7/23/2016
Cottage Grove Speedway
Collen Winebarger Sweeps Night One Of Mark Howard Memorial CGS Modified Nationals; Brewster And A. Langan Also Collect Wins
Collen Winebarger Sweeps Night One Of Mark Howard Memorial CGS Modified Nationals; Brewster And A. Langan Also Collect Wins
By Ben Deatherage
Cottage Grove, Oregon- Friday, July 22nd would be the first night of the 2016 Mark Howard Memorial Cottage Grove Speedway Modified Nationals. Thirty-seven IMCA Modifieds from the states of Oregon, Washington, and California would make up the field. Also, Late Models, with the visiting Northwest Extreme Late Model Series, and Street Stocks were on the card as the support class.
A big pile up on the opening start of the IMCA Modified feature would occur in turn one delaying the first lap to be recorded in the books. Once the first circuit was registered complete Corbett’s Collen Winebarger blazed the trail. It would be a short-lived lead as Mark Carrell would pass him on lap two. The two drivers would go back and forth a number of times before the Redmond veteran, Carrell secured the position on lap eight.
Collen Winebarger did not give up on his pursuit of the lead. Winebarger reeled in Carrell and made a late race pass on lap twenty-eight. It would be the seventh and final change of the position the rest of the main event. For Collen, it marked the third time he has won at CGS in 2016.
Mark Carrell was a close second followed by Eugene’s Jesse Williamson in third. Fourth place went to Brian Poppa of White City while finishing fifth was Craig Hanson from Albany.
With so many cars making the journey the qualifying field was split into two groups. Lebanon chauffeur Kyle Yeack and Collen Winebarger were the fastest in their respected groups. Heat races were won by Yreka, California’s Kyle Casson, Winebarger, Justin Dittman of Lebanon, and Redmond native Ethan Landers. Two consolation features were also run with Albany’s Craig Hanson and Jasper driver Eric Ashley the winners. Winebarger won the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy Dash and Nick Trenchard, of Klamath Falls, made a late race move to win the Race of Champions.
In the Late Model main event, it was Steve Moore showing the way early. The Scio driver would possess the top spot until lap three. Making the pass was Jerry Schram of Vancouver, Washington and he would hold down the position for quite some time. However, Ron Brewster was able to take the top spot shortly after a restart on lap fifteen. Brewster, out of Redmond, retained the lead the rest of the distance to win his second race of the season at CGS.
Jerry Schram finished second followed by Creswell’s Paul Culp in third. The rest of the top five was made up of Steve Moore, in fourth, and Eugene driver David Schmidt in fifth.
Collen Winebarger, doing double duty, was fast time of the evening and also won the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy Dash. Heat races were won by David Schmidt and Paul Culp.
Last but not least was the Street Stocks. Evan Britton of Cottage Grove was the car to beat for the longest time but would get passed on the eleventh lap by Andrew Langan. Langan, out of Jasper and driving for car owner Kevin Williamson, held off the competition the rest of the way to win his first race at Cottage Grove this year.
Evan Britton would finish second while third went to Eugene’s Chris Sine. Talyn Roberts, of Gresham, was fourth and Cottage Grove’s Bo Eastman completed the top five in fifth.
Tom Yeack, from Crawfordsville, was quick time and Evan Britton won the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy Dash. Heat race winners were Yeack and Chris Sine.
Cottage Grove Speedway returns on Saturday, July 23rd for the second and final night of the Mark Howard Memorial CGS Modified Nationals. IMCA Modifieds, Late Models (including the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series, and the Clark Printing Extreme Sprints will all be racing. Tickets are Adults $13.00, Juniors/Seniors $10.00, Youth (6-12) $5.00, Family Pass $30.00, and Children 5 or under are FREE. As will happen all year long in honor of our 60th Anniversary the 60th fan through the Front Gate gets in for FREE. Pit Gates open at 2:00 PM, Front Gates 4:00, and Racing is scheduled to start around 6:30. For more information, log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com. If you can't make it in person you can catch lap to lap coverage on racefeedx.com for $15.00.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage