By Ben Deatherage
Cottage Grove, Oregon- Speedweek Northwest returned to the site of the second engagement of the 2019 schedule. Cottage Grove Speedway once more was the site of action with the series on Friday, July 12th for the second of three scheduled shows at the ¼-mile clay oval. The Friday event boasted the largest car count of the week with twenty-eight entries from the states of Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, and Oklahoma as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Come the time of the main event Kyle Hirst, of Paradise, California, seized the initiative right off the bat. Wrenching on the car, driven all week up until Friday by Steven Tiner, he hoped to make a big splash in his first appearance of the week. In traffic, he had some close company and not just immediately in front of him. Rocklin, California’s Colby Copeland, racing for car owners Jim & Annette Van Lare, motored his way underneath Hirst, and even lead lap eleven, only for Hirst to counterattack back and reclaim the position on the twelfth circuit.
A lap twelve caution eliminated the lapped traffic and a handful of cautions occurred afterward resulting in the race coming down to restarts. Kyle Hirst kept in front of the rest of the field to win his first race of the week, his second win at CGS, and his seventh career Speedweek triumph. The victory puts him fourth on the all-time win list trailing Roger Crockett (23), Steve Kent (13), and Brent Kaeding (10) on the chart.
Ryan Robinson, originating from Foresthill and driving for car owner Vern Morrison, placed second and behind him, in third, would be Hanford, California’s Mitchell Faccinto, driving for Stan Greenberg. Clarksburg, California driver Justyn Cox ended his evening in fourth for car owner Doug and Kathy Rutz while Jacksonville teenager Tanner Holmes completed the top five, in fifth.
Justyn Cox was the quickest driver in time trials. Heat races were won by Aromas, California driver Justin Sanders, Colby Copeland, Harrisburg youngster Tyler Thompson, and Mitchell Faccinto. Kyle Hirst won the trophy dash to earn the inside front row starting position in the main event. Tyler Thompson bested the field in the first consolation feature of the entire week.
The championship-deciding finale for Speedweek Northwest 2019 will be on Saturday, July 13th at Cottage Grove Speedway. Pit Gates open at 1:00 PM, Front Gates 3:30, and Time Trials at 5:30 with Racing beginning at 6:00. Tickets are $15.00 for Adults, Seniors/Juniors/Military $12.00, Youths (6-12) $5.00, and Children (5 & Under) are FREE. For more information and updates log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com or check out the official Facebook page.
If you can’t make it don’t worry as we have you covered with live streaming lap to lap coverage courtesy of Dirt Oval TV. As in the previous four Speedweeks, it will be once again sanctioned by the Western Sprint Tour. For the latest news and information be sure and either visit the Western Sprint Tour Facebook page or the series website at http://www.cottagegrovespeedway.com/western-sprint-tour .
2019 Speedweek Northwest Schedule
Monday, July 8th-Siskiyou Motor Speedway-Yreka, California (Mitchell Faccinto)
Tuesday, July 9th-Coos Bay Speedway-Coos Bay, Oregon (Rained Out)
Wednesday, July 10th- Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon (Justin Sanders)
Thursday, July 11th-Sunset Speedway Park-Banks, Oregon (Mitchell Faccinto)
Friday, July 12th-Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon (Kyle Hirst)
Saturday, July 13th-Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon
Race Results
Speedweek Northwest Round #4
Friday, July 12th, 2019
Cottage Grove Speedway
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Quick Time: Justyn Cox
Heat Race Winners: Justin Sanders (1), Colby Copeland (2), Tyler Thompson (3), Mitchell Faccinto (4)
Trophy Dash Winner: Kyle Hirst
B-Feature: 1. Tyler Thompson; 2. Jake Wheeler; 3. Garen Linder; 4. Kyle Miller; 5. Matt Hein; 6. Chris Bullock; 7. Nate Schank; 8. Tyler Dreiver; 9. John Clark; 10. Emily Williams; 11. Don Waddell; DNS John Stuart
A-Feature: 1. Kyle Hirst; 2. Ryan Robinson; 3. Mitchell Faccinto; 4. Justyn Cox; 5. Tanner Holmes; 6. Tony Gualda; 7. Tyler Thompson; 8. Justin Sanders; 9. Jesse Love; 10. Jake Wheeler; 11. Colton Heath; 12. J.J. Hickle; 13. Jake Haulot; 14. Greg Hamilton; 15. Garen Linder; 16. Kyle Miller; 17. Colby Copeland; 18. Seth Bergman; 19. Chelsea Blevins; 20. Devon Borden