9/14/2014
Willamette Speedway
Mayea, Shank, James, And Winkler St. Jude Children’s Hospital Night Winners
Mayea, Shank, James, And Winkler St. Jude Children’s Hospital Night Winners
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Doc’s Photos)
Good car counts and great racing were on tap at Willamette Speedway as the historical 1/3-mile clay oval hosted St. Jude Children’s Hospital Night. Divisions on the card included the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models, Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, and Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman.
Darren Coffell of Bend was the machine to beat in the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Model feature. Coffell, chauffeuring the Driving Force Graphics/Tubeshark Tube Bender/Clements Racing Engines #46 Rocket, would lead most of the race but would be overtaken from fellow Central Oregonian Rob Mayea. Mayea, also of Bend, would pull away the remainder of the distance to win his third race of 2014 at Willamette for the J&S Farms/Tim Logan Racing/Cornett Racing Engines #37 Rocket team. Happy Valley’s John Duty would set a new track record in his Don Frank Flooring/Mid Ohio Graphics/Metro Services/Darrell and Mardell Williams #5 Rocket at 13.862 seconds.
In the Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds Craig Cassell would set a quick pace in the caution filled main event. Cassell, hailing from Albany and piloting his Ester Lee Motel of Lincoln City/Dr. Mary Harada Breast Cancer Specialist/Debra Herndon Family Nurse Practitioner/Mid-Valley Farms #25 Rocket by Ruhlman, would lose the lead to Jeremy Shank from Salem after the two would battle for several laps. Shank would stay in the top spot to score his third Wirth Wireless IMCA Modified win of the season at Willamette for his Left Coast Motorsports/South Pacific Auto Sales and Service Center/Billstein Shocks by Left Coast #30 Swartz.
Lebanon’s Jeff Rash was the leader for the majority of the Crocker’s Cars Super Sport feature. Rash, in the Rash Racing #78 entry, would lead until a green-white-checkered restart late in the race. Bricen James of Albany would go from third to first to go on to win the main event in exciting fashion. The triumph marks the ninth victory of the campaign in the Crocker’s Cars Super Sports for James and the James Gang Pizza/Lebanon Auto Body/Rainbow Rentals/Schram Brothers Excavating/O’Connell Machine #13 MasterSbilt team.
Last but not least the Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman main event would have Jeff Rash, like in the Crocker’s Cars Super Sports race, in dominant form. Rash, piloting the Wirth Wireless/Hackney Racing #1 Swartz for car owner Glen Hackney, would be overtaken by Brian Winkler in the closing laps. Winkler, of Newberg, would record his third win of the year for him and the Fritz Cutting & Coring/Flatt Muffler & Custom Exhaust/Doerfler Farms/Zosel Sheds #88 Rayburn team. Glen Hackney of Lebanon would set a new track record in qualifying with a time of 15.808 seconds in his Hackney Racing/Wirth Wireless #2 Swartz entry.
Next on tap for Willamette Speedway will be the 2014 finale for the Karts on Friday September 19th while Saturday the 20th will be Championship Night for all six divisions. Those divisions include the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models, Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman, Street Stocks, and 4-Cylinders.
General admission to the Friday Kart race will be FREE of charge. Pit Passes are $10.00 and Car and Driver fees will be $30.00. The Pit Gate will open up around 4:00 PM and Racing is scheduled to begin around 6:30.
On Saturday the Pit Gates will open at 1:00 PM, the Pit Meeting will take place at 2:30, Front Gates open at 3:30, and Racing starts at 6:00. Tickets for this event are Adults $12.00, Seniors/Military/Juniors (13-17) $10.00, Youths (Ages 12-6) $5.00, and Children under the age of 5 are FREE and a family pass will be offered for two Adults and up to four Youths for just $35.00. For more information log on to www.trophymotorsports.com and click “Track Info”.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage