8/31/2016
Sunset Speedway Park
Joey Tanner Wins T&G Thriller/Doug Walters Classic; Cassell, A. Case, T. Owen, And Jackson Also Gain SSP Victories
Joey Tanner Wins T&G Thriller/Doug Walters Classic; Cassell, A. Case, T. Owen, And Jackson Also Gain SSP Victories
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Nikki Gamell)
Banks, Oregon- Sunset Speedway Park would have an incredible night of action on Saturday, August 27th. Headlining the evening was the Late Models, including the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series, for the T&G Thriller/Doug Walters Classic. Also in attendance were the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, Bridgeport Logistics Street Stocks, 4-Bee’s, and New Bees. The race is run in tribute to the late Doug Walters who was a former owner/operator of Sunset as well as a major supporter of racing all across the Pacific Northwest. Once all of the racing was completed there was a massive fireworks display put on courtesy of Baseline Pawn.
Corbett’s Collen Winebarger got out in front in the opening laps of the Late Model feature. Winebarger maintained the spot until getting passed on lap seven by Greg Walters. Walters, of Banks and Doug’s son, looked to be on his way to continue his dominance of his father’s race. But Greg would lose the coveted position on lap nineteen. The driver to get around him was Joey Tanner from Portland. Tanner continued to lead the rest of the sixty-seven lap race to win his first ever Doug Walters Classic and the third race of the campaign at SSP.
In the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds Jeff Lovell, of Oregon City, was the early leader. On the sixth lap Vancouver, Washington’s Jerry Schram would pass him and obtain the lead. Schram remained there for several laps before fellow Vancouver driver Kenny Miller got to the front on the forty-second circuit. Schram got the lead back on lap forty-eight but Craig Cassell managed to make it by Schram on lap fifty. The two would battle for some time but Cassell secured the top spot and won his third feature at Sunset in 2016.
Sherwood’s Marc Farrar and Don Jenner, from Vancouver, Washington, were the two cars to beat in the first half of the Bridgeport Logistics Street Stocks main event. Farrar paced the field for the first eleven laps while Jenner’s tenure up front lasted from lap twelve to twenty-five. Arnie Case, also of Vancouver, Washington, would get to the front on lap twenty-six and remained there the rest of the distance. Case now has seven wins at the ¼-mile clay oval this year.
Tylor Owen was in dominant form in the 4-Bee ranks. John Gartner blazed the trail for the first six circuits but from lap seven on it would all be about Tylor Owen. Owen, from Vernonia, stayed in the lead the rest of the distance and for the sixth occasion has emerged triumphant this year.
Bailey Jackson found her way back to the winner’s circle in the New Bee classification. The Carlton teenager would be in front the entire distance. It was her third win of the year.
Sunset Speedway Park will be off on Labor Day Weekend. The “Banks Bullring” returns to action on Saturday, September 10th for the final race of the season for both classes of Micro Sprints. This night will also feature the Wingless Sprint Series, Dwarf Cars, 4-Bee’s, and a Bump-To-Pass event. This race is sponsored by 98.7 The Bull. For more information, log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
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