SSP Hosts A Night Of Great Racing To Complete Race #3
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Alyssa Jones)
Race three of 2014 would go down in the books as a good one at Sunset Speedway Park on Saturday May 31st. Classes in action at the “Banks Bullring” included IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Northwest Extreme Modifieds, Pure Stocks, 4-Bee’s, and 600cc Micro Sprints.
Doug Lockwood was the driver to beat in the IMCA Modified feature. Diamonding the corners and developing a pretty good rythem to build a respectable lead. The Aloha driver would put his Aloha Station Tavern/Perfection Automotive/Ross Electric/Curtis Trailers #66 Shaw in the winner’s circle to become the second different winner in as many events in the class this year.
In second place would be Jake Van Ortwick of Scappoose in his MAPS Auto Center/Andone Enterprize/DFI Performance/Justin Russell Trucking #53V Rayburn followed by the Quinn Racing #X3 entry of Vancouver, Washington’s Chris Quinn in third. The rest of the top five would consist of Banks native Rob Ireland in his Ireland & Ireland at Law/Privateer Racing/Applebee Aviation #8 machine in fourth while credited with fifth place was Bubba Foster of Dayton in the Busy Bee Cleaning/Pam Pam’s Autowrecking/J.R. Printing & Graphics #68 Allen.
The Street Stock main event would see McMinnville’s Freya Smith leading much of the early goings. The Sweere's Auto Body/Sweere's Trucking/Tire Factory of McMinnville #37 Camaro of Smith would stay out in front until Earl Claypool Jr. of Hillsboro would overtake her for the top spot. Claypool would lead the rest of the distance to put his Beaverton Machine Shop/Customs by RC/JNR Construction #3 Camaro in victory lane.
Freya Smith was a respectable second place followed by the JNR Construction/ Molecular Motion Inc./Dockweiler Stainless Steel Tube Systems #14 Camaro of West Linn driver Brian Roden in third. Crossing the wire in fourth was Shawna Long from Hillsboro in her Ron Jermann Racing/Trans Medic/Perfection Automotive/Walters Racing #87 Cutlass followed by the Pitsch Racing #7 of Doug Pitsch in fifth.
Oscar Luckman of Portland would pick up the win in the Northwest Extreme Modifeds. It would be the second consecutive victory for him and his Privateer Racing #96 team. Luckman would actually be very dominate in the feature by winning by half a lap.
Brandon Potter of St. Helens was second in the Hope House/Ry Ki Roofing and Sheetmetal #11 Pro followed by Tony Hendon in the Hendon Racing #31 entry in third. Fourth place would go to the Diamond Excavating #6 machine of Battle Ground, Washington driver Chris Ray in fourth while behind him in fifth was Michael Melton, and also from Battle Ground, in his Melton Racing #04 Dirt Works.
The Pure Stock feature would be a thriller as they were in action for the first time in 2014. Bert Pegg of Vancouver, Washington was the dominant mount for most of the race. Pegg worked his way from the back to the front and looked to have the race won in his Pegg Boys Racing/Kenton Station/Pfeifer's Mobile Concrete/Local Glaziers #17 Firebird. But on the last lap he would get passed by the Pure Addiction Diesel Performance/S&R Motorz/Courtesy Auto Body #7 Camaro of Trevor LaBarge from Forest Grove for the win. It was LaBarge's first career victory in only a handful of starts.
Bert Pegg was second while third was the Brookshire Racing #11 of Larry Brookshire. Crossing the stripe in fourth was Terry Houck of Yamhill in the Luttrell's Trucking/Trask Mountain Outpost/Sweere’s Trucking/Happy Hut #58 Camaro entry while his teammate Scott Hoodenpyl from Gaston was fifth in the Luttrell's Trucking/Trask Mountain Outpost/Sweere’s Trucking/Happy Hut #53 Nova.
In the 4-Bee’s Travis Koch of Vancouver, Washington was able to obtain the lead around the halfway mark. Once he got out in front he would run away with it to put his North's Plumbing/Dusty's Automotive/Mac Tools #21 Dodge Neon in victory lane for the first time in 2014.
