly. Lewman won the heat race, but Cardoza was getting ready to have the last laugh.
Cardoza jumped into the lead at the start, but Lewman was soon in very close pursuit and looking high and low for a way by. As the race neared the midway point, Mason made his move. He actually led a pair of laps before Cardoza went low In the third turn on lap 13. Lewman had problems and pitted. Cardoza had his hands full with two-time reigning champion Brock Peters knocking on the door, but there was no way he was letting this one get away.
The Main Event winners list at Southern Oregon Speedway continues to grow. To date, victories have been earned by Kalvin Morton twice, Guy Tow, Brock Peters, Cody Peters and now Cardoza. Another driver on the winner's list this year is two-time champion Josh King. He picked up a win in the Jerry Houck car earlier this year and found himself second when Lewman pitted. The car is getting a little bit quicker, as King's B Dash win earlier in the evening would attest, but he was passed late by both Brock Peters and Camden Robustelli and settled for fourth. Though Robustelli hasn't won at Southern Oregon Speedway this year, he has a pair of wins in Yreka.
Bringing it back to Cody Peters, he ended up fifth at the finish line in a good race with Morton. Both of these young guns are making a serious challenge for the championship this year. He may not be one of the young guns in the field, but Fast Freddie Hay is giving a good accounting of himself this year. Fred was coming off of back-to-back Top 3 finishes. Though this race didn't go as well, he managed an eighth place finish behind Steve Walker. Hay may be somebody to watch in the Veterans Division at this year's Nationals.
The Dwarf Cars continue to be a highlight at the speedway in the car count department. They again produced a 20 car field last week. With these kind of numbers, it could signal an increase in car count in this year's Nationals event. Another thing to keep an eye on is the Sportsman Division for the Nationals. There are several new and young drivers on the roster this year, and it just may be that a driver like Ashleigh Strain, Michael Johnson, Andrew Hall or Joe Sanders could win the Sportsman race. It would certainly be a prime opportunity for a little bit of glory for these up-and-comers.
Speaking of up-and-coming racers, Little Southern Oregon Speedway is bringing the next generation of superstars into the sport. The Beginners Box Stock division has grown by leaps and bounds this year, and a couple of those drivers have been setting a rapid pace around the track. Reigning champion Malachi Johnson was riding a three-race winning streak. There had been some talk about him moving up to the Box Stock division, and the team made that decision. Malachi made his Box Stock debut at the latest race.
Because of the concern over the youngest beginners getting run over by the faster karts, officials decided to try a new approach. A Novice Beginners Box Stock class race was held on Friday night. Four drivers were chosen to be a part of this, and three of them were ready to race on Friday. Bhaltair Edwards and Isaac Grimes took turns winning the heat races, and the Main Event turned out to be very entertaining as both drivers exchanged the lead. Grimes looked to be headed for the win, but Edwards surprised him by beating him to the checkered flag with a last lap pass. Even young Caleb Ranney made some good laps and was all smiles as he received his framed certificate for a third place finish.
With Johnson making the move up, it meant the Beginners Box Stock division would be getting a new point leader. The question was, who would it be, reigning Yreka Indoor champion Carson Henson or Uriah Sanders? Both drivers have had their moments this year. Sanders was hoping for his first feature win. He and Crescent City visitor Austin Bartholomew were the heat race winners, and Sanders charged into the early Main Event lead. There has been some really good racing up front in this class, and Sanders, Bartholomew and Grant Proctor had a close battle going for the lead. Bartholomew finally made the pass and took the win on lap 9, but Sanders held off Proctor for a second place finish. When the points were tallied, it was Sanders taking over the lead.
Another driver looking really good with her fourth place finish was Yreka point leader Shailene Horn. Horn missed the previous race as her grandfather is a volunteer firefighter and was helping fight the fires in Hornbrook. However, she came back strong with a solid fourth place finish ahead of Henson. Henson keeps the pressure on Sanders in a very close championship race. Horn isn't too far behind Jayme DeBenedetti in the race for fourth, which will become the race for third when they pass Johnson in the standings. DeBenedetti did a good job of getting her kart to a sixth place finish.
The Box Stock racers also continue to impress. The Augustine family has been racing for generations. Young Keaton Augustine's father is the current Late Model champion on the big track, and Keaton is making him proud. He came into the night as the point leader and joined Jacob James as a heat race winner on the night. Augustine got the lead at the start of the Main Event, but he had all kinds of pressure coming from one-time feature winner Ryan Hirschbock. However, this kid is as cool as ice, and he held off Ryan's every effort for his third straight feature win. Hirschbock managed to grab second in the standings with his runner-up finish, trailing Augustine by just 12 points in a close battle.
