10/5/2015
Grays Harbor Raceway
VanDam, Asche, Schnitzer & Wright Capitalize on Championship Night
The sun shined bright for the 2015 Grays Harbor Raceway Season Championship presented by Q-Mart on Saturday night with a very good field of cars in all classes. Champions were crowned in the 360 Sprint Cars, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, and Outlaw Tuners.
Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks:
Aberdeen's Austin Kerrigan and Jack Parshall of Hoquiam set the front row of the 20 lap feature. Both drivers fighting for the championship were looking to have no costly mistakes all night long. Kerrigan took the early lead, with Parshall right at this back bumper. Tacoma driver Mike Knox quickly moved into third, until Shelton's Brenton Schnitzer took the spot from Knox in turn four. Parshall looked to the outside of Kerrigan out for turn four, but debris brought out the caution on lap 2.
On the restart, Kerrigan took the early lead once again, with Schnitzer looking to make a move past Parshall for second. Schnitzer ran the high side of the raceway, Parshall down low had more momentum and continued to run in the second position. Lap traffic became a huge factor for Kerrigan and Parshall as lap 13 saw Kerrigan make contact with a lapped car then make contact with Schnitzer causing Kerrigan to spin in turn one, also involved were Spanaway's Tom Hecker, Hoquiam driver Jason Tole, and Shane Kerrigan of Aberdeen. Lap 18 saw Parshall run into some mechanical issues, leaving fluid on the racetrack, which caused him to spin in turn one, putting an end to his evening.
Schnitzer led the field to the green flag for a green, white, checkered restart, and went on to pick up his first career Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks feature event. Knox Jr, Brian Harding, Hecker, and Tim Phillips rounded out the top five. Austin Kerrigan won the scramble earlier in the evening, with Tyler Walker picking up fast time. While Parshall had mechanical issues in the feature, he would be crowned champion for the 2015 season.
360 Sprint Cars:
Enumclaw's Henry Van Dam and Jay Cole of Shelton led the 22 car field to the green flag in the 25 lap feature. Cole would jump the initial start, causing a complete restart. The second attempt Van Dam took the early lead from Cole. The first red flag of the the feature would come out on lap 2 for JJ Hickle of Quilcene, going for a wild ride on the backstretch and the car catching fire. Hickle would escape the car with the help of fellow drivers Cam Smith of Mill Creek, and Everett's Tyler Anderson. Hickle would walk away uninjured. Van Dam led the field to the green on the restart, and pulling away slightly from the rest of the field. Lap traffic quickly became a factor for Van Dam, allowing Cole to get to his back bumper. The red flag would come out once again for Lake Steven's driver Devin Madonia as he would go upside down in turn four on lap 9.
Van Dam continued to lead the field, and it didn't take long for him to pull away, as the battle for second between Trey Starks of Puyllup and Cole was the race to watch. The red flag once again would fly for a 3 car incident on lap 10 in turn 2. Kyle Secord of Camano Island would get upside down, also involved were Jake Gilman of Forest Grove, Oregon, and Trevor Cook of Burlington. Van Dam looked flawless on the restarts, picking where to accelerate, and would continue to pull away from the field, picking up an incident filled feature event, Cole, Colton Heath, Starks, and Jason Reed rounded out the top five, Van Dam also picked up the Scramble earlier in the evening, with fast time going to Jason Solwold. Van Dam was crowned champion for 2015.
Shipwreck Beads Modifieds:
33 cars signed in for the Shipwreck Beads Modifieds for season championship. Tom Sweatman of Cosmopolis, and Shelton's Kris Asche led the field to the green flag for the 25 lap feature. Asche took the early lead from Sweatman on the start, but the caution would come out for Cle Elum's Aaron Weston and Yakima driver Don Martin. Asche led the field on the restart, with Sweatman and James Wolfard of Seaback on his back bumper, but the yellow would come out this time for Don Jenner of Vancouver as he would spin in turn four. Asche once again led the field to the green, Sweatman looked to the inside but Asche had more momentum on the high side of the raceway. While the rest of the field battled for position, Asche started to pull away from Sweatman, until the caution would come out for a three car incident in turn 2 on lap 6 involving Mel Decker of Mt. Vernon, Olympia's Steve Signal, and Martin.
Sweatman once again had another chance at getting by Asche for the lead, looking to the inside but couldn't make the pass. The battle for third between a pair of Aberdeen drivers Shane Kerrigan, and Zack Simpson would be the race to watch, while Sweatman looked to the inside of Asche for the lead out of turn four. Asche maintained the lead. Caution flag would fly on lap 12 for Jeremy Miller of Montesano, and Vancouver driver Danny O'Neil as both would make contact and spin in turn two. Asche would have his hands full late in the feature as Matt Jenner of Vancouver looked to the inside multiple times for the lead, racing side by side, lap after lap. At the end of the shortened feature Kris Asche picked up the win, Matt Jenner, Scott Miller, Mark Carrell, and Craig Moore rounded out the top five. Earlier in the evening Sweatman won the Scramble. Scott Miller would be crowned champion for 2015.
Outlaw Tuners:
A pair of Aberdeen drivers, Willie Wright and Ryan Onasch set the front row of the Outlaw Tuners feature, as both drivers were both in championship contention. Onasch took the early lead from Wright as Wishkah's George Lovell looked to the inside for second, but couldn't make the pass. Onasch looked to slowly pull away from Wright until lap 4 when Onasch would spin in turn one, giving the lead to Wright. On the restart Wright led the field to the green, contact between multiple cars would see Spanaway's Timmy Phillips spin to a stop in turn one.
Wright timed his restarts just right as Tenino's Chad Norton slowly closed in on Wright, looking to make a pass for the lead. Wright and Norton took the white flag, with Norton looking for any mistakes made, but at the end of the feature, Willie Wright picked up the feature win. Wright was also victorious earlier in the evening winning the scramble. Wright would also be crowned champion for 2015.
After the races were over the fans were treated to an excellent fireworks show to top off the 2015 season.
Article Credit: Aaron Reed
Submitted By: Steve Beitler
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