Grays Harbor Raceway was back in action this past Saturday night with the Sportsman Sprints, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks and Outlaw Tuners taking to the 3/8 banked clay oval in front of a great crowd and partly sunny skies.
Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks:
Ocean Shores driver Jeff Daniel led the field to the green flag on the Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks main event. Daniel took the early lead, as Hoquiam's Jason Tole moved into the second spot, getting by Don Briggs Jr of Wishkah. Austin Kerrigan of Aberdeen joined in on the battle moving into third. Daniel lead the opening laps with a pack of drivers right on his back bumper. Olympia's Tyson Blood looked to the high side of turn four on lap four going from the fourth position to the lead, getting by Daniel, Tole, and Kerrigan Lap 5 saw the first caution of the 20 lap feature as Westport driver Taylor Miller and David Forte of Spanway making contact and spinning in turn four.
Blood set a slow pace to the green flag on the restart, as Tole looked to chase him down. Fourth place saw a battle between three drivers, Daniel, Brenton Schnitzer of Shelton, and Hoquiam's Jack Parshall. Schnitzer moved into the fourth spot, with Parshall cracking into the top five. Blood continued to lead on a long green flag run, setting a slight distance between him and Tole. Lap traffic soon became a factor in Tole's favor looking to the inside of Blood but the caution flag flew for Tumwater's Kelly Foster sitting up against the wall in turn one on lap 12. After a handful of caution flag incidents Tyson Blood picked up his first career win over a hard charging Parshall, Daniel, Tole and Aberdeen's Shane Kerrigan rounding out the top five. Heat race winners were Austin Kerrigan, Tole, and Briggs Jr, with fast time going to Austin Kerrigan.
Sportsman Sprints:
Snohomish driver LeRoy Hudson set the pole for the Sportsman Sprint 25 lap feature, and took the early lead from Adam Hinds of Lake Stevens. Hudson looked strong for the opening laps of the feature. Hinds looked to the inside of Hudson on lap 3 taking the lead out of turn four. Edmond's Devin Barnes took over the second spot quickly from Hudson looking to track down Hinds for the lead. Hinds had tough company mid way through the main event as Barnes inched closer to his back bumper. Barnes looked to the inside a handful of times to take over the lead, but Hinds kept his momentum and continued to lead.
Lap 17 saw Hinds bobble in turn two allowing Barnes to go to the inside and take the lead. Barnes slowly pulled away until Lap 18 saw the caution flag fly for Hudson, and a spinning Kevin Kirkpatrick of Bellingham. On the restart Barnes led the field to the green flag and didn't look back, Hinds had his hands full as James Bundy of Edmonds was right on his back bumper for the second position. Caution flag once again flew on lap 23 this time for Brett McGhie of Everett and Shoreline's Michael Vollbrecht after contact between both drivers on the front stretch. Barnes took the green on the final restart and led the final 2 laps to pick up his first Grays Harbor Raceway win. Hinds, Bundy, Bert Johnson and Kirkpatrick rounded out the top five. Heat races earlier were won by Bundy and Barnes, with Johnson picking up fast time.
Outlaw Tuners:
Tenino's Josh Wharton and Brandon Berg of Everett set the front row of the 15 lap Outlaw Tuners main event with Wharton taking the early lead. Berg and Wharton raced side by side for a lap before Berg took the top spot on lap 1. Wishkah driver Don Briggs Sr set his sights on the second place car of Wharton, taking the spot and looking to track down Berg for the lead. Berg looking smooth hit lap traffic, while the battle for third between Wharton and Tenino driver Chad Norton saw Norton move into the top three.
Berg continued to pull away, as the top three were spread out around the 3/8 banked clay oval. The battle to watch was for the fourth position between Wharton and Montesano's Brittany Diggle. Diggle looked to the inside a handful of times looking to get by Wharton, but couldn't make the pass. Brandon Berg would take the checkered flag, Briggs Sr, Norton, Diggle, and Wharton rounded out the top five. Wharton and Berg were heat race winners earlier in the evening.
Racing will resume next Saturday night for the rescheduled Mid Season Championship and Fan Appreciation Night with the 360 Sprint Cars, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks, Outlaw Tuners and a GIANT firework show after all the dirt track action! Gates open at 5PM racing starts at 7PM
Grays Harbor Raceway
July 16, 2016
Outlaw Tuners:
Heat 1:
59 Josh Wharton
Heat 2:
72 Brandon Berg
A-Main (Top 5):
- Berg, 2. 13XXX Don Briggs, 3. 75 Chad Norton, 4. 50 Brittany Diggle, 5. Wharton
Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks:
Fast Time:
AK47 Austin Kerrigan
Heat 1:
- AK47 Austin Kerrigan, 2. 14 Jeff Daniel, 3. 23 Nick Bramer, 4. 99B Brandon Babcock, 5. 19 Taylor Miller, 6. 01 Zeb Conrad, 7. 61 Dave Larson
Heat 2:
- 34 Jason Tole, 2. 97 Tyson Blood, 3. 9 Jack Parshall, 4. 60 Kelly Foster, 5. 43 Shane Kerrigan, 6. 99 Matt Babcock
Heat 3:
- 13XXX Don Briggs Jr., 2. 87 Brenton Schnitzer, 3. 42 Scott Fritts, 4. 78 Josh Anthony, 5. 5 Tom Hecker, 6. 420 David Forte, 7. V8 Steve Peters
A-Main
- Blood, 2. Parshall, 3. Daniel, 4. Tole, 5. Shane Kerrigan, 6. Austin Kerrigan, 7. Briggs Jr, 8. Brandon Babcock, 9. Anthony, 10. Brewster, 11. Larson, 12. Hecker, 13. Peters, 14. Schnitzer, 15. Perry, 16. Fritts, 17. Foster, 18. Forte, 19. Miller
Sportsman Sprints:
Fast Time:
9J Bert Johnson
Heat 1:
- 57 James Bundy, 2. 1 Michael Vollbrecht, 3. 9J Bert Johnson, 4. 70 Leroy Hudson, 5. 19X Kyle Secord
Heat 2:
- 22D Devin Barnes, 2. 5 Adam Hinds, 3. 7K Kevin Kirkpatrick, 4. 66 Brett McGhie
A-Main:
- Barnes, 2. Hinds, 3. Bundy, 4. Johnson, 5. Kirkpatrick, 6. McGhie, 7. Vollbrecht, 8. Hudson
- Steve Beitler on Jul 18, 2016
- Article Date: 7/18/2016 by Aaron Reed