IMCA Modifieds Are Raring To Go Back Racing At Sunset
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Ken O’Neil)
Banks, Oregon- Sunset Speedway Park is home to some of the most exciting IMCA Modified action in the Pacific Northwest if not the entire Western United States. Why that is said you may ask? Because it’s a place where the wins are spread throughout the field and only a couple of drivers have managed to visit victory lane more than once.
“I think we will are going to get some cars from around the region to race here regularly and that should produce some great races,” commented Sunset Speedway Park Race Director Charlie Weaver, “the wins are balanced out here so there really isn’t one car that wins all the time. Usually we only have one or two drivers win more than once in a season and that right there shows you the level of competition at Banks.”
For example in the 2012 season there were ten different winners in eleven separate races with Kenny Miller the only repeat victor. Last year there was ten events and eight different winners. Two drivers, Mark Carrell and Rob Ireland, managed to visit the winner’s circle on more than one occasion.
Those two main event victories for Rob Ireland would propel him at the top of the point table, along with a healthy seven top five finishes, and the championship last season. But just because you don’t win a main event doesn’t mean you’re out of the championship. That’s exactly what happened with Chris Quinn in 2012 due to his consistency in main event action.
2014 will see thirteen races for the IMCA Modifieds. The “Banks Bullring” will host the opening two legs of the Wild West Modified Speedweek starting with Saturday July 19th and then Sunday the 20th. In the past six seasons there have been five different champions at the ¼-mile clay oval. Doug Lockwood is the only repeat champion in that time span with his back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.
It’s sure to be a great season so make sure you don’t miss a lap of it. For the latest information regarding Sunset Speedway Park log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com or follow us on Facebook.
Past Sunset Speedway Park IMCA Modified Champions
2008- Doug Lockwood
2009- Doug Lockwood
2010- Mike Graham
2011- Eric Sayre
2012- Chris Quinn
2013- Rob Ireland
*- This is a partial list of champions