Southern Oregon Speedway Racing Discussion
The weekend preview edition can be found HERE
Five Division Show On Tap For
Southern Oregon Speedway This Saturday Night
The
third event of the 2016 season is set for this Saturday night at
Southern Oregon Speedway. After the successful debut of the two IMCA
Modified classes, we get our first look at the Hornet and Super 4
divisions. The Valley Boys Auto Sales Outlaw Pro Stocks, IMCA Sport
Modifieds and OTRO Hardtops are also on the schedule. It should be
another great night of racing on the fast 3/10's mile banked clay oval.
Last
week was a bumpy beginning for the IMCA Sport Modified division, but it
continued to be business as usual for two time defending champion
Jorddon Braaten. Braaten led all the way, fighting off a challenge from
two time champion Dwayne Melvin. Braaten has multiple championship goals
in mind for this year, including his third track title a row and a
state championship. It would be the ultimate accomplishment for the team
as Jordan prepares to move up to the IMCA Modified division next year.
Last
season's third place point runner, Bob Nelsen, had a good afternoon.
His car was voted "Best Appearing" in the car show held earlier in the
afternoon at a local business. He then drove to a third place finish in
the Main Event.
David Marble made his division debut in fifth. Marble is moving up from the Mini Stock ranks, where he won the track championship last season. The difference is night and day in the way the cars handle. "Oh, this car is great, " Marble admitted. "There's no comparison between this and the Mini Stock. This thing practically drives itself."
David Marble made his division debut in fifth. Marble is moving up from the Mini Stock ranks, where he won the track championship last season. The difference is night and day in the way the cars handle. "Oh, this car is great, " Marble admitted. "There's no comparison between this and the Mini Stock. This thing practically drives itself."
Marble
picked up a second place feature finish in Yreka about a month ago. His
influence in racing is his uncle, past Southern Oregon Speedway Sprint
Car Champion T.J. Winningham. "I pitted for him for many years, " David
explained. "He's the one that talked me into racing. So, I got a Mini
Stock about 7 years ago and started racing."
The
Outlaw Pro Stock competitors are probably still chasing Steve Borror
after last their last appearance. Borror put on a dominant performance
in winning the Main Event by a half lap. This followed up his win in the
group's season opener in Yreka just a few weeks before that. The
question is, can anybody beat him this week?
That
may fall to the two time champion Ken Irving, who hasn't finished
outside of the top five in the standings in the last four seasons.
Irving led the last feature for five laps before settling for a second
place finish. Two other competitors, James Flowers and Roy Bain, were
the only others to manage to stay on the lead lap last time out. Flowers
is currently second in the group's point standings.
It
is a family affair with the Flowers clan. Father Scott is coming off
of back to back runner up point seasons. He is a past champion at the
old Worden Speedway. James is his son, and daughter Julia just started
in a Pro Stock this season. "She's been racing in Karts and she wanted
to run with us this year, " Scott explained
The
daughter already has one goal in mind. "I want to beat my father and
my brother in a Main Event, " said Julia, who is a high school senior in
Klamath Falls. Her first start at Yreka was a fifth place finish, and
she took a checkered flag in eighth last time out.
It
has been a few seasons since we last saw the Super 4's division. The
effort was established about 15 years ago by local car builder Rick
Rapp. After the 2012 season, several of the competitors headed for the
pavement up north. John Barger remained and won the last track
Championship the division had in 2013. He is one of the drivers that is
anticipated this week.
As
for who else will be racing, the word was that we could see anywhere
from 6 to 10 cars for the opener. Lee Doty, who won the Main Event last
year in the division's lone appearance, is anticipated to be one of
those drivers. Prior to the most recent Outlaw Pro Stock show, one of
that division's competitors and a two time Super 4 champion, Dennis
Johnsen, talked about the possibility of being a competitor in this
division once again.
The
Hornets division is a gateway division to get new stars on to the big
track. Last season, Dillon Lausen competed in the Hornet division as did
Devon Weiser and Michael Johnson, who was second in the standings. All
three of these drivers have moved up to the Mini Stock division this
year. Johnson, a second generation competitor at the speedway, was just
14 years old when he started racing. Drew Fielder is the 2015 champion.
Again, we've heard anywhere from 6 to 10 drivers could be out there to
kick this division off. The Hornet division is in its third season, and
optimism is high that it will grow in the weeks ahead.
The
OTRO Hardtop division races on the payment up at Roseburg. A group of
about a half a dozen of them are hoping to expand their horizons on the
dirt. This week will be the first of five scheduled appearances for the
group as they try to establish something.
Grandstands
open at 5:00 p.m. with the first race starting at 7:00 p.m. sharp.
Adult tickets are $12, Juniors and Seniors are $6.00 and children 5 and
under are free. For the ladies out there, Saturday night is Ladies
Night, meaning only $6 to come out and watch a great night of racing.
Pit Stops
Of
note on last week's roster was the appearance of six time IMCA Modified
champion Mark Wauge. Wauge won that division's Main Event impressively.
He would like to come back and support all nine races this year, but
he's hoping that some of his fellow competitors feel the same way about
bringing their cars to the track. "Car count got a little bit down last
year, so we started racing at other places, " Mark explained. "I don't
want to come out and beat a field of five or six cars. I'd feel just as
good about finishing fifth in a field of 20 cars."
