By Bob Burbach
Marysville- Marysville Raceway Park was bursting with cars and a huge, hardy crowd braved the elements and enjoyed a highly competitive opening night event. The “Colfax Comet” Colby Wiesz won the Winged Sprint Car feature. He swept the evening. Jeff Olschowka parlayed a daring last lap pass into victory in the MRP Super Stock feature. Cody Myers won the MRP Wingless Warrior Sprint Car main with Howard Law taking the checkers in the MRP Mini Stock finale. Ryan Winter got the trophy in the Nor Cal Dwarf Car feature.
It doesn’t appear to make any difference what format is used in the winged sprint car class. Colby Wiesz has this place figured out. Wiesz won every race he entered Saturday. He smoked the field from the pole in heat race 1a, then he went from last to 1st in heat race 1b. Then Wiesz led 19 of 20 laps in the feature from his pole position start. But, the 1st 2 laps of the feature were incredible. Mike Henry flanked Wiesz at the start and they had a vicious duel for the lead swapping the top spot several times before Wiesz captured the lead for good.
Behind the leaders Andy Forsberg went to the top and started picking off cars one by one in a gallant drive to the front. Forsberg got to 3rd and then lost the handle and spun a long lazy slide to a stop at lap 12. Forsberg restarted, but finished 15th.
MRP champion Korey Lovell had a solid ride picking up 4th behind Wiesz, Henry and Herman Klein. Jeremy Burt and Klein won the other heat races. The event was put into the books in a little over 10 minutes as long green flag segments were the norm in this fast, competitive event.
In the Wingless sprint Car feature Myers out gunned pole sitter Dave Sprigg to turn 1 and was uncatchable for the rest of the event. The slicing and dicing going on behind him showed why this class remains the most competitive sprint car class at MRP these days.
From the opening lap to the finish an impressive battle was being waged for 2nd. Terry Schank, Taylor Simas, Jay Youngman, Jeremy Hawes, Brett Youngman and Sprigg slugged it out. Brian Southers who started last after an opening lap tangle was carving his way to the front with precision moves. It was hard to know where to look. In the last ½ of the event Brett Youngman began a march to the front on the high side. It was, without a doubt his best performance to date. Youngman picked off each of the cars in front of him and arrived in 2nd behind Myers. It appeared that Youngman just ran out of laps as he was closing rapidly on Myers when the checkers waved. Behind Youngman came Simas, the hard charging Southers, Schank and Jay Youngman.
Disaster was averted earlier when Hawes and Schank bumped wheels sending Hawes into the air for a moment. Clayton Snow then hit Hawes and Snow got up on top of Hawes in turn 2. Hawes returned and clawed his way back to 8th at the finish. Snow was sidelined for the balance of the event.
It was a sweep for Myers who was runner-up in the point standings last year in this class. Winning on opening night wire-to-wire puts this young charger in the hunt for this year’s title. Sprigg won the other heat race.
The mighty Winged Outlaw 360 Sprint Cars will return and headline the program next week. The MRP Super Stocks and the MRP Mini Stocks will provide thrilling fendered race action. The event will present the first appearance of the Pro 4 Sprint Cars this season. The pit gate opens at 3PM. The spectator gates will open at 5 PM with practice at 6 PM. IMPORTANT: The first race is to start after hot laps.