By Ben Deatherage
Yreka, California- The first race of the 2019 Speedweek Northwest schedule would get registered complete at Yreka’s Siskiyou Golden Speedway. The lone date in the Golden State, the event attracted twenty-one cars from California, Oregon, Washington, and Oklahoma as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia.
The main event started off with Mitchell Faccinto rising to the occasion on the opening start. The Hanford gasser took full advantage of his inside front starting position and rocketed away from the main body while utilizing the top shelf of the racetrack. A long twenty-five lap made sure there was lapped traffic for the leaders to deal with.
Despite some periods of thick traffic with the lappers, Faccinto was able to decisively navigate past any obstacles in his way. Another late caution came out on lap twenty-six bunching the field up one last time but the damage was done as it gave Mitchell Faccinto a completely open track to work with and he finished the field off in the final four circuits. It is the second Speedweek Northwest victory for Mitchell, and his car owner Stan Greenberg, and was the previous site of his first and only triumph with the series back in 2016.
Owasso, Oklahoma’s Seth Bergman tried to rally and overtake the leader but ran out of laps and ended his evening in second while Justin Sanders, of Aromas, placed third. Teammates Tony Gualda and Justyn Cox battled all race long with one another in their Doug and Kathy Rutz owned entries. Gualda, from Hollister, finished in fourth while Clarksburg’s Cox hit the flag stand at the checkered flag in fifth.
Earlier in the evening, Justyn Cox set quick time while Menlo Park youngster Jesse Love in the Harley Van Dyke entry, Tyler Thompson of Harrisburg, Oregon, and Cotati pilot Jake Haulot were the three heat race winners. Mitchell Faccinto won the trophy dash earning himself a starting position on the inside pole for the feature.
Speedweek Northwest returns to racing on Tuesday, July 9th at Coos Bay Speedway. Front Gates open at 4:00 PM with Racing at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $20.00 for Adults, Seniors/Kids (7-17) $18.00, and Children (6 & Under) FREE while a Family Pass (2 Adults & 3 Kids) will be offered for $60.00. For more information or to purchase tickets ahead of time visit www.coosbayspeedway.us .
If you can only make a race or two don’t worry as we have you covered with live streaming lap to lap coverage courtesy of Dirt Oval TV. As in the previous four Speedweeks, it will be once again sanctioned by the Western Sprint Tour. 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 .