Wauge
beat a field of 14 cars last week, which means we will probably see him
at the division's next appearance on May 21st . "This is my home track,
and I've run for points just about every year since I started, " he
added. "I was talking to other racers about coming out here, because I
want to see the cars come back. This division puts on a good show for
the fans."
Likewise,
Winged Sprint Car competitor Vern Wheeler Jr. has been vilified for
supporting the cause this year. However, the track is only a few minutes
from his house and Wheeler just wants to race. "A few people have
called me names for coming out here and racing, " Vern explained. "I
just want to race, and I want this division to grow here."
Wheeler
brings an experience advantage over the rest of the competition this
year, and he's hoping that some of the more experienced teams come out
and start racing. "I see what the management is trying to do out here
and what they were dealing with coming in, and I understand," he
remarked as he pointed to the grandstands. "The fans want to see Sprint
Cars, and they will start coming back. They are starting to come back. I
think that will be reflected in the purse if this continues."
Southern Oregon Outlaw Karts Kick Off
New Season On Friday
New Season On Friday
The
little Field of Dreams at Southern Oregon Speedway, the 1/8th mile
banked clay oval, kicks off its racing season Friday night. On the slate
for the evening will be the Beginner Box Stock division for kids 5 to 8
years old, Intermediate Box Stocks, 125's, 250's, 500's and Micro
Sprints.
The little track was built back in 1998 by Ron Shulbin, who promoted
the track for the first ten years. Through the years, many youngsters
have had their racing careers launched on that race track. Stars such as
Camden Robustelli, Chadd Noland and Seth Nunes won their first
championships out there.
An
eight race schedule has been planned, beginning with this weekend's
race. There will be two races per month from now through August, and a
special race is being planned for midway through the year. An
announcement will be forthcoming.
The
Wall of Champions will show that last season's title winners were Trent
Florey (Beginner Box Stock), Trevor Grimes (Box Stock), Wyatt Pinchney
(125's), Tanner Holmes (250's) and Joseph Benton (500's).
General
admission tickets are $5.00 with children under 5 free. Grandstands
Open at 5:00 p.m. with the first race scheduled for 7:00 p.m. sharp.
IMCA Modifieds
No. Driver Points
1m Mark Wauge 40
23 Matt Duste 39
68 Jesse Bailey 38
89c Albert Gill 37
54n Nick Trenchard 36
11k Kyle Casson 35
0 Duane Orsburn 34
21 Jeremy Ohlde 33
68t Dan Thomas 32
2g James Welshonse 31
38 Juston Ryker 30
88 Zach Fettinger 29
8 Daniel Herrera 28
10xx Lloyd Speer 28
IMCA Sport Modifieds
No. Driver Points
84 Jorddon Braaten 40
69 Dwayne Melvin 39
8n Bob Nelson 38
4y Jimmy Lipke 37
4 David Marble 36
01k Kurt Lorenzini 35
83h Garrett Hamilton 34
76 A.J. Parker 33
30 Mike Medel 32
88 Randy Fernandes 31
6 Keith Foux 30
Mini Stocks
No. Drivers Points
43 Bob Burkett 72
0 Gary Anderson 64
17h Marissa Henson 59
007 Andrew Hall 54
89 Kristopher Mix 49
2d Devon Weiser 42
9c Mike Cloud 40
87 Dillon Lausen 35
40 Ethan Killingsworth 30
421 Patrick Stringer-Stein 21
40 Randy Simmons 16
49h Eric Hanson 12
Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars May 8
No. Driver Points
21w Vern Wheeler Jr. 74
21r Jake Wheeler 64
25 Camden Robustelli 57
L88 Jeffrey Hudson 53
04 Todd Whipple 46
84 Wayne Kniffen 26
54 Bill Hopper 6
IMCA Modifieds
No. Driver Points
1m Mark Wauge 40
23 Matt Duste 39
68 Jesse Bailey 38
89c Albert Gill 37
54n Nick Trenchard 36
11k Kyle Casson 35
0 Duane Orsburn 34
21 Jeremy Ohlde 33
68t Dan Thomas 32
2g James Welshonse 31
38 Juston Ryker 30
88 Zach Fettinger 29
8 Daniel Herrera 28
10xx Lloyd Speer 28
IMCA Sport Modifieds
No. Driver Points
84 Jorddon Braaten 40
69 Dwayne Melvin 39
8n Bob Nelson 38
4y Jimmy Lipke 37
4 David Marble 36
01k Kurt Lorenzini 35
83h Garrett Hamilton 34
76 A.J. Parker 33
30 Mike Medel 32
88 Randy Fernandes 31
6 Keith Foux 30
Mini Stocks
No. Drivers Points
43 Bob Burkett 72
0 Gary Anderson 64
17h Marissa Henson 59
007 Andrew Hall 54
89 Kristopher Mix 49
2d Devon Weiser 42
9c Mike Cloud 40
87 Dillon Lausen 35
40 Ethan Killingsworth 30
421 Patrick Stringer-Stein 21
40 Randy Simmons 16
49h Eric Hanson 12
Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars May 8
No. Driver Points
21w Vern Wheeler Jr. 74
21r Jake Wheeler 64
25 Camden Robustelli 57
L88 Jeffrey Hudson 53
04 Todd Whipple 46
84 Wayne Kniffen 26
54 Bill Hopper 6