From Ben Deatherage
Cottage Grove, OR — If the weather forecasts went to plan at around five a clock a race ending shower should have taken place to cancel the races for a total of five rain outs (technically four and one half) in six weeks. But five o’clock came and went and there was no rain and no rain came down the entire night giving the green light to the third race at the Cottage Grove Speedway for 2011. After Friday night’s Kage Kart event getting rained out for the second week in a row (Karts are now one for three) it was looking bleak for Saturday but the rain that did fall primarily dried up and did not threaten the races unless more precipitation came down which in the long run it did not. Classes in action were the Late Models, Limited Sprints, All-American Street Stocks, and the Pro 4 West Series for Mother’s Night at the Cottage Grove Speedway.
The All-American Street Stocks opened the bill up with pole sitter T.J. Langan of Jasper seizing the early race lead and staying to the high side of the race track was able to keep out in front. With no cautions occurring and a complete green flag run it allowed T.J. to develop a huge lead and comfortably pick up his first win of 2011.
Andrew Langan of Jasper valiantly tried his best to take the lead but wound up finishing in second place followed by Lebanon’s Justin Evans edging out several drivers for third. Fourth place went to Cory Yeack from Crawfordsville and fifth place finisher was April Howard of Eugene. Fast time of the night went to Andrew Langan at 15.780 seconds while T.J. Langan won the trophy dash and the heat race.
In the Pro 4 West feature it was an exciting race as Tyler Ferrando of Salem got the early race lead but Johnny Adams of Portland got very close taking the lead until Adams spun out of turn four but kept it going. After the spin Tyler was able to go on to victory as the battle for second caused the leader to pull away and get his first victory at the Cottage Grove Speedway.
Ben Byam of Silverton held of Independence’s Stan Steeves for second place that battle coming to the final laps. Tom Ferrando of Keizer finished in fourth place and Johnny Adams retained a top five position finishing in fifth place. Stan Steeves was fast time of the night at 16.350 seconds while the trophy dash and heat race was won by Johnny Adams.
The Limited Sprint feature saw Zack Spaulding of Springfield dominating the race on the high side of the racetrack leading every lap of the twenty-five lap feature to pick up the victory. Despite several attempts from drivers to take the lead on the inside of the racetrack Spaulding had more momentum exiting the turns. For Spaulding it was the first win of the season for the teenager in the first Limited Sprint race of the season.
Mike Carrothers of Cottage Grove found himself finishing in the second place position followed by Eugene’s Raquel Ivie. Defending champ Heath Shelton of Drain scored a fourth place finish with Kady Adelman of Salem finishing in fifth. Fast time of the evening went to Jesse Thistle of Creswell while Shelton won the trophy dash Zack Spaulding won the heat race.
In the final class of the night the Late Models were seeing their first points race of the year as the race (that got rained out before main events) two weeks previous was non-points. The forty lap feature nearly went wire to wire until a caution on lap thirty-two but nonetheless it was all Trevor Glaser from Tangent as he was able to dominate the field. Winning the race by half a lap the big key was getting through lapped traffic and not getting held up with slower cars which in the end gave Glaser the victory.
Defending champion Mark Carrell from Redmond finished in second the top five was rounded up with Jimmy Whisler of Otis and Terry Ferrando of Salem respectively. Fast time of the night went to Glaser at 13.677 seconds while the trophy dash was won by Whisler the heat race winners for the evening were Ferrando and Springfield’s Mike Miller.
Well race fans that does it for this week’s recap be sure and make it out for Friday and Saturday’s two day event as it will open the 2011 season for the American Sprint Car Series-Northwest Region for the Mike Burdett Memorial Grove Classic. Hornets will support the 360’s on Friday while Modifieds and All-American Street Stocks will be supporting on Saturday night. A correction in last week’s story Darin Crook’s of Cottage Grove did indeed finish in third while Josh Black also of Cottage Grove finished in fourth. For more information you can keep up to date and log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com.
Mother’s Night
Cottage Grove Speedway
Race #3
May 7th, 2011
All-American Street Stocks
Fast Time- Andrew Langan, Jasper 15.780
Trophy Dash- T.J. Langan, Jasper
Heat Race- T.J. Langan
Main-
1. T.J. Langan
2. A. Langan
3. Justin Evans, Lebanon
4. Cory Yeack, Crawfordsville
5. April Howard, Eugene
Pro 4 West
Fast Time- Stan Steeves, Independence
Trophy Dash- Johnny Adams, Portland
Heat Race- Adams
Main-
1. Tyler Ferrando, Salem
2. Ben Byam, Silverton
3. Steeves
4. Tom Ferrando, Keizer
5. Adams
Limited Sprints
Fast Time- Jesse Thistle, Creswell 11.978
Trophy Dash- Heath Shelton, Drain
Heat Race- Zack Spaulding, Springfield
Main-
1. Spaulding
2. Mike Carrothers, Cottage Grove
3. Raquel Ivie, Eugene
4. Shelton
5. Kady Adelman, Salem
Late Models
Fast Time- Trevor Glaser, Tangent 13.677
Trophy Dash- Jimmy Whisler, Otis
Heat One- Terry Ferrando, Salem
Heat Two- Mike Miller, Springfield
Main-
1. Glaser
2. Mark Carrell, Redmond
3. Casey Vitale, Lebanon
4. Whisler
5. Ferrando