Southern Oregon Speedway Racing Discussion
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At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...June 4...Bob Burkett led all the way in the non stop 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event for his second win of the season at Southern Oregon Speedway. Burkett was being challenged by Gary Anderson until Anderson spun in Turn 4. The win enabled Burkett to add a few points to his lead over Anderson.
The four Lap Trophy Dash saw 14 year old Marissa Henson score her first win, despite persistent pressure from Anderson. Anderson look the lead from Eric Hanson on lap three and won his heat race ahead of Henson. Burkett won his six lap heat ahead of Mike Cloud, who suffered a motor problem to end his night. Anderson and Burkett had front row starts for the Main Event with Burkett charging into the lead. Hanson made a low pass in Turn 2 of the third lap to grab fourth from Henson. Anderson made a rare mistake on lap three as he spun in Turn 4 to fall back to eighth. At that point, Burkett had a straightaway advantage over the Pinto Wagon of Andrew Hall. Anderson made his return to the Top 5 with his pass on Kris Mix on lap ten. An inside move on the backstretch of the 11th lap gained Anderson fourth from Henson. Anderson caught Hanson and briefly passed him for third late, only to get sideways before the lap was completed to lose the spot. Burkett was an impressive winner with Hall turning in a great performance in second. Hanson reversed his recent bad luck with a third place finish ahead of Anderson, Henson, Mix, Dillen Lausen and Mikey Johnson. The next appearance of the Mini Stocks will be on June 18th.
Mini Stocks
Heat
Winners (6 Laps)-Gary Anderson, Bob Burkett. Trophy Dash (4
laps)-Marissa Henson. Main Event (20 Laps)-Burkett, Andrew Hall, Eric
Hanson, Anderson, Henson, Kris Mix, Dillen Lausen, Mikey Johnson, Mike
Cloud (DNS).
Thomason Wins Inaugural Appearance For OTRO Hardtops At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...June 4...The OTRO Hardtops made their first visit to Southern Oregon Speedway Saturday night and put on an entertaining show. When the checkered flag flew on the 20 lap Main Event, it was Trevor Thomason grabbing the victory.
As the drivers normally run pavement, they ran slick tires on the three-tenths mike clay oval, which made for some interesting racing early on. The drivers were given a four car Trophy Dash to start with and luck of the draw from the seven competitors determined who ran the race. Chris Mehrer led the first lap and seemed to get more aggressive before spinning out at the start finish line for a yellow flag. Mehrer still won the four lap race ahead of Jimmy DelCastille. Hoping for a repeat performance, Mehrer had a front row start for the heat race, but his night took a turn for the worse as he hit the Turn 1 wall on the opening lap and knocked the front end out from underneath his car. Thomason won the six lap race ahead of Gary Barber.
Wylie Powell joined Mehrer on the sidelines for the Main Event. Thomason had a front row start for the race and charged into the lead ahead of Barber and Bill Trotter. Trotter passed Barber for second on lap four, but Thomason held a straightaway advantage by then. DelCastille pitted on lap ten, and the flying Thomason lapped fourth place Brian Crouch on lap 12. Trotter and Barber ran close in the race for second, but both were lapped late as Thomason scored the victory ahead of Barber, Trotter, Crouch and DelCastlille. The next visit of the OTRO Hardtops will be on June 25th.
OTRO Hardtops
Heat
Winner (6 Laps)-Trevor Thomason. Trophy Dash (4 Laps)-Chris Mehrer.
Main Event (20 Laps)-Thomason, Bill Trotter, Gary Barber, Brian Crouch,
Jimmy DelCastille.
Orsburn Grabs Point Lead With IMCA Modified victory
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...June 4..Duane Orsburn assumed the IMCA Modified point lead with his 25 lap Main Event win Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. It was the first win of the season for Orsburn, who is a two time Street Stock champion on the three-tenths mile, banked clay oval track.
After his heat and Trophy Dash wins, rookie James Welshonse led seven laps of the Main Event. Welshonse is a rookie in the class, having come up through Mini Stocks and IMCA Sport Modifieds. Rookie Daniel Herrera hit the Turn 4 wall hard to end his race on lap six. Welshonse led the restart, but one lap later, Orsburn made a Turn 4 pass to grab the lead. Orsburn went on to victory as Welshonse settled for second ahead of Bo Shields.
