5/31/2016
Cottage Grove Speedway
Jason Solwold Wins Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic Finale; Jesse Williamson And Joe Maricle Also Pick Up CGS Victories
Jason Solwold Wins Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic Finale; Jesse Williamson And Joe Maricle Also Pick Up CGS Victories
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Malcolm White Photography)
Cottage Grove, Oregon- The final night of the 2016 Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic, presented by Body Works Salon and Marvin Smith Auto Repair, would be a thriller. The Sunday May 29th event would attract teams from Oregon, Washington, California, as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. 360 Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, and the Quality RV Repair Hornets were all on the card for the evening.
In the 360 Sprint main Henry Van Dam, of Enumclaw, Washington, got to the front on lap one. Van Dam, in his Kovash Logging/Johansen Excavating/Highmark Concrete Contractors/Northwest Welding & Fabrication #33V Maxim, would remain in the desired position until lap nine. Burlington’s Jason Solwold would be the one to make the pass and get by Van Dam.
A caution on lap seventeen would bunch the field up behind the Mike Anderson owned Shaylene Raye Motorsports/Scottie’s Plumbing & Repair/Heavy D/Rob Graham Trucking #18 XXX, of Solwold, but the leader would be off to a good restart and began to reestablish a sizable lead. Then, just as things were developing into an interesting contest for first place, a caution would come out on lap thirty-five for a late race restart. In fact, it would be the final caution of the race.
Solwold would get on the loud pedal, with the luxury of a lapped car between him and second, to finish off the final six laps. As the white flag would be presented to the leader Solwold would get help up in traffic. It allowed Medford’s Roger Crockett to close the gap and get on the rear tail tank to challenge late. Crockett tried to make a move in turn three on the final lap but was unable to pass Solwold. Solwold would win the Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic for the second year in a row.
The Rocket Designs/Auto Stitch Embroidery/BC Motorsports/Al Parker Racing Engines #11 KPC, of Roger Crockett, was second followed by Henry Van Dam in third. The rest of the top five would consist of Clarksburg, California pilot Justyn Cox, in fourth, and driving his Berco Redwood/Trex Plastic Decking/K&N Filters/Moyle Racing Engines #31C machine, while the Millstone Heating and Sheet Metal/Tiger Towing/Rod End Supply/Shark Racing Engines #21 Maxim, of Cobble Hill, British Columbia younger Robbie Price, was fifth.
Like the first night qualifying was split up into two separate groups. The Kevin Rudeen owned Rudeen Racing/Firedown Graphics/Factory Kahne Shocks/Hager Reality #26 KPC, of Willie Croft from Roseville, California, and Penngrove, California’s Michael Kofoid, in his DES Inc./Dan Simpson Racing/Gary Silva Ranches #4S Maxim, were the two quick clockers.
Heat one was won by the Meyer Electric/Hedge Carter Gutter Service/Bekkever Logging & Trucking/Poverty Bay Bumper #3 XXX of J.J. Hickle of Quilcene, Washington. Sutherlin Teenager Cooper Desbiens got the job done in heat two driving the J.H. Desbiens Construction/Budget Lumber/Lithia Autobody/Sisters Meat & Smokehouse/Oregon Tool & Supply #4D Maxim. Central Point chauffeur Garen Linder was victorious in heat three in his Linder Powdercoating/Visual EFX Signs & Graphics/Rodgers Racing Engines #22 KPC. Skylar Gee, out of Leduc, Alberta, was the winner of the fourth and final heat in the Carlan Services/Pat Beck Motorsports/Alco Oilfield Mining Products/Clark Construction #99 XXX.
Henry Van Dam was the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy Dash winner to start on the pole for the feature. Burlington, Washington’s Justin Youngquist would win the consolation feature in the Dale Meline owned Northern Collision/Here 2 Wire Electric/Dreamchasers RV/Image 360 Graphics, Signage, and Display #56 XXX.
Justyn Ryker of Cottage Grove, in the Jimmy Owen owned Steelhouse Metal Roofing Supply/West End Performance/Todd’s Autobody #38 entry, would be the trailblazer on lap one. Ryker would get passed on lap two by Eugene’s Jesse Williamson. Williamson, from Eugene and piloting the Furniture Options/Raceprint.com/JDM Racing Solutions #W5 High Side by Strickler, would be the car to beat for much of the race. That was until the Eugene Mortgage Brokers/Mickey’s Affordable Auto Sales/Commonwealth Financial Network #77 X-Factor of Cottage Grove’s Kreg Britton started making his way to the front late.
Britton would challenge very late and put Williamson under quite a bit of pressure. But Williamson was able to keep Britton back every time. Williamson held on the rest of the distance to capture his first win of 2016 at CGS.
Kreg Britton was a respectable second while third would belong to Redmond’s Mark Carrell in the Mark’s Auto Body #27 GRT by Phillips. Crossing the wire fourth as the Hoppes Motorsports/Courtney Auto Repair/Eugene Gutter Service #5M Dirt Works of Jake Mayden, of Springfield, with Cottage Grove’s Curtis Towns, in his Superior Fuel Cells/West End Performance/BSB Manufacturing/IBEW Local 280 #24 Superior, in fifth.
The Virgil Hanson Automotive Machine/Best Pots Inc./A&B Septic/James Gang Pizza #33C Victory Circle, of Albany native Craig Hanson, was fast time of the night. Jesse Williamson, the Furniture Options/A-1 Auto Supply/Mackin Street Customs & RV’s/Absolute Air & Auto Repair #84 Shaw of Jasper driver Eric Ashley, and Mark Carrell were the three heat race winners. Curtis Towns finished first in the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy Dash.
Brad Moffett would be the early race leader in the Quality RV Repair Hornet main event. Moffett, of Veneta and driving his Edge Motorsports/Green Electric/Tire Sport #65 Volkswagon Golf, would remain in the position until lap four. Taking over the lead would be another Veneta driver, Joe Maricle. Maricle had no issues at all afterwards and went on to pace the field for the rest of the distance. It would be the second straight race that the More Of Everything Racing Collectables/Royal Refuse Service #11 entry would visit victory lane.
The J&M Raing #7C Nissan 200SX of Josh Corley, from Westfir, was the fast timer. Corley and Joe Maricle were the two heat race winners while Maricle finished first in the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy Dash.
Cottage Grove Speedway’s next race is scheduled for Saturday June 4th celebrating Kids Night. Kids, ages 12 or under, get into the races for FREE. Classes racing will be the Clark Printing Extreme Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, Quality RV Repair Hornets.
Tickets are Adults $13.00, Juniors/Seniors $10.00, and a Family Pass $30.00. As will happen all year long in honor of our 60th Anniversary the 60th fan through the Front Gate gets in for FREE. Pit Gates open at 2:00 PM, Front Gates 4:00, and Racing is scheduled to start around 6:30. For more information log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
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