Mike Wheeler Wins Vern Wheeler Memorial Race
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...Mike Wheeler led all the way in collecting the $2100 victory in the 500 Outlaw Kart 50 lap Main Event at Southern Oregon Speedway Friday night. The event was billed as the Vern Wheeler Sr. Memorial Race. It was an emotional win for Mike as his family was all in attendance to pay tribute to his father in this race. Jesse Caldwell made a challenge in traffic during the first half of the race, but mechanical issues saw him surrender second to Jake Park down the stretch.
Reigning champion Tanner Holmes returned to 250 Kart action and impressed with his heat race and 25 lap Main Event sweep ahead of previous Main Event winner Bodee Weiser.
Carley Holmes held off point leader Trevor Grimes and snapped his two race win streak with an impressive 20 lap Box Stock feature win.
Taylor Fuller set a rapid pace in winning the 15 lap Beginner Box Stock Main Event, while Daisy Gargurevich was second. Both drivers won two heat races as well.
Mike Wheeler won the 50 lap Vern Wheeler Sr. Memorial Race for the 500 Outlaw Karts. There was a strong 23 car field, and Wheeler gave indication early on that he came to win the race with two heat race victories. The event was held in memory of Mike's father, and his two heat wins earned him the pole for $2100 to win race. Jesse Caldwell won one of his heat races and shared the front row of the feature with M. Wheeler. Wheeler got off to a strong start and was lapping slower cars by lap eight, which allowed Caldwell to close in on him. A lap 10 yellow flag for a spin in Turn 1 bunched the field. Wheeler continued to lead the way. There were a pair of quick yellow flags, and Wheeler continued to hold the point. Wheeler caught traffic again by lap 22 as Caldwell challenged him one more time. Caldwell was trying to make a move when a pair of two car tangles in Turns 3 and 4 nearly claimed the two leaders. Wheeler led Caldwell, Jake Park, Johnny Burke and Tyler Seavey at the mid point of the race.
As the leaders worked lap 30, Caldwell slowed on the back stretch for a yellow flag, ending his great run. Wheeler continued to lead Park and Burke on he restart. Chase Hill made a Turn 2 pass on Burke to take over third on lap 44 as Ryan Foster followed him into fourth. Tanner Holmes had a Top 5 run going early before having to make a pit stop just before the fuel break for the race. Holmes came back through the pack and made a Turn 2 pass on lap 45 to grab fifth from Burke. M. Wheeler was unstoppable as he sped to an emotional victory. Park was a strong second ahead of Hill, Foster, Holmes, Kenny Boardman, Christian Osborne, Burke, Vern Wheeler Jr. and Matt Moberley.
Earlier in the evening, reigning 250 Outlaw Kart champion Tanner Holmes won that division's 25 lap Main Event. Holmes won both of his heat races to gain the pole of the feature race. From the start, Holmes had the lead in the rapidly run race that had two brief yellows. Colby Bergquist spun for the final yellow flag on lap 16, but previous feature winner Bodee Weiser could only chase the flying Holmes across the line for a second place finish. It was the second win of the season for Holmes. Maximus Mittry finished third ahead of Enrique Jaime, Braden Cory, Ashley Strain and final lead lap finisher Braden Weiser. Tyler Lefler, Carley Holmes and Bergquist rounded out the Top 10.
2014 Box Stock champion Carley Holmes won a showdown with point leader Trevor Grimes for the win in their 20 lap Main Event. The duo won the two eight lap heat races, and Holmes raced into the lead ahead of Grimes from the start of the feature race. Try as he might, Grimes was unable to make a move on Holmes, who made a good move in traffic on lap 16 to prevail at the checkered flag. Brionna Fuller finished a strong third ahead of Emma Rodgers, Natalie Richard, Natalie Hudson and Ryan Hirschbock. Loveah Crice had good heat race going until she tangled with Rodgers with both rolling in Turn 2. Crice's night was over at that point.
Taylor Fuller put on a dominant performance in winning the 15 lap Beginners Box Stock Main Event. Fuller and Daisy Gargurevich each won two eight lap heat races. Another rapidly run feature saw just one mid race yellow flag, and Fuller had already lapped third place Kiley Grimes by lap five. Fuller became the third winner of the season as he beat second place D. Gargurevich by a half lap. Point leader Grimes was third. Malachi Johnson made his first ever start and finished fourth ahead of previous winner Shailene Horn, Adrian Richard, Thomas Whipple, Ellie Gargurevich, Nicholas Davis Jr. and Roger Whipple. Whipple's race ended before the opening lap as another Kart swerved into his path, leaving him nowhere to go.
Race Results
Beginner Box Stock
Heat 1 (8 Laps)-Daisy Gargurevich. Heat 2 (8 Laps)-Taylor Fuller. Heat 3 (8 Laps)-D. Gargurevich. Heat 4 (8 Laps)-T. Fuller. Main Event (15 Laps)-Fuller, D. Gargurevich, Kiley Grimes, Malachi Johnson, Shailene Horn, Thomas Whipple, Ellie Gargurevich, Nicholas Davis Jr., Roger Whipple
Box Stock
Heat 1 (8 Laps)-Trevor Grimes. Heat 2 (8 Laps)-Carley Holmes. Main Event (20 Laps)-Holmes, Grimes, Brionna Fuller, Emma Rodgers, Natalie Richard, Natalie Hudson, Ryan Hirschbock, Loveah Crice (DNS).
250 Kart
Heat 1 (8 Laps)-Bodee Weiser. Heat 2 (8 Laps)-Tanner Holmes. Heat 3 (8 Laps)-Braden Cory. Heat 4 (8 Laps)-T. Holmes. Main Event (25 Laps)-T. Holmes, Weiser, Maximus Mittry, Enrique Jaime, Cory, Ashley Strain, Braden Weiser. Tyler Lefler, Carley Holmes, Colby Bergquist.
500 Kart
Heat 1 (8 Laps)-Mike Wheeler. Heat 2 (8 Laps)-Jesse Caldwell. Heat 3 (8 Laps)-Jeffrey Hudson. Heat 4 (8 Laps)-M. Wheeler. Heat 5 (8 Laps)-Tyler Seavey. Heat 6 (8 Laps)-Chase Hill. Main Event (50 laps)-M. Wheeler, Jake Park, Chase Hill, Ryan Foster, Tanner Holmes, Kenny Boardman, Christian Osborne, Johnny Burke, Vern Wheeler Jr., Matt Moberley.