June 11th is the opening round of the Wild West IMCA Modified Speedweek race. The IMCA Sport Modifieds will be the support division for the show.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat
Winner (6 Laps)-James Welshonse. Trophy Dash (4 Laps)-Welshonse. Main
Event (25 laps)-Duane Orsburn, Welshonse, Bo Shields, Daniel Hererra.
Jake Wheeler Grabs Victory At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...June 4...Jake Wheeler kept the family in the winner's circle with his 25 lap Pennzoil Sprint Car feature victory Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. Wheeler survived a mid race restart with Wayne Kniffen to get the win. Jake is a past Outlaw Kart champion at the speedway and a Top 3 Southern Oregon Sprint Car Tour point runner as well, and his win came aboard his Reser's Fine Foods/Dave's Carpet & Vinyl Liquidators Sprinter. The win also lifted him into the point lead after his father Vern announced his retirement,
Jake Wheeler kept the family's perfect record intact by winning both the Trophy Dash and heat race. 2009 champion Charlie Thompson was second in the heat race, and Wheeler's dash win came ahead of Kniffen. Kniffen led a lap, but things got a bit close a couple laps later when he and Wheeler bumped wheels in Turn 3, resulting in Kniffen nearly flipping. For the Main Event, Wheeler sped into the lead ahead of Thompson and Kniffen. Two time Orland Raceway champion Bill Hopper pitted his over heating Sprinter by lap ten. Thompson had recently put a new motor in his CT Auto Repair & Express Lube/Rodgers' Racing Engines sponsored mount, and it let go on him for a yellow flag midway through the race. Kniffen tried, but he was no match for Wheeler on the restart. Wheeler went on to grab the $700 victory with Kniffen a career best $500 second. Thompson was scored third ahead of Hopper.
The Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars return for their next race on June 25th. For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Pennzoil Winged Sprint Cars
Heat
Winner (6 Laps)-Jake Wheeler. Trophy Dash (4 Laps)-Wheeler. Main
Event (25 Laps)-Wheeler, Wayne Kniffen, Charlie Thompson, Bill Hopper.
Linder Captures Inaugural Open Stock Victory
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...June 4....Late Model and Sprint Car veteran Mike Linder kicked off the Open Stock season by winning the 20 lap Main Event Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. The win paid $500 to Linder as Stock Car veteran Bob Dees finished second.
Linder opened the night with a win in the six lap heat race ahead of Deees, and he continued his strong night of racing by winning the 20 lap feature. The Open Stock class is open to cars ranging from Late Models all the way to Super 4's and everything in between. Linder was wheeling a Late Model. Past Top 5 Late Model competitor Bob Dees made some good laps in finishing second. The Dees family has another Late Model in the works, which will be piloted by John Dees. Garrett Dees, a past Top 3 Street Stock competitor, hopes that his busy work schedule won't keep him from returning at some point this season. 2014 Street Stock champion Miles Deubert battled Dees most of the night in his Pro Stock, but overheating problems sent him pitside before the Main Event concluded. The Late Model of Steve Lemley should be among the group when Open Stock racing returns on June 18th. Rules and scheduling information for the division can be obtained at www.southernoregonspeedway.com
Open Stock
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Mike Linder. Main Event (20 Laps)-Linder, Bob Dees, Miles Deubert.
Nelson Kicks Off Third Hornets Season With Win
At Southern Oregon Speedway
White City, Oregon...June 4..The Hornets began their third season of racing at Southern Oregon Speedway Saturday night. A few new competitors were in the field, and it was rookie Darrel Nelson Jr. impressing with a dominant performance in the 20 lap Main Event.
The night started off with newcomer Tim Hedges winning the six lap heat race. Nelson had led the first lap before surrendering the lead to Hedges with a Turn 2 pass. Come Main Event time, Nelson raced into the immediate lead from his outside front row starting spot. Hedges held second until John Hoult made a low pass in Turn 2 of the sixth lap to grab the spot. A Top 5 point runner in 2015, Garrett Fredrickson struggled at the back of the pack and was lapped on lap seven. Nelson steadily pulled away from second place Hoult and lapped Hedges at the finish. Nelson won ahead of Hoult, Hedges and Fredrickson. The next race for the Hornets will be on June 18th.
Hornets
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Tim Hedges. Main Event (20 Laps)-Darrel Nelson Jr., John Hoult, Hedges, Garrett Fredrickson.
