Tanner Holmes Triumphant At Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic; Bessette And Lancaster Also Earn Wins
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Jason Davenport Photography)
The Sunday, May 26th finale of the Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic at Cottage Grove Speedway was a thrilling display of competitive racing. The Todd's Auto Body 360 Sprints, featuring cars from all over the Pacific Coast and Canada, was a nail-biting affair with the $4,100 top prize up for grabs. The Late Models and Junior divisions also delivered intense competition, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
The highly anticipated forty-one lap feature of the Todd's Auto Body 360 Sprints kicked off with Harrisburg's Tyler Thompson taking an early lead. Despite a lap one-stoppage, Thompson maintained his quick pace, distancing himself from the rest of the field. However, a few laps later, heavy-lapped traffic allowed Tanner Holmes to close in, setting the stage for an intense battle.
It took just a few laps for heavy-lapped traffic to be caught, which allowed Tanner Holmes to try to give chase and get relatively close. Thompson made some very key decisions in the congestion, but things slowed down with a tenth circuit stoppage. When the green banner waved once more, it was a short-lived run due to another yellow on the following lap.
A green flag run developed, and yet again, heavy traffic was hit in a matter of laps. Holmes put forth another challenge on the sixteenth circuit. Still, Thompson did his best to run and hide in lapped traffic, only to slow down for a red flag with eighteen laps complete.
When the green returned, Thompson got out to a healthy lead once more, and lapped traffic was hit around the halfway mark. Holmes would keep the leader honest, and things would get interesting as the green flag got longer and traffic got heavier.
As the race entered its final stages, Holmes' patience paid off as he executed a flawless slider in turn four with nine laps remaining, taking the lead from Thompson. However, Thompson was not ready to give up and attempted to regain the lead on the thirty-trip trip past the flag stand, only to be interrupted by another caution flag.
Holmes had an open race to operate with for several circuits and went uncontested despite some light traffic to negotiate with to win his first career Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic. It was an emotional win for the young phenom as he accrued his third victory in the 2024 campaign.
Thompson was a gallant runner-up, while Central Point's Garen Linder completed the podium with third. Making the journey from Modesto, California, Tony Gomes put the Doug and Kathy Rutz entry in fourth, followed by Puyallup, Washington pilot Trey Starks in fifth.
The Late Model feature started with Eugene veteran Chuck Christian grabbing the initial race lead. Around lap five, Battle Ground, Washington native Nick Bessette began to run down Christian to try to challenge for the top spot. He would successfully obtain the position on the following circuit at the line.
The caution would wave on lap twelve after second-place running Jake Mayden, of Springfield, in the Tim Morgan-fielded mount, had mechanical issues forcing him to bow out early. When green flag racing conditions returned, Bessette cruised to a big lead. The Evergreen State native would win by a massive five-second plus advantage over second place.
Albany's Randy Barley wound up the runner-up, with Nate Augustine from Redmond in third. Christian ended the evening fourth over Willie Sutton of Bellfountain.
The Junior ranks began similarly to the night before, with Tynlee Mayden of Springfield taking over the top spot at the start. She started the feature with a massive lead and was consistently fast. Unfortunately, she sustained a flat right front tire and slowed her pace down massively. Eugene's Eugene's Rowen Lancaster took leadership duties on the twelfth circuit.
Lancaster dominated the rest of the remaining laps to win his fourth straight main event at CGS. Shane Dowty of Eugene went home second, with Mayden credited third.
Cottage Grove Speedway returns to racing on Friday, May 31st, and Saturday, June for the Ralph Bloom Memorial. For more information, log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com.
- Ben Deatherage on May 31, 2024
- Article Date: 5/31/2024