4/5/2021
Cottage Grove Speedway
Thompson, Hudson, Elkins, Osborne, And Bryant Earn 2021 CGS Season Opener Wins
Thompson, Hudson, Elkins, Osborne, And Bryant Earn 2021 CGS Season Opener Wins
By Stephanie Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of JRP Race Photos)
Cottage Grove, Oregon- Saturday, April 3rd witnessed the 2021 season opener at Cottage Grove Speedway. It was the first time since September of last year that cars have competed at the historic ¼-mile clay oval. Five divisions were all on the card including two apart of the Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing program. Classes in the pits were the Todd’s Auto Body Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks, and IMCA Sport Compacts.
In the Todd’s Auto Body Sprint Cars, the main event went practically non-stop. With just one caution, on lap nineteen, it allowed race leader Tyler Thompson to construct a massive amount of distance over second place. Thompson, of Harrisburg, managed to lap all competitors, except for second place.
Tyler Thompson would go on to claim the win and become the first Sprint Car winner in the Pacific Northwest this season. Roseburg racers Steven Snawder and Kyle Alberding was scored second and third. Jake Wheeler, of Central Point, was fourth with fifth place going to Albany’s Brody Sim in the Chris and Connie Rolfe owned mount. Thompson was quickest in qualifying, Medford motorist Bailey Hibbard won the Dot’s Trophy Shop Dash, and heat race wins were picked up by Thompson and Snawder.
The largest car count in any of the classes on opening night was in the IMCA Modifieds. Keno youngster Jeffrey Hudson cracked the whip early and took full control of the top place position on the opening start. The inside pole sitter had to deal with a lot of cautions which also meant a lot of restarts. Hudson, racing for car owner Don Roemer, retained first place despite a total of eight stoppages.
In the final laps Hudson felt a huge amount of pressure from challengers Jake Mayden and Bricen James but kept them both in check at the line. Jeffrey is the newest winner in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region and the first driver to hit pay dirt in the state of Oregon.
Jake Mayden, of Springfield, edged out Albany’s Bricen James by 0.063 seconds for the runner-up position. Redmond chauffeur B.J. Wild earned fourth with the top five being rounded out by Curtis Towns, of Cottage Grove, in fifth. Towns was the winner of the Dot’s Trophy Shop Dash with heat races going to Stayton’s Grey Ferrando, Hudson, and James.
The Late Models went practically stoppage too but just like the Todd’s Auto Body Sprint Cars they had just one yellow. Bob Dees, from Rogue River, captured the lead right off the bat but received some heavy pressure a few more laps in. Salem pilot Doug Elkins maneuvered his way around Dees on lap four and stayed there the rest of the way.
Doug Elkins dominated the remaining balance of the lap count to win his first race of the year. Cottage Grove’s Mike Peters was a notable second with third going to Randy Barley, of Albany. Ed Peters, from Eugene, was fourth and Sisters racer Trevor Klaasen got fifth. Elkins was the top qualifier, Mike Peters emerged victorious in the Dot’s Trophy Shop Dash and heat race winners were Elkins and Klaasen.
For the Street Stocks they would have an exciting main event. Roseburg’s Seth Christian cruised in front of the rest of the pack for some time until overtaken on lap six by Taunton Swaim. Swaim, of Dexter, pulled off the track prematurely giving the position back to Christian after the ninth circuit.
Seth Christian stayed as the point man until lap sixteen when Graig Osborne moved into the lead. The Creswell chauffeur, of Osborne, maintained the spot the rest of the distance to score his first Street Stock triumph of 2021.
Eugene's Adam Applebee was second while Blake Lehman, of Redmond was third. The fourth and fifth placers consisted of St. Helens’ Terry King and Daniel Land, of Coos Bay. Creswell racer Michael Hollingsworth was quick time in qualifying, Lehman earned the win in the Dot’s Trophy Shop Dash, and Lehman and Osborne won the two heat races.
Lastly, in the IMCA Sport Compacts Burnie Bryant took control of first place. Taking advantage of his inside pole starting position the Sutherlin driver looked to build a big lead, but six yellows slowed the field down. Despite all the restarts Bryant held on to first place to become the first IMCA Sport Compact winner in the state of Oregon in the new campaign.
Dexter youngster Bradley Martin held on to second and beat out Oakland’s Michael Kennerly. Mark Milligan, from Eugene, was fourth with K.C. Scott, of Springfield, placing fifth. It was a clean sweep for Bryant as he won the Dot’s Trophy Shop Dash and his heat race. Other heat race winners were Cottage Grove’s Kerry Cooper and Cole Trissell of Springfield.
Cottage Grove Speedway returns to racing on Saturday, April 10th with five classes on the card. They include Wingless Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Royalty Core IMCA Northern Sport Mods, Street Stocks, and IMCA Sport Compacts. To purchase tickets or more information log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com .
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
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