Yakima, WA – The opening weekend for the Summer Thunder Sprintcar Series is in the books with Jason Solwold making his presence known with two wins to open 2019 at Central Washington State Fair Raceway. It was a repeat victory lane on Saturday night, with Jason Beaulieu winning the Washington Modified Tour Main Event.
Similar to his Friday night win, Solwold had to overcome a little adversity to grab the Summer Thunder Sprint Car Series victory. Logan Forler had passed Solwold in turn three on the 12th lap amongst slower traffic, but a caution flag for Trevor Cook would give Jason the top spot back. Despite two more stuff runs from Forler, Solwold would hold strong to sweep the weekend, with Logan settling for second and Colton Heath taking third. Solwold was the fast qualifier. Heat winners were Heath, Devon Borden and Garen Linder.
Jason Beaulieu made it two for two with the Washington Modified Tour over the weekend. Jason had the lead on lap one when Grey Ferrando spun out and bunched the field up for a restart. On the restart, Collen Winebarger took the top spot from Beaulieu and tried to stretch a lead. Beaulieu never let him get out too far, eventually closing to within a car length. The lead appeared to change on lap 18 when Beaulieu was passing for the lead before a caution came out. Winebarger would try to stretch his advantage on the restart, but Jason had found the fastest line around the ½ mile track and passed Winebarger for good on the 20th lap en route to the win. Winebarger and Brad Martin rounded out the podium. Ferrando, Winebarger, Beaulieu and Don Jenner won the heats. Chris Beaulieu won the B Main.
Summer Thunder Sprintcar Series
Fast Time – Jason Solwold 14.464
Heat 1 – Colton Heath, Jason Solwold, Matt Jensen, Chris Bullock, Chris Ochs, DQ – Breyton Davison (did not scale)
Heat 2 – Devon Borden, Cam Smith, Logan Forler, Lance Sargent, Bailey Sucich, Dana Glenn
Heat 3 – Garen Linder, JJ Hickle, Trevor Cook, Chris Schmelzle, Michael Bollinger, John Keller
Main – Jason Solwold, Forler, Heath, Linder, Borden, Schmelzle, Hickle, Smith, Davison, Sargent, Ochs, Bullock, Jensen, Sucich, Keller, Bollinger, Cook, Glenn
Lap Leaders – Solwold 1-30
Hard Charger – Davison +7
Washington Modified Tour
Heat 1 – Grey Ferrando, Craig Moore, Morgan Criswell, Adam Holtrop, Chad Groves, Mike Steltz, Derek Campbell, DQ – Matt Jenner (did not scale)
Heat 2 – Collen Winebarger, Robert Jenner, Rick Smith, Don Martin, Donald Schott, Tiana Wild, Jeffrey Hudson, Kersey Ferrando
Heat 3 – Jason Beaulieu, Brad Martin, BJ Wild, Jeremy Martin, Larry Buchanon, Travis Stevenson, Andy Gashow
Heat 4 – Don Jenner, Kyler Moore, Lawrence O’Connor, Kevin Smith, Chris Beaulieu, James Wofford, Sean Fox, Pat Merritt
B Main – Chris Beaulieu, Schott, M Jenner, Hudson, Steltz, T Wild, Buchanon, Fox, Wofford, Groves, Gashow, K Ferrando, Stevenson
A Main – Jason Beaulieu, Winebarger, B Martin, K Moore, D Jenner, O’Connor, Hudson, G Ferrando, J Martin, Schott, C Beaulieu, M Jenner, Holtrop, R Jenner, C Moore, D Martin, Criswell, B Wild, R Smith, K Smith
Lap Leaders – J Beaulieu 1 Winebarger 2-19 J Beaulieu 20-25
Hard Charger – Hudson +13