James, meanwhile, had Taylor Fuller and Malachi Johnson to contend with in the race for third. Jacob had posted back-to-back second place finishes, and he's still on the verge of his first win in this division. He ended up third and maintains third in the standings. Fuller managed to hold off Johnson to get fourth. Johnson missed a heat race as the team got his kart ready, but he did pretty well for his first start in the division. Also making good laps and hanging in there to the finish line was Kiley Grimes in sixth.
Trevor Grimes served notice to the rest of the competition. He is still the point leader and the reigning champion in the 250 Kart division. The previous two races did not go well for the hard charger. It turned out that his departure early in the previous Main Event was because of brake issues. Trevor joined Brenden Bartlett in the heat winners department earlier in the evening. Bartlett had taken the wheel of Brionna Fuller's kart as she is unable to drive the Cage Kart due to her broken arm. Bartlett provided Grimes with serious pressure for most of the race. When Bartlett spun on lap 18, Grimes went on to post his third win of the season.
Landon Green was making his first start at Southern Oregon Speedway. Green had a second place finish in his second heat race, and with Bartlett spinning, he also managed a second in the Main Event. Not bad for his first start here. After some issues in one of his heat races, the Smith team got the #26 Kart back together, and Cadyn Smith drove it to a solid third place finish as he moves into the Top 5 in the standings. Cadyn is the reigning Yreka Indoor champion.
After back-to-back feature wins, Vinny DeBenedetti came back to Earth with his fourth place finish ahead of the steady Taylor Fuller. While Fuller is making his first laps and getting comfortable in his 250 Kart, DeBenedetti is making a more aggressive challenge. He now trails Grimes by 20 points. Earlier in the afternoon, DeBenedetti and Reece Slyter were fighting for the same piece of real estate as they went down the front straightaway. Unfortunately, Slyter got airborne, hit the front fence and flipped. The good news is he was uninjured. Reece was campaigning a 500 Open Kart with the 250s. Had he been able to start the Main Event, he would be listed as the point leader in his division.
With the 500 Open Kart drivers still not rushing the gates to come racing, the UAS Speedway Karts are providing the speed at the end of the night. Larry Fuller Is just about unstoppable. In fact, the only thing that seems to stop him is mechanical issues with his kart. Fuller and Ed Grubb won heat races, but both drivers had their issues in the Main Event. In fact, Fuller didn't even get a Top 5 finish.
Grubb was giving it a good run until he too had issues. This left Steve Rambo to lead the charge. The Rambo Motorsports team brings two karts to the speedway, and it just so happened that Steve grabbed the victory ahead of teammate Johnny Hoult. In doing so, he took the point lead from Larry Fuller by just one point. For Hoult, it was also his best finish so far at Little Southern Oregon Speedway.
While Lori Fuller continues to be a story in herself as the driver in a 4 Cycle Kart holding down third in points, her daughter Brionna Fuller returned. Brionna has a broken arm, so hot laps were her test. Could she handle her kart, and would she be able to race it? When Lori found out that her daughter was clocking laps faster than most of the other competitors, she gave her the green light to go racing. Brionna lost a lap making a brief pit stop, but she went back out there and finished third ahead of her mother. Not bad for driving with one arm.
Marysville Raceway Unofficial Race Results July 28, 2018
360 Sprints
Colby Wiesz
Cody Hodgson
Billy Wallace
Mike Monahan
Brent Bjork
Alec Justeson
Jimmy Steward
Adam Walters
John Sullivan
Mike Ballantine
Kenny Allen DQ
Jeremy Hawes DQ
Dwarf Cars
A Main
Shawn Jones
Dan Geil
Mike Reeder
Jeff Fitch
Tim Fitzpatrick
Ben Wiesz
Josh Wiesz
Ron Jones
Shawn Whitney
Colby Wiesz
Sam Wren
Ryan Plexico
Justin Winter
Kevin Bender
Wade Ehrlich
Ryan Winter
Jack Haverty
Danny Wagner
Scott Dahlgren
Kevin Miraglio
Devan Kammermann
B Main
Kevin Bender
Jeff Fitch
Ben Wiesz
Justin Winter
Colby Wiesz
Mike Reed
Tom Vantuyl
Derek Droivold
Robert Kozinski
Super Stocks
Matt Davis
Jay Norton
James Castleberry
Leroy Perry
Steve Studebaker
Danielle Clauson
Rod Oliver
Chris Warner
Eddie Gardner
Dan Brown Jr.
