6/2/2014
Willamette Speedway
Five New Faces Grace Victory Lane At Willamette Speedway
Five New Faces Grace Victory Lane At Willamette Speedway
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Doc’s Photos)
Willamette Speedway would complete the seventh race of the 2014 season on Saturday May 31st. The classes in action at the historic 1/3-mile clay oval included the Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman, 4-Cylinders, and the W.R.S. Late Model Lites.
In Wirth Wireless IMCA Modified action Collen Winebarger of Corbett was looking to make it two in a row. Winebarger, in the Discount Race Car Parts/Frisbie Motorsports/Gordy Lee Photography #SW Shaw by Jeff Taylor, would lose the lead to Matt Mitchell. Mitchel, of Vancouver, Washington, would lead the remainder of the distance but unfortunately experienced some mechanical problems coming to the checkered. It would be the first win of the season for Mitchell and the A-Line Concrete Cutting/Shepard Performance/Van Raden Industries #15M Rayburn team.
Collen Winebarger was second while Albany’s Craig Cassell was third in his Esterlee Motel/ Dr. Mary Harada Breast Cancer Specialist at Samaritan Health Services/Debra Herndon Family Nurse Practitioner #25 Rocket by Ruhlman. Crossing the line in fourth was the Unlimited Business Services/Mountain View Woodworking Inc./Cascade Outdoor Power & Equipment #49 Pro of Tom Yeack from Crawfordsville followed by the Jim’s Flag Sales/Mike Gummus Racing #10 Hoffman of Ridgefield, Washington’s Mike Gummus in fifth.
In the Crocker’s Cars Super Sports main event Bricen James of Albany was able to get the lead early. It wouldn't be a walk in the park for him as he tried his best to keep in check the Archer Floor Covering #39 Swartz of Halsey native Dennis Archer and the Gil Pickett Custom Cabinets/G&B Natural Health/Airport Steel/Santiam Barn & Supply #98 Swartz of Salem’s Bob Jeffrey. When it was all said and done James would earn the victory for the first time in the division and it seemed like was only a matter of time for the James Gang Pizza/Lebanon Auto Body/Sign Express/Rainbow Rentals #13 MasterSbilt entry to get to the winner’s circle after several impressive runs in previous weeks.
Dennis Archer was the runner-up and Bob Jeffrey finished third. The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company #77 of James Slover from Lebanon was fourth followed by Randy Barley of Albany in his Dennis Automotive & Tires/Lebanon Auto Body/Charlie James Racing Graphics #13B Rayburn in fifth.
The Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman feature was a good one with Jeff Marson of Molalla rising to the occasion. Marson would lead every lap and hold off a couple of challenges. It would mark the first time that the Marson Transit/Marson Trucking #13 Port-City entry has visited victory lane in 2014.
The Fritz Cutting & Coring/Flatt Muffler & Custom Exhaust/Doerfler Farms/Zosel Sheds #88 Rayburn of Newberg's Brian Winkler was second and third went to Casey Rhoades from Lebanon in his Hyer Convenience Store/SpinWare at the Heritage Mall/Sure Flow Concrete Pumping/Omen 5150 Tattoo #J55 entry. Briley Pompe of Philomath was fourth in the Pompe Racing/X-Factor Race Cars/The Storage Depot #0P Lawson followed by the Hackney Racing/Wirth Wireless #3 Swartz of Scio driver Steve Moore in fifth driving for Glen Hackney.
In the W.R.S. 4-Cylinder Late Model Lites Ron Brewster of Redmond was the car to beat early. Brewster, in the Central Oregon Truck Company/Stipe Engine Specialties #31 Rayburn, would lead the majority of the distance only to be passed on the last lap by Bob Westcott. It would be an exciting win for Westcott, of Milwaukie, putting his Royal Purple/Northwest College of Beauty/Pro-Tek Automotive/TPR Industrial #93 Feb-Tek Terminator in victory lane.
Brewster would be scored as second while Eric Aos of Milwaukie in his Aos Racing #66 machine was third. The rest of the top five would consist of the Brian Luzny at Keller Williams Real Estate/Morgan Stanley Financial/Dick’s Towing #7 Klemcheck of Nolan Fincher from Medford in fourth and Randy Hansen in the Fab-Tek #3 Harter entry in fifth. In the 4-Cylinder division’s 2014 debut Dale Holland would dominate in his #18 machine picking up the victory over Allen Reece.
Saturday June 7th will mark one of the crown jewels of the Pacific Northwest as the Strawberry Cup returns to Willamette Speedway. Classes in action include the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models, Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman, and Street Stocks.
Pit Gates will open at 1:00 PM, the Pit Meeting will take place at 2:30, Front Gates open at 3:30, and Racing starts at 6:00. Tickets are Adults $12.00, Seniors/Military/Juniors (13-17) $10.00, Youths (Ages 12-6) $5.00, and Children under the age of 5 are FREE and a family pass will be offered for two Adults and up to four Youths for just $35.00. For more information log on to www.trophymotorsports.com.
Race Summary:
Race #7
Saturday May 31st, 2014
Willamette Speedway
Lebanon, Oregon
Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds
A Feature: 1. 15M-Matt Mitchell; 2. SW-Collen Winebarger; 3. 25-Craig Cassell; 4. 49-Tom Yeack; 5. 10-Mike Gummus; 6. 15B-Tanner Baldwin; 7. 00-Ken Gummus; 8. 40-Jeff Lovell; 9. 47-Kyle Yeack
Crocker’s Cars Super Sports
A Feature: 1. 13-Bricen James; 2. 39-Dennis Archer; 3. 98-Bob Jeffrey; 4. 77S-James Slover; 5. 13B-Randy Barley; 6. 44-Brian Thompson; 7. 32-Curt Fry; 8. 22-Dave Miller; 9. 11-Larry Rametes; 10. 84-Clay Debban; 11. 100-Todd Neal; 12. 5-Danny Altom; 13. 10-Brian Brown; 14. 18-Tim Archer; 15. 32-Phil Housworth; 16. 16-Todd Shandy; DNS 29-Sean Cronk
Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman
A Feature: 1. 13-Jeff Marson; 2. 88-Brian Winkler; 3. 55-Casey Rhoades; 4. 0P-Briley Pompe; 5. 3-Steve Moore; 6. 75-Dave Foote; 7. 11-Joey Cannon; 8. 33-Anthony Bentley; 9. 0-Clyde Rood; 10. 12-Mike Robbins; 11. 2-Glen Hackney
4-Cylinders
A Feature: 1. 18-Dale Holland; 2. 72-Allen Reece
WRS Late Model Lites
A Feature: 1. 93-Bob Westscott; 2. 31-Rob Brewster; 3. 66-Eric Aos; 4. 7-Nolan Fincher; 5. 3-Randy Hansen; 6. 29-Greg Prewitt; 7. 16-Jason Wesolowski; 8. 94-Mike Christopherson; DNS 17-Ted Rees
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage