Mitchell Faccinto 2019 Speedweek Northwest Champion; First Career Speedweek Title
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of JRP Race Photos)
Cottage Grove, Oregon- Saturday, July 13th witnessed the final drop of the checkered flag of the 2019 Speedweek Northwest schedule. When the dust settled Mitchell Faccinto won the main event. Not only did Faccinto win the feature but he also was crowned the Speedweek Northwest title winner. The Hanford, California native became the fifteenth different champion of Speedweek and the tenth driver to have accomplished such a feat from the Golden State.
Throughout the five completed races, thirty-four different teams made the journey to at least one event. Cars from Oregon, California, Washington, Idaho, and Oklahoma as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia were represented. In those five races, there were three different winners including one first-time victor (Justin Sanders). Fourteen chauffeurs posted at minimum one top-five while twenty individuals finished tenth or better at least once. The rainout on Tuesday, July 9th was the first time a Speedweek Northwest race had been canceled by weather since July 19th, 2012 at Sunset Speedway Park.
As stated above Mitchell Faccinto was the highest point earner of the week. Not only would it be his first Speedweek Northwest title, but it was the first crown that car owner Stan Greenberg had won. Mitchell was the only pilot to finish every race among the top five and one of two drivers to post a top ten in every event. His worst finish was fourth on the Wednesday program at Cottage Grove.
Going into the week Faccinto had a lone victory at Siskiyou Golden Speedway, in Yreka, California in 2016. He backed up that win at SGS to open up the week with a victory. The win was followed by two successes later on at Sunset Speedway Park and the grand finale at Cottage Grove.
By winning on the final night he is the ninth different driver to have won the championship on the final night. Another fun fact is that Mitchell is the eighth driver to win a race at CGS and win the title in that same year. He joins Bud Kaeding (1998), Brad Furr (1999), Steve Kent (2000. 2001. & 2002), Shane Stewart (2007), Roger Crockett (2008 & 2013), Kyle Larson (2011), Trey Starks (2016), and D.J. Netto (2018) as drivers to have won on the last night of competition and hoist the championship trophy as well.
Second in the final standings was Justin Sanders taking in his first career Speedweek Northwest. Sanders, of Aromas, California was the only first-time winner of the week after scoring a big win at Cottage Grove on Wednesday, June 10th. Sanders had four top-fives and joined Faccinto as the only drivers to post top tens in every single night of action. Justin’s only non-top five performance was an eighth-place finish on Friday, July 12th at CGS.
Tyler Thompson was the only driver from the state of Oregon to finish in the top five in the final points table. The Harrisburg teenager had an incredible run on Wednesday at Cottage Grove and posted a third-place result with his only top five of the week. Thompson also accrued three top tens over the five nights.
Seth Bergman placed fourth once all the final markers were tallied. It was Seth's first full Speedweek in many years. Now calling Owasso, Oklahoma home, Bergman, had a best finish of the week on the final night at “The Grove” by finishing in second as well as on the opening night in Yreka. They were the only two top-fives for Seth and he posted a total of four top tens. His worst run was when he ended the evening eighteenth at Cottage Grove on Friday, the 12th.
Rounding out the top five in the standings was Justyn Cox. Cox, of Clarksburg, California, had two top-fives to his credit including a week best of a fourth at Cottage Grove on the Friday night show. Racing for Langley, British Columbia car owners Doug and Kathy Rutz, Cox, ended the night among the top ten four times. His worst placement, being on the final night of racing, was when he was scored sixteenth.
Colby Copeland, of Rocklin, California ended his week sixth in the tally chart. Copeland, as was the case in 2015, once more ran for Santa Rosa-based car owners Jim and Annette Van Lare. Tanner Holmes, from the Southern Oregon city of Jacksonville, was seventh in points. Raymond, Washington youngster Devon Borden ended his first Speedweek Northwest in eighth place. Grabbing ninth was Jake Wheeler out of Central Point. Foresthill, California native Ryan Robinson completed the top ten, in tenth, partaking his first full Speedweek running for car owner Vern Morrison.
On behalf of the Western Sprint Tour, we would like to thank all the officials, drivers, crews, and most of the fans for making this year such a memorable Speedweek. We all are looking forward to 2020 already. For the latest news and information be sure and either visit the Western Sprint Tour Facebook page or the series website at http://www.cottagegrovespeedway.com/western-sprint-tour .
2019 Speedweek Northwest Schedule
Monday, July 8th-Siskiyou Motor Speedway-Yreka, California (Mitchell Faccinto)
Tuesday, July 9th-Coos Bay Speedway-Coos Bay, Oregon (Rained Out)
Wednesday, July 10th- Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon (Justin Sanders)
Thursday, July 11th-Sunset Speedway Park-Banks, Oregon (Mitchell Faccinto)
Friday, July 12th-Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon (Kyle Hirst)
Saturday, July 13th-Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon (Mitchell Faccinto)
Top Fives-
Mitchell Faccinto-5
Justin Sanders
Seth Bergman-2
Justyn Cox
Kyle Hirst
Tony Gualda-1
Colby Copeland
Tyler Thompson
Jake Wheeler
Steven Tiner
Devon Borden
Ryan Robinson
Tanner Holmes
Colton Heath
Top Tens-
Mitchell Faccinto-5
Justin Sanders
Seth Bergman-4
Justyn Cox
Tony Gualda-3
Colby Copeland
Tyler Thompson
Jake Wheeler
Jesse Love
Tanner Holmes
Devon Borden-2
Ryan Robinson
Kyle Hirst
Steven Tiner-1
Colton Heath
Sean Becker
Kyle Miller
Greg Hamilton
John Clark
Garen Linder
- Ben Deatherage on Jul 25, 2019
- Article Date: 7/22/2019