From Kaleb Hart
ALGER, Wa. (June 2, 2018) – The first race of June at Skagit Speedway saw an excited crowd cheer Jayme Barnes to his first win at the track in a number of years in the Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprint division. Joining Jayme as winners on Saturday night were Kevin Smith, Evan Margeson and Brian Michelson.
The Cook Road Shell Sportsman sprint main event saw another blast from the past park it in victory lane on Saturday night. Jayme Barnes took the Frank Sherman owned car into the lead on a lap four restart, taking advantage of Trevor Cook when the latter got four wheels into the fluff off turn turn two. With a rapidly slicking off race track, Barnes marched forward into the back of the field, which was heavy in front of your leader. Showing veteran patience while working the slower cars, Barnes kept the lead but allowed Cook and Jake Helsel to dramatically cut into his lead as the laps waned. With about five laps left to go, Helsel slid underneath Cook and began putting heavy pressure on Jayme. Coming to complete the 23rd lap, Helsel pushed deep into the bottom of turn three, going side by side with Barnes as they banged wheels for the top spot. Jayme kept his composure, keeping excellent throttle control as he eased back into the gas and would hold the top spot as the pair drag raced down the front straight. Barnes would then close the door for good coming off turn two to secure the win, his first at the track in five to six seasons. Helsel would settle for a strong second with Cook taking third. Michael Bollinger was quick time. Heat winners were Adam Hinds, Cook and Eric Turner.
Late race drama was the story in the Modified main event. Rick Smith led the first twenty three laps, but a green white checkered restart would be his undoing, as Kevin Smith found a lane underneath him coming to the white flag and snuck into the top spot and subsequently driving away for the victory. Rick would settle for third as Craig Moore worked his way into second on the final lap. Heat winners were Kevin and Craig.
Evan Margeson made it look easy out in front of the field in capturing the win in the 25 lap Northwest Focus Midget Series main event. After taking the lead from Sawyer Lind on lap four, Margeson would build an insurmountable advantage as he led all the remaining laps of the feature. Shane Smith ran second with Tristin Thomas taking third. Heat winners were Hannah Lindquist, Smith and Tristin.
Brian Michelson led all but one lap in the Outlaw Tuner feature. Matt Shaw rolled up to take the lead from him on lap 12 from the inside groove, and that move prompted Michelson to try the bottom himself. Finding good forward bite, Michelson went back under Shaw to retake the lead on lap 13, then held Shaw and Jon Gunderson at bay on a lap 15 restart to take the win. Gunderson passed Shaw on that restart to take runner up, relegating Matt to the final spot on the podium. The heats were won by Michelson and Shaw.
Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints
Fast Time – Michael Bollinger 12.220
Heat 1 – Adam Hinds, Bailey Sucich, Michael Bollinger, Kelsey Carpenter, Steve Parker, Bert Johnson Jr.
Heat 2 – Trevor Cook, Jake Helsel, Devin Barnes, Jayme Barnes, Cory Swatzina, James Bundy
Heat 3 – Eric Turner, Ashleigh Johnson, Joe Lyon, Bill Rude, Ryan Cully
Main – J. Barnes, Helsel, Cook, Lyon, Sucich, Carpenter, D. Barnes, Swatzina, Hinds, Bollinger, Parker, Rude, A. Johnson, B. Johnson Jr., Cully, Bundy, Turner
Lap Leaders – Cook 1-6, J. Barnes 6-25
Northwest Focus Midget Series
Heat 1- Hannah Lindquist, Matt Loving, Evan Margeson, Michael Hodel, Chris Greene, Brian Hayes, Renee Angel, Nick Evans
Heat 2 – Shane Smith, Brian Aune, Sawyer Lind, Dave Mills, Ashley Thompson, Ray Stebbins, AJ Fugitt, Alden Ostrom
Heat 3 – Tristin Thomas, Greg Thornhill, Jesse Conway, Hailey Bower, Chris Bullock, Ross Rankine, Connor Pote, Garrett Thomas
Main – Margeson, Smith, T. Thomas, Evans, Lindquist, Lind, G. Thomas, Greene, Thornhill, Loving, Aune, Thompson, Conway, Angel, Mills, Bower, Hayes, Stebbins, Hodel, Ostrom
Lap Leaders – Lind 1-3, Margeson 4-25
Modifieds
Heat 1 – Kevin Smith, Mike Steltz, Rick Smith, Adam Holtrop, Mel Decker, Shane Snyder
Heat 2 – Craig Moore, Ben Gunderson, Jeff Blanton, Cliff Ballenger, Dan Butenschoen
Main – K. Smith, Moore, R. Smith, Steltz, Blanton, Ballenger, Gunderson, Holtrop, Snyder, Butenschoen, Decker
Lap Leaders -R.Smith 1-24, K. Smith 25
Outlaw Tuners
Heat 1 – Brian Michelson, Jon Gunderson, Clint Meins, Rob Dozark, Tyler Draper
Heat 2 – Matt Shaw, TJ Campbell, Jack Derosier, Zach Bristol, Matt Dunnigan
Main – Michelson, Gunderson, Shaw, Bristol, Meins, Derosier, Campbell, Dozark, Draper
Lap Leaders – Michelson 1-11 13-17, Shaw 12