6/16/2014
Willamette Speedway
Willamette Speedway Completes Successful Fan Appreciation Night
Willamette Speedway Completes Successful Fan Appreciation Night
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Doc’s Photos)
With a packed house and a full pit area fans were greeted with some great racing at Willamette Speedway. The historic 1/3-mile would host a full card of racing which included the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models, Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman, Street Stocks, and 4-Cylinders all in action as well as the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series.
Collen Winebarger of Corbett would set the pace in the early goings of the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models main event. But Winebarger would surrender the lead around the halfway mark to Brian Cronk. Cronk, of Portland, was ultra-quick in his Metro Services/Dog Lover's Gold Dog Food/Big Sky Landscaping/Gassner Trucking #29 Rocket and looked to be on his way to victory lane. But in the closing stages he would be held up in lapped traffic allowing for Winebarger to regain some lost territory.
Winebarger would close the gap and make the pass on the final lap at the line to capture his first X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Model feature of the season for his Discount Race Car Parts/Gordy Lee Photography/Frisbie Motorsports #SW MasterSbilt team and his second overall win at Willamette this year after winning once in the Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds.
The Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds would have an incident filled feature. Curtis Towns was the car to beat as he found himself out in front for much of the race. Towns, from Cottage Grove, would blaze the trail in his X-Factor Race Cars/West End Performance/Valley Rose Construction/IBEW Local 280 #24 X-Factor before eventually losing the lead with about ten laps remaining. Taking over the top spot was Matt Mitchell of Vancouver, Washington who lead the rest of the distance to put his A-Line Concrete Cutting/Shepard Performance/Van Raden Industries #15M Rayburn in the winner’s circle for the second time in 2014 to become the first repeat winner in the division this season.
The Crocker’s Cars Super Sports would see Brian Brown of Portland lead the first few laps in his B&A Racing #10 Barnbuilt entry but Randy Barley would get around him. Barley, of Albany, set the pace in his Dennis Automotive and Tires/Charlie James Racing Graphics/Lebanon Auto Body #13B Rayburn until the halfway mark when youngster Bricen James would make the pass for the top spot. James would go on to win the feature to make it three straight in the division for his James Gang Pizza/Lebanon Auto Body/Rainbow Rentals/Schram Brothers Excavating #13 MasterSbilt entry and his seventh win overall at Willamette.
Brian Winkler would pick up the win in the shortened Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman event. The Newberg native in his Fritz Cutting & Coring/Flatt Muffler & Custom Exhaust/Dorfler Farms #88 Rayburn captured the lead early and would stay out in front to become the first repeat winner in the division in 2014.
With positions being jockeyed for several laps Monmouth pilot Erik Jarnport earned his first win of the campaign in the Street Stocks. The West Coast Agriculture Construction Company/Les Schwab Tires #53 Monte Carlo mount had led several laps this season but had yet to visit victory lane until now. And earning the victory for the second straight time in the 4-Cylinders was Dale Holland in his #18 entry.
We also want to give a huge shout out to Paul Moses at Highoctane Die Cast for doing an outstanding job with his Cars Of Stars promotion which had race fans win 1:24 scale die cast replicas of race cars that frequent the Willamette Speedway.
Willamette Speedway returns in action on Friday June 20th for the fourth race of the season for the Kart program and Saturday night on the 21st for Mid-Season Championship Night presented by Highoctane Die Cast. Classes in action will include the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models, Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman, Street Stocks, and 4-Cylinders. The evening will host a little bit different format as the top ten in points in each division will be locked into the main event.
General admission to the Friday Kart race will be FREE of charge. Pit Passes are $10.00 and Car and Driver fees will be $30.00. The Pit Gate will open up around 4:00 PM and Racing is scheduled to begin around 6:30.
On Saturday the 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 for this event 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.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