Douglas County Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 28, 2018
Street Stock Smackdown 50
Dale Roth
Don Schott
David Cronk
Eric Jarnport
Jeff Marson
Richard Karr
Bill Stewart
Gary Perry
Kevin Ballard
Josh Sheller
Chris Lemon
Jesse Yankee
Andrew Langen
PRA Hardtop
Harlon Cox
Kyran Greene
Mike Batman
Greg Hickman
Troy Gasner
Jamie Britton
Donni Fain
Brian Leniahn
Travis Lillard
Hornet
Jeff Solberg
Dave Beals
Bart Pulse
Ron Johnson
Jeremy Simms
Pete Lemon
Matt Schoenborn
Jerry Pifher
Valerie West
Cherish Wilson
Rich Dickenson
Logan Barron
Bryson Lillard
Pro 4
Dustin Knight
Rich McCoy
David Marble
Jeff Proudy
Casey Osuna
Silver Dollar Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 27, 2018
360 Sprints
Sean Becker
Andy Forsberg
Mason Moore
Kalib Henry
Shawn Conde
Cody Lamar
Cody Hodgson
Chelsea Blevins
Kenny Allen
Peter Paulson
John Sullivan
Colby Wiesz
Brent Bjork
Korey Lovell
Wingless Sprints
Shawn Jones
Tony Richards
Brett Youngman
Matt Haulot
Kelly Hicks
Street Stocks
Corey Hall
Richard Workman
Ken Micheli
Gary Newman
Fritz Zanker
Phil Marino
Steve Studebaker DQ
Hobby Stocks
James West
Shannon Collins
Colin Ferguson
Mel Byers
Jeremy Langenderfer
Ukiah Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 28, 2018
$5 Fan Appreciation Night
Bombers
Results are not official
1 #9 TONY RAMAZZOTTI
2 #77 Erick Ray
3 #88 Bob Mook
4 #5 Jeff French
5 #51 Trevor Abella
6 #15 ERIKA RAY
7 #17 Robert Byers
8 #86 Rick Dickerson
9 #55 JUBAL KOSS
10 #8 Bo Robertson
11 #75 RON PORTLOCK
Modifieds
Results are not official
1 #49 Andy Vanderveer
2 #5 Steve Taylor
3 #55 Tyler Caturegli
4 #17 Tyler Shipley
5 #19 Shelby Helm
6 #37 Sierra Furia
7 #6 Kobe Taylor
8 #04 Cole Brown
9 #88 Gene O'Dell Jr
Pro 4 Modifieds
Results are not official
1 #87 Marty Lewis
2 #8 Andy Leuzinger
3 #29 Mike Peterson
4 #4 Wade Eldredge
Jammers
Results are not official
1 #4 Raymond Taylor Jr
2 #19X Brandi Robertson
3 #57K Kylei Keown
4 #5 Lesa Underwood
5 #20 Danny Helm Sr
6 #23 Christian Sanchez
Placerville Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 28, 2018
King Of The West/NARC Fujitsu Sprint Cars
Main Event
Results are not official
1 #3C Justin Sanders
2 #21X Shane Golobic
3 #16A Colby Copeland
4 #83 Kyle Hirst
5 #0 Bud Kaeding
6 #25 Bobby McMahan
7 #68 Chase Johnson
8 #1M Sean Becker
9 #14 Marcus Dumesny
10 #00 Jason Statler
11 #57 Dustin Golobic
12 #83T Tanner Carrick
13 #16 Andy Gregg
14 #98 Sean Watts
15 #38 Blake Carrick
16 #18 Jenna Frazier
17 #2R Richard Brace Jr
18 #88N D.J. Netto
19 #28 Nathan Rolfe
20 #12 Jarret Soares
21 #85 CJ Humphries
22 #7C Tony Gualda
B Main
Results are not official
1 #83T Tanner Carrick
2 #00 Jason Statler
3 #2R Richard Brace Jr
4 #28 Nathan Rolfe
5 #18 Jenna Frazier
6 #7C Tony Gualda
7 #38 Blake Carrick
8 #78 Mark Barroso
9 #15 Pat Harvey
10 #21 Michael Ing
11 #83SA Matt Dumesny
12 #91RI Eli Deshaies
BCRA Midget Lites
Results are not official
1 #72S Bradly Dillard
2 #78 Terry Bergstom
3 #25k Hunter Kinney
4 #35JR Dakota Albright
5 #25 Scott Kinney
6 #3F Brandon Leedy
