From Kaleb Hart
Alger, WA — (June 6, 2015) — A strange main event in the Sportsman Sprint Cars ended with Lance Sargent taking his third main event of the year on Saturday night at Skagit Speedway. Joining Lance in victory lane in the 7th round of the Dwayne Lane’s Family of Auto Centers Racing Series were Tayler Malsam, Mark Carrell and Cliff Ballenger.
Jake Helsel appeared to have the main event well in hand for the Sportsman Sprint Cars as he had led the first 19 laps with little challenge. Disaster reared its ugly head for Helsel on lap 20 – second place Bill Rude entered turn two and spun out in the middle groove, collecting sixth place running Joe Lyon in the process and bringing out the yellow flag. Instead of slowing his car to obey the yellow, Helsel stopped his car on the inside of turn two and got out of the racecar before the track went to a red flag condition. The on track stoppage prompted speedway officials to penalize Jake for stopping on the track, giving what was the third place car of Lance Sargent the lead. On the ensuing restart, Sargent would streak away to his third win of the year, followed by Greg Otis in second and James Bundy in third. Kyle Secord set quick time but experienced mechanical failure in his heat race that would end his evening. Heat winners were Sargent, Zach McCabe and Tyler Fox.
Slower traffic helped Tayler Malsam to another win in the 410 class. Kelsey Carpenter set out to the early lead, with Malsam no more than a car length or two off his tail from the outset. When slower cars impeded Carpenter on lap nine, Malsam pounced, pulling even with Carpenter in the middle of turn three and nosing ahead off the exit of four. Malsam would clear the slower car before Kelsey and streak away for the victory. Carpenter drove to second with Kenny Rutz collecting third. Carpenter was the quick time winner with Luke Didiuk and Nate Vaughn winning the heats.
Sportsman Sprints
Fast Time – Kyle Secord 12.654
Heat 1 – Zach McCabe, Joe Lyon, Michael Hodel, Devin Barnes, Brett McGhie, Paul Burdick, Julian Fuentes, Kyle Secord
Heat 2 – Lance Sargent, Trevor Cook, Bill Rude, Geoff Needham, Ben Gunderson, Dave Mead, Dan McGrew, Steve Parker
Heat 3 – Tyler Fox, Lee Hornbeck, Jake Helsel, Greg Otis, James Bundy, Clayton Sibley, Victoria Cantu, Roger Oudman
B Main – Roger Oudman, Burdick, Sibley, Mead, Cantu, Fuentes, McGrew
A Main – Lance Sargent, Otis, Bundy, Hornbeck, Oudman, Hodel, Gunderson, McCabe, Helsel, Cook, McGhie, Sibley, Barnes, Burdick, Lyon, Rude, Fox, Needham
Lap Leaders – Helsel 1-19 Sargent 20-25
410 Sprints
Fast Time – Kelsey Carpenter 11.237
Heat 1 – Luke Didiuk, Kenny Rutz, Lawrance Kirkham, Kelsey Carpenter
Heat 2 – Nate Vaughn, Tayler Malsam, Michael Bollinger, Cale Brooke
Main – Tayler Malsam, Carpenter, Rutz, Bollinger, Kirkham, Didiuk, Brooke, Vaughn
Lap Leaders – Carpenter 1-8 Malsam 9-25