From Kelly HartAlger, WA — (July 13, 2013) –A huge five division race schedule provided race fans with a wide variety of speed and thrills Saturday night at Skagit Speedway.
The points race has been a back and forth battle all season long in the Sportsman Sprint division with Zach McCabe and Steve Parker both holding the point. McCabe and Parker also have the lion’s share of wins on the season as well. Tonight it was the savvy veteran Parker taking the top spot with a flying pass on the high side of turn 2 on the 13th lap to take the lead for good. McCabe stayed with him through turn 4 but Parker was hooked up and smooth in the high groove and led the rest of the way for the win. Ashley Lewellen looked to have her first win sewed up leading the first 8 laps, but a restart and spin on lap 8 ended her chances. McCabe took over the top spot and held it until Parkers pass. Paul Burdick made an impressive run to finish third. The race featured seven yellows and a red in the first nine laps before settling in for the final 11 laps. Ben Gunderson and McCabe won the heats. Cory Swatzina set fast time at 12.478.
The USAC Midget division point leader Chase Goetz dogged early race leader Madison Hess for most of the first 12 laps but Hess would not go easily. Finally Goetz made room underneath as Hess pushed up too high out of turn four for the pass. Hess finished second with Garrett Thomas third. Goetz and Thomas won the heats.
With Shipwreck Beads Modified Series point leader Craig Moore working his way through traffic, Morgan Criswell set out to a big early lead. A lap 5 caution proved costly as it ate up all of the lead Criswell had built and Moore masterfully timed the restart to take the lead on lap 6. Moore almost lapped the field pulling away with no challenge. His son Kyler Moore meanwhile was running second and holding off a fierce challenge from Kris Asche that lasted the remaining 20 laps. Asche and Graham Cook won the heat races.
Freddie Vela is the two-time defending Outlaw Tuner division champion and has faced adversity in the form of motor woes the last month. Tonight, Vela led all but the first lap to run away and hide from the field for the win. Brandon Berg held off Travis Meins to round out the top 3. Matt Ploeg dominated the first heat with Rick Young duplicating the fete in the second heat race.
With the huge crowd on hand once again the Rolling Thunder Big Rig Racing Series put on a whale of a show. Tight, truck to truck racing saw Rick Casebolt win both dashes, the first time in series history that has taken place. Then in the 20-lap feature three different trucks led the race with Steve Smith, Dustin Smith and Dave Barr finishing in the top 3. The crowd went nuts as the Big Rigs rubbed paint and tore off bumpers while trying to knock down the steel walls surrounding the 3/10th mile clay oval.
ASA Member Track Skagit Speedway returns to action on Friday and Saturday night July 26th and 27th with the Bob’s Burgers and Brews Summer Nationals. Included on both nights of the event are the Dwarf Car Challenge and Outlaw Tuner Nationals. Ticket information is available online at www.SkagitSpeedway.com .
RESULTS 7/13/13
SPORTSMAN SPRINTS
Fast time: 12.748 – 2 Cory Swatzina
Heat 1: 1. 68 Ben Gunderson, 2. 8s Clayton Sibley, 3. 22d Devin Barnes, 4. 33 Bill Rude, 5. 4b Cale Brooke, 6. 15 Mike Murphy, 7. 9b Paul Burdick, 8. Adam Hinds, 9. 2s Cory Swatzina
Heat 2: 1. 46 Zach McCabe, 2. 0 Tyler Fox, 3. 13a Ashley Lewellen, 4. 23 Steve Parker, 5. 57 James Bundy, 6. 18 Brandon Benson, 7. 13gr Glen Reinstra, 8. 9o Greg Otis
Main: 1. 23 Steve Parker , 2. 46 McCabe, 3. 9b Burdick, 4. 4b Brooke, 5. 57 Bundy, 6. 18 Benson, 7. 22 Barnes, 8. 15 Murphy, 9. 13a Lewellen, 10. 9 Otis, 11. 33 Rude, 12. 5 Hinds, 13. 8s Sibley, 14. 0 Fox, 15. 68 Gunderson, 16. 13g Reinstra
Lap leaders: 13a Lewellen 1-8, 46 McCabe 9-13, 23 Parker 14-20
Hard Charger: 9b Paul Burdick +9 positions gained.
USAC MIDGETS
Heat 1: 1. 14 Garrett Thomas, 2. 11e Ariel Biggs, 3. 91s Tristin Thomas, 4. 3s Michael Millard, 5. 21 Robbie Price
Heat 2: 1. 91 Chase Goetz, 2. 21 Todd Hartman, 3. 5 Madison Hess
Main: 1. 91 Chase Goetz, 2. 5 Hess, 3. 14 G. Thomas, 4. 91s T. Thomas, 5. 11e Biggs, 6. 21h Todd Hartman, 7. 3m Michael Millard, 8. 66 Tyler Anderson, 9. 21 Robbie Price
Lap leaders: 5 Hess 1-12, 91 Goetz 13-20
SHIPWRECK BEADS MODIFIED SERIES
Heat 1: 1. 75c Graham Cook, 2. m14 Craig Moore, 3. 14k Kyler Moore, 4. 95 Vic Miller, 5. 1w Randy Ward
Heat 2: 1. 50k Kris Asche, 2. 6m Alan Muenchow, 3. 6mj Matt Jenner, 4. 9k Morgan Criswell, 5. 47k Kevin Keller
Main: 1. M14 Craig Moore, 2. 14k Kyler Moore, 3. 50k Asche, 4. 6mj Jenner, 5. 9k Criswell , 6. 1w Randy Ward, 7. 75c Cook, 8. 47k Keller, 9. 95 Miller, 10. 6m Muenchow
Lap leaders: 9k Criswell 1-5, m14 Moore 6-25
Hard Charger: 50k Kris Asche +5 positions gained
OUTLAW TUNERS
Heat 1: 1. 24 Matt Ploeg, 2. 19 Greg Hibma, 3. 7m Eric Vailette, 4. 81 Jon Gunderson, 5. 03 Howard Vos, 6. 50 Jon Gunderson, 7. 11 Andy Dillon
Heat 2: 1. 71 Rick Young, 2. 20 Freddie Vela, 3. 72 Brandon Berg, 4. 23 Cliff Ballenger, 5. K9 Becky Boudreau, 6. 77mr Clint Meins, 7. 12 Tina Thibert
Main: 1. 20 Freddie Vela, 2. 72 Berg, 3. 23 Travis Meins, 4. 7m Vailette, 5. 24p Ploeg, 6. 71 Young , 7. K9 Boudreau, 8. 77mr Clint Meins, 9. 50 Edwards, 10. 12 Brittany Thibert-Hargett, 11. 81 Gunderson, 12. 11 Dillon, 13. 03 Vos, 14. 19 Hibma, 15. Mark Toth II
Lap leaders: 72 Berg 1, 20 Vela 2-17
Hard Charger: 23 Travis Meins +5 positions gained