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Hartman, Blood, Kerrigan, Sundstrom and Miller Victorious at Mid-Season Championship!

Hartman, Blood, Kerrigan, Sundstrom and Miller Victorious at Mid-Season Championship!
By: Aaron Reed
Photos by Josh Bryant
The 360 Sprint Cars, Limited Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Super Stocks and Hornets were in action for Mid-Season Championship and Fan Appreciation Night. A full schedule of racing action took to the raceway, but before the evening started, the fans were allowed onto the track to meet their favorite drivers, get autographs, hero cards, candy and more. The evening ended with a giant firework show!
Hornets
The first feature of the evening saw the Hornets in action for 15 laps. Steve Morgan of Bremerton led the field to the green flag. Scott Tobeck of Tenino ran in second with Don Briggs Sr of Wishkah looking to take over the runner up spot. Briggs Sr looked to track down Morgan as the battle for third between Tobeck and Olympia's Zach Dalrymple was the race to watch. Dalrymple moved into third. Lap 2 saw the caution flag fly for Payton Harding of Oakville, spinning in turn four. On the restart it was Morgan, Briggs Sr, and Dalrymple leading the rest of the field to the green flag. Tobeck saw tough company as Hoquiam's Tyler Sundstrom and Austin Henderson of Vancouver look to round out the rest of the top five. Sundstrom was on a mission quickly working his way into third. A four-car battle for second was the race to watch between Briggs Sr, Sundstrom, Dalrymple and Henderson. Numerous laps saw the pack, battle it out. Morgan extended his lead but lap 6 saw trouble as he spun in turn four and continuing on. Sundstrom inherited the lead after the caution flag flew. Sundstrom saw a charge from Briggs Sr midway through the feature, as Henderson worked his way into the top three. Morgan worked his way back into the top three, after being placed fourth after the spin. A long green flag run saw Sundstrom pick up the win over Morgan, Dalrymple, Briggs Sr and Henderson. Heat race winners earlier in the evening were Riley Shapansky of Elma and Briggs Sr.
Super Stocks
Austin Kerrigan of Aberdeen and Gig Harbor's Jayson Wolcott set the front row of the 20-lap feature event. Kerrigan took the early lead with Wolcott running second. Larry Paladin of Hoquiam jumped into the second spot, looking to track down Kerrigan for the lead. Montesano's Scott Fritts made his way into the top three, getting by Wolcott. Kerrigan quickly extended his lead on Paladin and Fritts to almost a full straightaway. The battle to watch was between Paladin and Fritts for second. Fritts worked his way into the runner up spot on lap 10. Paladin tried to get the position back but Fritts ran the middle of the raceway and continued on. Lap 14 saw Paladin spin in turn four, doing a complete 360 and continuing on, giving up the podium spot to Wolcott. Kerrigan picked up the win over Fritts, Wolcott, Paladin and Spanaway's Tom Hecker. Heat race winner earlier in the evening was Mike Mann of Shelton.
Limited Sprint Cars
Nate Geister of Tahuya and Tacoma's Samuel Strange led the field to the green flag. Strange took the early lead from Geister, as a three-car battle for second ensued between Geister, Destry Miller and Xan Miller, both of Olympia. Destry Miller moved into the second spot. The first caution of the evening saw Xan Miller make contact with Shelton's Tim Martin down the front stretch with Miller spinning in turn one. On the restart it was Strange leading Destry Miller and Geister. Miller looked low in turn one to try an attempt at the lead but was unsuccessful. Strange running the high side of the 3/8 banked clay oval looked strong out front putting some distance on Destry Miller. The battle for third between Geister and Martin was the race to watch. Late in the feature Destry Miller started to reel in Strange, looking to make a battle for the lead. Lap 20 saw Miller take the lead from Strange. Both raced side by side down the front stretch with Strange taking the lead back momentarily. Destry Miller continued on extending his lead. Lap 22 saw the red flag fly for Martin with fire coming out of the right side after his engine expired going down the back stretch. Martin was ok. A late race restart gave Strange a chance at Destry Miller for the lead, but it was Miller picking up the win over Strange, Geister, Xan Miller and Martin. Destry Miller picked up the heat race earlier in the evening with Geister getting fast time.
