Koch, Graham, and Roden Saturday Night Winners At Banks
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Ken O'Neil)
Fans of Sunset Speedway Park were entertained to some good racing on Saturday June 29th. Classes that were in competition included the Northwest Extreme Modifieds, WRS Late Model Lites, Street Stocks, and 4-Bees.
The Northwest Extreme Modifieds and WRS Late Model Lites would end up running with one another in the feature. And in the main event it would be Portland’s Rick Graham emerging victorious for the sixth time in seven starts in the Perfection Automotive/Sweere Trucking #18X. Rob Ireland of Banks was the early race leader in the Pat Lechner owned #1 entry until lap thirteen when Graham would earn the win.
WRS regular Jason Weselowski was the runner-up in his #16 followed by Lorton, Virginia’s Chris Frisbie in the Discount Race Car Parts/Frisbie Motorsports #17. Rob Ireland would end his night in fourth while The Sign Shop/Advocare #00 of Brandon Penney from Portland was fifth.
The Street Stocks had an entertaining fifty lap main event. Aberdeen, Washington’s Shane Kerrigan was the early favorite putting in his #43 Mustang out in front. The Club Sport Oregon #14 Camaro of Brian Roden would overtake Kerrigan for the lead on lap six and was looking for his third win of 2013.
The West Linn chauffeur, Roden, would lead until the two-time and defending track champ Craig Loomis of Vancouver, Washington got to the front on lap thirteen. Loomis, in his Buz's Equipment Trailers/City Sprint Delivery #01 Camaro, looked for his third win of the campaign but would lose the lead to Roden. Roden would be back in front but lost the desired position to Banks’ John Ireland in the #88 mount.
Ireland led nearly the rest of the distance until mechanical problems slowed down his efforts. Roden would once again return to the front. This it would be Roden leading the rest of the way to win his third victory of the year and his second straight.
The #19 Camaro of Forest Grove’s Tony Catalano was second while John Ireland ended his evening in third. John Adams of Portland in his #70 was fourth followed by the #3 machine of Earl Claypool from Hillsboro.
It looked as if the #12 of Jason Blythe of Buxton was well on his way to his third 4-Bee win of the season. Blythe would lead the most laps of the feature but would lose the top spot to fellow Buxton driver Travis Koch. Koch, in the #21 machine, would go on to the win and become the fourth different winner in the division so far this year.
Jason Blythe would finish a respectable second place followed by the Kerrigan and Sons Trucking #17 of Willie Wright from Aberdeen, Washington. The #22 of Hillsboro’s Nick Henry of Hillsboro was fourth while in fifth was the #8 of Austin Duyck from Forest Grove.
The Sunset Speedway Park will be in action on Independence Day, Thursday July 4th, for the return of the Firecracker 100. The will feature a full card of action including the return of Northwest Extreme Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, and 4-Bees.
The Late Models will have a one hundred lap feature while a wonderful fireworks display will cap things off once racing has concluded. Regular times and prices will be in effect for this race for more information be sure and log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.
Race Summary:
Saturday June 29th, 2013
Sunset Speedway Park
Banks, Oregon
Northwest Extreme Modifieds/WRS Late Model Lites
8 Entries
A-Feature: 1. Rick Graham, 2. Jason Wesolowski, 3. Chris Frisbie, 4. John Ireland, 5. Brandon Penney, 6. Oscar Luckman, 7. Dave Weselowski, 8. Joey Tardio
Street Stocks
16 Entries
A-Feature: 1. Brian Roden, 2. Tony Catalano, 3. John Ireland, 4. Johnny Adams, 5. Earl Claypool, 6. Shane Kerrigan, 7. Dave Cannon, 8. Robert Summerhalder, 9. Garrett Dees, 10. Ben Sauter, 11. Rebecca Pickerill, 12. Tom Lauzon, 13. Craig Loomis, 14. Austin Kerrigan, 15. Trevor Brotherton, 16. Bert Pegg
4-Bees
14 Entries
A-Feature: 1. Travis Koch, 2. Jason Blythe, 3. Willie Wright, 4. Nick Henry, 5. Austin Duyck, 6. Mike Mastrangelo, 7. John Henry, 8. Jason Valentine, 9. Ken Schave, 10. Gary Jones, 11. Jacob Henry, 12. Ronald Sweere, 13. Chris Cannon, 14. John Gartner