Johnson Takes First Night of Brownfield Memorial
Vitale Wins Late Model Feature
By Jack Fordyce
Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, WA.
Jason Johnson from Eunice, LA. took over the lead just past the mid point of the American Sprint Car Series national point’s 30-lap feature and never looked back Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway.The race was the first night of the annual Brownfield Memorial and drew 58 of some of the best 360 Sprint Car drivers in the country.Albany, OR. driver, Casey Vitale grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the Late Model 40-lap feature and cruised to the win.
Sprints
This was only his second trip to the Northwest; his first was last year when he finished second to Travis Rilat of Forney TX. in the Brownfield Memorial Saturday night feature. Ricky Logan of Knoxville, IA. Had the pole position and held the lead through the first sixteen laps before Johnson was able to gain the upper hand.
Johnson was running third when Rilat and Zach Chappell of Talala, OK. got tangled up coming our of turn-2 on lap-11, which took both Rilat and Chappell out of the race. Logan had the lead on the restart, Johnson second, Everett, WA. driver Jayme Barnes was third, Mitch Olson of Tacoma, was fourth and two time Brownfield Memorial winner, Shane Stewart of Bixby, Ok. fifth. Johnson made his move on lap-17 and was never challenged from there to the finish.
Barnes made a late race charge to finish second, Stewart finished third, Logan dropped to fourth and Channin Tankersley from Highland, TX. rounded out the top five. The top four finishers in the Friday night feature will automatically be in the Saturday night main event. Tony Bruce Jr. of Liberal, KA. Led from start finish in the 15-lap B Main 1, followed by Danny Wood of Norman, OK. to qualify for the Friday night feature. Enumclaw’s Henry VanDam had no trouble in B Main 2, despite a red flag and a caution flag and gained place in the feature along with Steve Tiner from Vasalia, CA.
he last two transfer spots were earned by Gary Taylor of Tulsa, OK. and Travis Jacobson of Lake Stevens, WA. in B Main 3.
Late Model
Vitale jumped out in front of field, followed by fellow Albany driver Jason Wimes, Greg Walters of Banks, Or. Steve Suckow of Hillsboro, OR. and Steve Moore of Scio, OR. The front runner all survived a pair of caution flags in the first two laps and the race went green all the way to the finish. With Vitale well out in front the battle for second between Wimes and Walters went on until Walters finally gained the upper hand just before the mid point of the race. After Walters gained second, followed by Wimes, Schram and Moore, the only change in the final five was on the final lap when Schram edged Wimes out of third.
Top Finishers
ASCS “360 Sprints” A Main 1. Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA. 2. Jayme Barnes, Everett, WA. 3. Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK. 4. Ricky Logan, Knoxville, IA. 5. Channin Tankersley, Highland, TX. B Main 1. Tony Bruce Jr. Liberal, KS. 2. Danny Wood, Norman, OK. 3. Jared Peterson, Stanwood, WA. 4. Trey Starks, Puyallup, WA. 5. Steve Vague, Kirkland, WA. B Main 2. Henry VanDam, Enumclaw, WA. 2. Steve Tiner, Vasalia, CA. 3. Matt Covington, Glennpool, OK. 4. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA. 5. Dustin Morgan, Owesso, OK. B Main 3. 1. Gary Taylor, Tulsa, OK. 2. Travis Jacobson, Lake Stevens, WA. 3. Roger Crockett, Medford, OR. 4. Justyn Cox, Sacramento, CA. 5. Billy Nutter, Medford, OR. Heat 1. 1. Logan. 2. Jack Dover, Springfield, NB. Heat 2. 1. Johnson. 2. Glenn Borden Jr. Raymond, WA. Heat 3. Barnes. 2. Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK. Heat 4. 1. Jason Solwold, Burlington, WA. 2. Austin Wheatley, Lake Stevens, WA. Heat 5. 1. Mike Melwicks, Abbotsford, B.C. 2. Garrin Linder, Central Point, OR. Heat 6. 1. Chad Noland, Central Point, OR. 2. Travis Rilat, Forney, TX. Heat 7. 1. Darren Long, Elida, OH. 2. Bruce Jr.
