4/30/2016
Grays Harbor Raceway
Goetz Captures Thrilling Victory on Opening Night
Elma, WA -- The 2016 Grays Harbor Raceway season kicked off with blue skies, sunshine and a great crowd on hand to see some great dirt track racing action on the 3/8 banked clay oval. On hand were the 360 Sprint Cars, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks and the Northwest Focus Midget Series:
Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks
Jason Tole of Hoquiam led the field to the green flag for the Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks main event, taking the early lead from Spanaway driver Kelly Fugate. Tyson Blood of Olympia, would get sideways in turn four, making contact with the uke tires on the inside of the track, but would keep the car in motion. Tom Hecker of Spanaway took the second position from Fugate, with Hoquiam driver Jack Parshall right on his back bumper. The first caution flag would fly on lap 5 for Brandon Babcock of Arlington. Babcock slowed to a stop in turn 2 with a little bit of a fire under the motor.
Tole leading the field to the green on the restart had tough company behind him as Parshall would not let him get away, Parshall and Tole raced side by side for a few laps before Parshall took the lead on lap 7. Parshall quickly pulled away from Tole and the rest of the field catching lap traffic. Parshall maneuvered through the traffic and continued to stretch his lead on Tole. The battle to watch on the raceway was for the third position between Hecker and Shane Kerrigan of Aberdeen, as Kerrigan had his sights set on that position. Lap 16 saw a caution for Dave Forte of Spanway, spinning to a stop in turn two.
Brenton Schnitzer of Shelton was on a mission to the front in the late stages of the main event, moving by Hecker and Tole on a late race restart, and taking the lead from Parshall with a few laps to go, going on to win his first main event of 2016. Parshall, Shane Kerrigan, Tole and Fugate rounded out the top five. Earlier in the evening Tole, Fugate and Hecker picked up heat race wins with Parshall setting quick time to start the evening.
Northwest Focus Midget Series
32 Focus Midgets signed in for the start of the 2016 season. Burlington driver Tristin Thomas didn't miss a beat to start the season as Thomas picked up 4 championships in 2016. Thomas led the field to the green flag with Eric Turner of Lake Stevens looking to chase him town. Thomas wasted no time in pulling away from the field, leaving a battle between Turner and Marsyville driver Nick Evans. Evans had his hands full as Ross Rankine of Noblesville, Indiana and McCleary driver Garrett Thomas battling for third. The first caution would come out on lap 4, as Derek Holmwood of Ferndale lost a left front wheel in turn four.
Tristin Thomas, with Turner, Rankine, and Evans on his back bumper took the green flag on the restart. Garrett Thomas moved into the fourth position, as Rankine slipped back a few spots. The red flag would fly a handful of laps later for Garrett Thomas, getting upside down on lap 9 in turn two. Thomas did walk away from the incident unharmed.
Another restart allowed Turner and Evans to make their moves on Tristin Thomas for the lead, but Thomas had the momentum to pull away quickly from the field. A lot of action throughout the field, including a battle for third between Turner and Rankine. Tristin Thomas didn't look back in the 20 lap main event, picking up the win. Evans, Rankine, Turner and Shorline driver Michael Vollbrecht rounded out the top five. Tristin Thomas, Turner, Garrett Thomas, and Evans also picked up heat race wins, Todd Hartmann of Bothell won the B-Main, with Tristin Thomas picking up quick time.
Shipwreck Beads Modifieds
A pair of Canadian drivers set the front row of the 25 lap, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds main event. Graham Cook or Port Hardy, BC and Campbell River, BC driver Jason Beaulieu brought the field to the green flag with Beaulieu taking the early lead. Just as fast as the green flag dropped, the yellow flag flew for a multi car pile up in turn one. On the restart, Beaulieu once again took the early lead, with Cook, and Sean Fox of Rainier, Ore looking to chase Beaulieu down for the lead. The battle for third between Morgan Criswell of Vancover, and Fox was one of the many on track battles to watch. Criswell took third momentarily, Fox would regain the position a lap later.
Beaulieu soon found lap traffic, and worked his way through until lap 9 saw a caution come out for the leader Beaulieu as he blew a right front tire bringing out the caution. Cook took command of the lead, with Fox right on the back bumper looking for a mistake by the leader. A late race caution brought a showdown between Cook, Austin Kerrigan of Aberdeen, and Fox for the lead, Cook would remain leader, Kerrigan moving by Fox for second. Debris from Cosmopolis driver Tom Sweatman set up a green, white, checkered that gave Kerrigan one last shot at Cook. Kerrigan looked to the inside a handful of times, including down the backstretch. Cook would go on to pick up the win. Kerrigan, Fox, Del Schnitzer, and Scott Miller rounded out the top five. Heat race winners earlier in the evening were Cook, Jason Beaulieu, and Fox.
Sprint Cars
Jeff Dunlap of Renton set the pace for the 25 lap Sprint Car main event with 2015 Grays Harbor Raceway champion Henry Van Dam of Enumclaw on the outside. Van Dam took the early lead with Dunlap in pursuit. Monroe's Jake Helsel looked to the outside of Dunlap but couldn't make the pass. Dunlap kept his sights on Van Dam, hoping to take the lead on any mistake. Helsel running in the third position would slow on the backstretch on lap 10 and pull to the infield with mechanical issues.
Van Dam set his sights on lap traffic, hoping to slice and dice his way through the slower cars, but couldn't get by, giving Dunlap the chance to close in on the leader. Reece Goetz of Snohomish moved into the third position, and took a shot at Dunlap for second, but couldn't make the pass. Caution flag flew on lap 21 for Dunlap coming to a stop after blowing a right rear tire in turn one, while running second. Setting up a 4 lap shootout for the win, Van Dam led the field to the green flag, Goetz looked to the inside to try and make the pass a handful of times, racing side by side with Van Dam. Goetz took the lead coming to the white flag and picked up his first win of 2016. Van Dam, Tayler Malsam, Trey Starks, and Garen Linder rounded out the top five. Van Dam, Dunlap and Jay Cole picked up heat race wins with Starks getting quick time.
Racing resumes next Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway with the Washington Modified Tour, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks, Outlaw Tuners, and the Sportsman Sprints. Gates open at 5:30, racing starts at 7PM!
Article Credit: Aaron Reed
Submitted By: Steve Beitler
