Carrell, P. Graham, Roden, LaBarge, Martinez, D. Owen SSP Championship Night Winners
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of John Tarr)
The final race of 2015 at Sunset Speedway Park would be a good one. The “Banks Bullring” was on hand for Saturday September 19th's Championship Night presented by 98.7 The Bull. Six classes were on the card including the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Dwarf Cars, and 4-Bees.
Mark Carrell of Redmond would get the mission accomplished in the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds. It would mark the fourth win of the season for the Mark's Auto Body #27 GRT by Phillips team at Banks. After entering the night tied in points Albany's Craig Cassell managed to earn enough markers to win the title. It would be the first championship at SSP for Cassell and the Ester Lee Motel of Lincoln City/Corvallis Seed & Feed/Dr. Mary Harada Breast Cancer Specialist/Debra Herndon Family Nurse Practitioner #25 Rocket by Ruhlman entry.
Pamela Graham would win yet again in the IMCA Sport Mods. The Vancouver, Washington driver would get win number five of the year. She also would have the most points to win the championship in her Perfection Automotive/21st Century Towing/Meyers Auto Body/Freeman Tile #12X FR1.
West Linn's Brian Roden racked up his seventh win of 2015 in the Molecular Motions/JNR Contruction #14 Camaro. Roden would fall a handful of points short in the race for the crown. John Ireland of Banks would win his second straight SSP Street Stock championship in his Ireland & Ireland PC/Applebee Aviation/Klecker Knives #88 Monte Carlo.
The DVC Machine/Pure Addiction Diesel Performance/S&R Motorz #7 Camaro of Forest Grove's Trevor LaBarge was the victor of the Pure Stock feature. It was LaBarge's fifth trip to victory lane in the current campaign. John Henry from Hillsboro would have the most points to win the title in his Ernest Racing/Henry Racing/TK's Auto Repair/Joe's Auto Body and Paint #68 Camaro .
Defending Dwarf Car titlist Ryan Martin of Portland would win yet another feature. The Auto Truck Wholesale/St. John's Tire Factory/Van Raden Industries #9 M&M graced the winner's circle on the sixth occasion to not only end the year with the most wins but also to repeat as the track champion.
Vernonia's Damion Owen surprised everyone with his successes in his first season in the 4-Bees. Owen got his fourth win, just one shy of the most wins in 2015, in the TK Auto Repair #23 Dodge Neon. When it came to the championship that was won by Chris Batalgia who was the class of the field for the majority of the year including five wins in his Sweere's Trucking/Auto-Inter Automotive/O'Reilly's Auto Parts #38 Dodge Neon.
Although the racing season may be over be sure and check out www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com for the latest news and information. Upcoming stories will be season recaps in each class as well as a list of drivers that will be receiving awards at the banquet. Don't forget to visit our Facebook page and “Like” it.
Race Summary:
Championship Night presented by 98.7 The Bull
Saturday September 19th, 2015
Sunset Speedway Park
Banks, Oregon
Budweiser IMCA Modifieds
A Feature 1: 1. 27-Mark Carrell; 2. 57-Kenny Miller; 3. 68-Bubba Foster; 4. 25-Craig Cassell; 5. 21-Mark Reser; 6. 99-Brad Martin; 7. 66-Doug Lockwood; 8. 8-Rob Ireland; 9. 5G-Marc Farrar; 10. 63-Mike Swere; 11. 4X-Rick Graham; 12. 53V-Jake Vanortwick; 13. 09-John Gamell; 14. 44-Kristi Somers; 15. 93-Todd Newton; 16. 38-Steve Suckow; 17. 50-Sonny Sayre
IMCA Sport Mods
A Feature 1: 1. 12X-Pamela Graham; 2. 04-Michael Melton; 3. 31-Tony Hendon; 4. 38-Randy O'Connor
Street Stocks
A Feature 1: 1. 14-Brian Roden; 2. 88-John Ireland; 3. 11X-Donald Schott; 4. 18C-Justen Case; 5. 26-Stan Asanovic; 6. 88I-Rob Ireland; 7. 10-James Baker; 8. 7-Doug Pitsch; 9. 04-Joey Tardio; 10. 32-Robert Summerhalder; 11. 43-Mike Lockwood; 12. 07-Charlie Culpepper; 13. 31-Mark O'Grady; 14. 3-Earl Claypool; 15. 02-Rod Lowe
Pure Stocks
A Feature 1: 1. 7-Trevor Labarge; 2. 68-John Henry; 3. 05-Ken Schave; 4. 66-Kendall Lee; 5. 30-Adam Hopkes; 6. 33-Jim Peterson; 7. 04-Amanda Clarke; 8. 11-Travis Pitsch; 9. 28-Jeremiah Peak; 10. 02-Marcie Treat
NW Dwarfs
A Feature 1: 1. 9-Ryan Martinez; 2. 37-Guy Tow Jr.; 3. 2-James Brinster; 4. 46-Guy Tow Sr.; 5. 777-Dennis Liebig; 6. 18-Shane Youngren; 7. 24-Mike Chadwick; 8. 40-Kyle Thompson; 9. 88-John Chrisman; 10. 5-Ted Rees; 11. 3X-Alex Rees; 12. 51-Dan Coutts; 13. 77-Brad Hicks
4-Bee's
A Feature 1: 1. 23-Damion Owen; 2. 7-Gary Jones; 3. 24-Rob Ferree; 4. 8-William Wolfe; 5. 19-Jason Gilman; 6. 73-Ronald Sweere; 7. 36-Greg Davidson; 8. 18-Barry Lambert; 9. 38-Chris Batalgia; 10. 1-Nathan Owen