By Kaleb Hart
Alger, WA – Sun drenched Skagit Speedway saw Colton Heath pick up his second win of the season in the 360 Sprint Car division. The employees of both Janicki Industries/Janicki Logging and Fastenal were on hand to watch as Heath was joined in victory lane by Cory Samuelson in the Sportsman Sprints and Matt Powers in the Outlaw Tuners.
At the drop of the green flag in the 360 Sprint main, Justin Youngquist set out to the lead with Heath a couple of car lengths behind. Heath showed a nose off the bottom of turn two twice, but never got a big enough run as Youngquist was good off the top in turn two. The race was delayed three times in the early goind, with Steve James spinning out on lap two and five and Phil Schemenauer causing the final caution of the race with a spin in turn four on lap seven. The rest of the race went uninterrupted with Youngquist in front and Heath keeping him within striking distance until the pair reached traffic. With slower traffic looming on lap 14, Heath made a bold move again to the inside of turn one, and Youngquist, who was passing a slower car on the high side, drifted too far up track to make a solid exit on turn two. Heath powered down the back straightway and into the lead at the point, as he continued to try and pass slower traffic. Tayler Malsam was within five car lengths around lap 20, but Heath kept his cool and held on to win his second main event of the year and extend his points lead in the division. Malsam, last week’s 410 winner, settled for second and Jason Solwold made a bold move in the final frame to score third. Malsam was your fast qualifier. The two heat race wins went to Mike Bollinger and Luke Didiuk.
Cory Samuelson drove a masterful race in the Sportsman Sprint division. Starting on the outside pole, Samuelson, the 17 year old from Lake Stevens, blasted into an early lead and was never seriously challenged and caution flags on lap 8 and 12 kept him out of slower traffic for most of the event. Samuelson crossed the line on lap 20 to grab his second win of the year, followed by Tyler Fox and Cory Swatzina in the second and third positions. Steve Parker set quick time. Swatzina and Robbie Price won the heat races.
Matt Powers was also masterful in his navigation of Skagit Speedway in the Outlaw tuner division. Powers led every lap of the 17 circuit main event, with Brian Michelson and Brandon Berg hot on his tail for most of the contest. Powers hit his marks beautifully on the high side of the track in on e of, if not the only, rear wheel drive car in the division to score his first win in over a year. Berg passed Michelson late to claim second, relegating Brian to a podium finish in third. Heat race winners were Berg and Cliff Ballenger.
360 Sprint Cars
Fast Time – Tayler Malsam 11.746
Heat 1 – Mike Bollinger, Tayler Malsam, Eric Fisher, Jason Solwold, Colton Heath, Brock Lemley, Steve James, Daniel Cernich
Heat 2 – Luke Didiuk, Justin Youngquist, Steve Reeves, Matt Jensen, Cale Brooke, Zeth Custer, Phile Schemenauer
Main – Colton Heath, Tayler Malsam, Jason Solwold, Justin Youngquist, Eric Fisher, Luke Didiuk, Mike Bollinger, Steve Reeves, Matt Jensen, Cale Brooke, Zeth Custer, Phil Schemenauer, Steve James, Brock Lemley
Lap Leaders – Youngquist 1-13 Heath 14-25
Sportsman Sprints
Fast Time – Steve Parker 12.649
Heat 1 – Cory Swatzina, Steve Parker, Cory Samuelson, James Bundy, Ashley Lewellen, Dave Mead, Brett McGhie, Bill Rude, Greg Otis
Heat 2 – Robbie Price, Tyler Fox, Steve Kilcup, Kelsey Carpenter, Sean Johnson, Roger Oudman, Joe Lyon
Main – Cory Samuelson, Tyler Fox, Cory Swatzina, Kelsey Carpenter, Robbie Price, Steve Parker, James Bundy, Greg Otis, Ashley Lewellen, Dave Mead, Clayton Sibley, Joe Lyon, Brett McGhie, Steve Kilcup, Sean Johnson, Roger Oudman, Daniel McGrew, Bill Rude
Lap Leaders – Samuelson 1-20
Outlaw Tuners
Heat 1 – Cliff Ballenger, Becky Boudreau, Brian Michelson, Duane Warner, Howard Vos, Jason Butenschoen, Clint Meins, Tom Warner
Heat 2 – Brandon Berg, Matt Powers, Tina Thibert, Pascal Warner, Patrick Adams, Adam Nelson
Main – Matt Powers, Brandon Berg, Brian Michelson, Freddie Vela, Becky Boudreau, Cliff Ballenger, Patrick Adams, Pascal Warner, Tina Thibert, Adam Nelson, Jason Butenschoen, Howard Vos, Duane Warner
Lap Leaders – Powers 1-17