Wheeler, Orsburn, Burkett Win At Southern Oregon Speedway
After his father Vern announced his retirement, Jake Wheeler kept the family in the winner's circle with his 25 lap Pennzoil Sprint Car feature victory at Southern Oregon Speedway. Wheeler survived a mid race restart with Wayne Kniffen to get the win. Duane Orsburn assumed the IMCA Modified point lead with his 25 lap Main Event win as Trophy Dash winner and early leader James Welshonse settled for second.
Point leader Bob Burkett collected his second 20 lap Mini Stock feature win with Andrew Hall a career best second. Sprint Car veteran Mike Linder grabbed the win in the 20 Lap Open Stock Main Event. Trevor Thomason won the heat and 20 lap Main Event in the inaugural appearance of the OTRO Hardtops. Rookie Darrel Nelson Jr. won his first start in the 20 lap Hornet race.
Jake Wheeler continued the Wheeler family domination of the Pennzoil Winged Sprint Car division. Wheeler won the heat and Trophy Dash earlier in the evening. 2009 champion Charlie Thompson was running second when he blew a motor on lap 14 for a yellow flag. Wheeler held off Wayne Kniffen on the restart and went on to victory. Kniffen was second and Bill Hopper finished third.
Duane Orsburn took over the IMCA Modified point lead after winning the 25 lap Main Event. After his heat and Trophy Dash wins, rookie James Welshonse led seven laps before Orsburn made a Turn 4 pass to grab the lead. Welshonse settled for second ahead of Bo Shields. Daniel Herrera hit the Turn 4 wall hard to end his race on lap six.
Sprint Car veteran Mike Linder kicked off the Open Stock season by winning the heat race and 20 lap Main Event. Bob Dees finished second with 2014 Street Stock champion Miles Deubert placing third.
Trevor Thomason won the OTRO Hardtop feature in impressive fashion as he lapped the entire field by lap 15 of the 20 lap race. Bill Trotter battled Gary Barber all race long to grab the second place finish. Brian Crouch finished fourth. Chris Mehrer won the Trophy Dash, but he hit the wall in his heat race to knock the front end out front underneath his car.
Bob Burkett scored a flag to flag victory in the 20 lap Mini Stock feature. The point leader Burkett built a straightaway advantage over Andrew Hall, who was enjoying his best career finish in second. Eric Hanson rebounded from recent bad luck, and he did it by holding off Gary Anderson for third. Anderson spun out of second early and had to come from the back to finish fourth. Fourteen year old Marissa Hanson finished fifth after winning her first Trophy Dash earlier in the evening.
Rookie Darrel Nelson Jr. led from start to finish to win the 20 lap Hornet Main Event. John Hoult won an early duel with heat winner Tim Hedges to finish second. Hedges finished third ahead of Garrett Fredrickson. .
Racing continues next week with the first leg of the Wild West IMCA Modified Speedweek Series. Also on the card will be IMCA Sport Modifieds and Outlaw Pro Stocks. For further information, check out www.southernoregonspeedway.com.
Race Results Saturday, May June 4
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.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-James Welshonse. Trophy Dash (4 Laps)-Welshonse. Main Event (25 laps)-Duane Orsburn, Welshonse, Bo Shields, Daniel Hererra.
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.
Open Stock
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Mike Linder. Main Event (20 Laps)-Linder, Bob Dees, Miles Deubert.
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.
Hornets
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Tim Hedges. Main Event (20 Laps)-Darrel Nelson Jr., John Hoult, Hedges, Garrett Fredrickson.