The Mark’s Towing and Transport #82 Dodge Neon of Troutdale’s Bo Jones was second followed by Portland pilot John Gartner in his Gartner Racing/Ram Light Truck/ACE Car Detailing/Foot Print Designs #48 Mitsubishi Eclipse was third. Chris Bataglia of Forest Grove was fourth in the Sweere’s Trucking #38 Dodge Neon while wrapping up the top five was Nick Henry of North Plains in his Henry Racing/Joe’s Autobody and Paint/Social Lies Pub and Grill #22 Dodge Neon was fifth.
Last but not least the Micro Sprints were in action for the second time of the season. Dominating the main event was Dustin O’Brien of Snohomish, Washington in his Every Little Detail/JRS Motorsports/Accent Interiors #71 Pace to win the feature. In fact drivers from the state of Washington would perform very well in the main event.
The Driven Performance #12 entry of Spud Allen from Bellingham, Washington was the runner-up while third place went to Lake Stevens’ Kaitlyn Hammer in her Pacific Tire/Rob Graham Trucking/Pacific Logging/#39K PMP. The balance of the top five would be made up of the D&D Custom Service/Mobile Hardware #86 PMP of Deming, Washington’s Jeff Little followed by Brandee Wood from Ferndale, Washington in her Whatcom Windshields/RAW Motorglass #1W entry.
Racing returns to Sunset Speedway Park this Saturday June 7th. A Car Load Special will be utilized meaning a car, truck, RV, etc. of race fans can get into the races for just $25.00. Classes in action will include the IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Womens, and 4-Bee's. Pit Gates will open at 2:00 PM, Front Gates open at 3:30, and racing starts at 6:00. Tickets for the 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.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.
Race Summary:
Race #3
Saturday May 31st, 2014
Sunset Speedway Park
Banks, Oregon
IMCA Modifieds
A Feature: 1. 66-Doug Lockwood; 2. 53V-Jake Vanortwick; 3. X3-Chris Quinn; 4. 8-Rob Ireland; 5. 68-Bubba Foster; 6. 00-Kent Dollarhyde; 7. 05-Rayun McMichael; 8. 2G-Brad Gentry; 9. 11-Brandon Potter; 10. 4D4-Danny Daniels
Street Stocks
A Feature: 1. 3-Earl Claypool; 2. 37-Freya Smith; 3. 14-Brian Roden; 4. 87-Shawna Long; 5. 7-Doug Pitsch; 6. 01-Craig Loomis; 7. 88-John Ireland; 8. 00-Terry Mason; 9. 02-Rod Lowe
NW Extreme Modifieds
A Feature: 1. 96-Oscar Luckman; 2. 11-Brandon Potter; 3. 31-Tony Hendon; 4. 6-Chris Ray; 5. 04-Michael Melton
Pure Stocks
A Feature: 1. 7-Trevor LaBarge; 2. 17-Bert Pegg; 3. 11-Larry Brookshire; 4. 58-Terry Houck; 5. 53-Scott Hoodenpyl; 6. 05-Ken Shauve; 7. 22-Jimmy Biggs; 8. 01-Paul Ireland; 9. 66-Kendall Lee; 10. 33-Jim Peterson; 11. 24-Cori Vandercoevering; 12. 25-Michael Vandercoevering; 13. 23-Bob McGrotty
4-Bee's
A Feature: 1. 21-Travis Koch; 2. 82-Bo Jones; 3. 48-John Gartner; 4. 38-Chris Batalgia; 5. 22-Nick Henry; 6. 7-Gary Jones; 7. 99-Ronald Sweere; 8. 53-Lonnie Jackson; 9. 77X-Bill Blythe; 10. 97-Joe Loy; 11. 98-Thomas Calhoun; 12. 12-Jason Blythe; 13. 77-Jacob Henry
Micro Sprints 600cc
A Feature: 1. 71-Dustin O'Brien; 2. 12-Spud Allen; 3. 39K-Kaitlyn Hammer; 4. 86-Jeff Little; 5. 1W-Brandee Wood; 6. 90-Rich Speer; 7. 21-Jesse Schlotfeldt; 8. 16-Jeff Hatcher; 9. 0-Ashleigh Johnson; 10. 29T-Jake Tupper