By Ben Deatherage
Lebanon, Oregon- Tuesday, July 5th would see Speedweek Northwest travel to Willamette Speedway for the third race of the 2016 schedule. Twenty-seven cars would fill up the pit area representing the states of Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho as well as the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta along with the Southland region of New Zealand.
After a red flag on the opening start Burlington, Washington’s Jason Solwold would get to the front. Solwold, driving for car owner Mike Anderson, was the class of the field for much of the race and primarily utilized the bottom of the track. Behind him was Visalia, California youngster Cory Eliason, in the Harley Van Dyke field entry, worked the top shelf right next to the wall.
The two drivers would enter some heavy lapped traffic late. With less than ten laps remaining Eliason began to inch his way forward and by lap twenty-eight had passed Solwold for the position. Eliason would hold on for the last few laps to win his first Speedweek Northwest feature in just his first appearance at the Lebanon 1/3-mile clay oval. He is the second different winner in this year’s Speedweek after Roger Crockett won the first two nights.
Jason Solwold would finish a close second followed by third finishing Kyle Hirst of Paradise, California, driving for car owners Scott and Jason Finley. Visalia, California’s Steven Tiner would finish fourth followed by Henry Van Dam of Enumclaw, Washington in fifth.
Henry Van Dam was fast time of the night during qualifications. Kyle Miller of Eugene, in the Kady Adelman owned entry, Kyle Hirst, Sedro-Woolley, Washington’s Nate Vaughn, and Logan Forler of Boise, Idaho were the four heat race winners. Jason Solwold won the trophy dash and Bricen James, driving for Tim Galloway, was victorious in the B Main.
Speedweek Northwest heads to Coos Bay Speedway on Wednesday July 6th. For ticket and time information log on to www.coosbayspeedway.us. For the latest news regarding the 2016 Speedweek Northwest visit sprints.nwextremeseries.com.
Race Summary:
Speedweek Northwest Race #3
Tuesday July 5th, 2016
Willamette Speedway
Lebanon, Oregon
A Feature: 1. 5H-Cory Eliason; 2. 18-Jason Solwold; 3. 77-Kyle Hirst; 4. 94-Steven Tiner; 5. 33V-Henry VanDam; 6. 8R-Trey Starks; 7. 6A-Kyle Miller; 8. 21W-Vern Wheeler; 9. 2L-Logan Forler; 10. 21P-Robbie Price; 11. 31C-Justyn Cox; 12. 12-Jared Ridge; 13. 51-Bricen James; 14. 44NZ-Daniel Anderson; 15. 3-J.J. Hickle; 16. 2JR-Kelly Miller; 17. 5D-Patrick Dills; 18. 42X-Herman Klein; 19. 70-Raquel Ivie; 20. N8-Nate Vaughn; 21. 44-Jake Helsel; 22. 11-Roger Crockett
B Feature: 1. 51-Bricen James; 2. 21P-Robbie Price; 3. 44-Jake Helsel; 4. 5D-Patrick Dills; 5. 70-Raquel Ivie; 6. 1B-Chelsea Blevins; 7. 26F-Shane Forte; 8. 5-Brian Boswell; (DNS) 17-Cameron (Cam) Smith; (DNS) 37-Mitchell Faccinto
Dash: 1. 18-Jason Solwold; 2. 5H-Cory Eliason; 3. 94-Steven Tiner; 4. 33V-Henry VanDam; 5. 3-J.J. Hickle; 6. 12-Jared Ridge
Heat 1: 1. 6A-Kyle Miller; 2. 94-Steven Tiner; 3. 33V-Henry VanDam; 4. 42X-Herman Klein; 5. 21P-Robbie Price; 6. 26F-Shane Forte; 7. 70-Raquel Ivie
Heat 2: 1. 77-Kyle Hirst; 2. 31C-Justyn Cox; 3. 5H-Cory Eliason; 4. 8R-Trey Starks; 5. 21W-Vern Wheeler; 6. 5D-Patrick Dills; 7. 5-Brian Boswell
Heat 3: 1. N8-Nate Vaughn; 2. 2JR-Kelly Miller; 3. 12-Jared Ridge; 4. 3-J.J. Hickle; 5. 1B-Chelsea Blevins; 6. 37-Mitchell Faccinto; 7. 17-Cameron (Cam) Smith
Heat 4: 1. 2L-Logan Forler; 2. 18-Jason Solwold; 3. 44NZ-Daniel Anderson; 4. 51-Bricen James; 5. 11-Roger Crockett; 6. 44-Jake Helsel
Qualifying: 1. 33V-Henry VanDam; 2. 21W-Vern Wheeler; 3. 3-J.J. Hickle; 4. 18-Jason Solwold; 5. 42X-Herman Klein; 6. 5H-Cory Eliason; 7. 12-Jared Ridge; 8. 11-Roger Crockett; 9. 94-Steven Tiner; 10. 8R-Trey Starks; 11. 17-Cameron (Cam) Smith; 12. 44NZ-Daniel Anderson; 13. 21P-Robbie Price; 14. 31C-Justyn Cox; 15. 37-Mitchell Faccinto; 16. 44-Jake Helsel; 17. 6A-Kyle Miller; 18. 77-Kyle Hirst; 19. 2JR-Kelly Miller; 20. 2L-Logan Forler; 21. 70-Raquel Ivie; 22. 5D-Patrick Dills; 23. N8-Nate Vaughn; 24. 51-Bricen James; 25. 26F-Shane Forte; 26. 5-Brian Boswell; 27. 1B-Chelsea Blevins
Current Speedweek Northwest Points (Top Ten):
1. 5H-Cory Eliason 267; 2. 94-Steven Tiner 254; 3. 11-Roger Crockett 248; 4. 8R-Trey Starks 223; 5. 31C-Justyn Cox 206; 6. 2JR-Kelly Miller 186; 7. 77-Kyle Hirst 180; 8. N8-Nate Vaughn 174; 9. 37-Mitchell Faccinto 171; 10. 44NZ-Daniel Anderson 165