360 Sprint Cars
It was a Dunlap Racing front row as Jeff Dunlap of Kent and Olympia's TJ Hartman brought the field to the green flag. Hartman took the early lead, running the high side. Olympia driver Eric Rockl battled it out with Dunlap for second. Rockl took over the runner up spot in turn four on lap 3. Hartman quickly jumped out to almost a straightaway lead on Rockl and Dunlap. Shelton's Jay Cole moved into third, after Dunlap went over the cushion in turn four. Hartman, running the high side all through the feature event continued to extend his lead. Late in the feature Rockl saw tough company as Cole was right there looking to get into second. Cole made contact with the front stretch wall, getting the car out of shape, giving Rockl a little more distance. Lap 17 saw Cole make another attempt at second, taking over the spot with a pass off turn four. It was Hartman picking up his first ever win at Grays Harbor Raceway, and first win for Dunlap Racing. Cole, Rockl, Dunlap and Kelso's John Stuart rounding out the top five. Cole picked up the heat race, with Dunlap setting fast time.
IMCA Modifieds
Kevin Valen of Rochester and Graham's Zane Miner set the front row of the 25-lap feature event. Valen and Miner raced side by side with Miner taking the lead, but just as the race went green chaos ensued on the backstretch with multiple cars spinning. On the restart it was Valen taking the early lead with Miner side by side once again. Valen led the opening lap with Miner right at his back bumper. Ryen Haney of Elma and Vancouver's Robert Jenner battled for third. Jenner took over the podium spot, looking to track down Valen and Miner. Valen ran the low side of the raceway with Miner running near the middle as both continued to battle it out for the lead. Campbell River, BC driver Lane Zerbin worked his way into fourth, looking to track down Jenner. Brenton Schnitzer of Shelton worked his way into the top five, setting his sights on Zerbin and Jenner. Multiple laps saw Miner and Valen fight for the lead as lap traffic loomed ahead. Tumwater driver Tyson Blood worked his way into the top five, getting by Zerbin. Blood started in 14th, looking to get the Elma Lane's Hard Charger award, but he was not just settling for a top five as he ran the low side. The battle for second between Valen and Jenner was the race to watch. Schnitzer also joined in making it a three-car battle. Miner put some distance on Valen, Jenner and Schnitzer, working his way through lap traffic. Valen looked to close in lane, but the caution flag flew on lap 18 for Haney and Chaz Wilder of Elma, both sitting the wrong direction in turn two. Miner, Valen, Jenner and Schnitzer led the rest of the field to the green flag. Miner quickly put some distance as the battle behind saw Blood go to the high side, working his way up into second within a lap and a half. Valen tried to battle back, but the caution flag flew on lap 20 for a multiple car incident in turn four. Miner had tough company with Blood on his back bumper. Miner went to the middle as Blood went to the high side. Blood looked low in turn four and raced side by side down the front stretch, taking the lead in turn one. Schnitzer also joined in on the battle for second, looking to track down Blood for the lead. Schnitzer looked to try one last shot to take the lead but it was Blood picking up the win. Schnitzer, Miner, Craig Moore of Seabeck and Jenner rounded out the top five. Blood was the Elma Lane's Hard Charger going from 14th to the win. Heat race winners were Campbell River, BC driver Chris Beaulieu, Jenner, and Zerbin.
Racing will resume next Saturday night for the Grays Harbor Raceway Limited Sprints VS Iron Head Sprints and the Cut Rate Auto Parts Iron Man 50. The Iron Head Sprints, also known as IHS are a series out of Oregon. The Iron Man 50 will be a 50-lap feature event for the Super Stocks. The Northwest Focus Midgets Series will be in action as well. Gates open at 4:30PM with racing at 6PM. For more information follow along on Facebook or www.graysharborraceway.com.
Grays Harbor Raceway would also like to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!
Grays Harbor Raceway
July 1, 2023
Mid-Season Championship
360 Sprint Cars
Fast Time:
15 Jeff Dunlap
Heat Race:

1. 0J Jay Cole, 2. 15T TJ Hartman, 3. 15 Jeff Dunlap, 4. 28R Eric Rockl, 5. 51 Tim Martin, 6. 71 John Stuart
   A-Main:
2. Hartman, 2. Cole, 3. Rockl, 4. Dunlap, 5. Stuart
   Limited Sprint Cars
   Fast Time:
3. 38 Nathan Geister
   Heat Race:
4. 3X Destry Miller, 2. 99X Samuel Strange, 3. 23X Xan Miller, 4. 38 Nathan Geister, 5. 51 Tim Martin, 6. 77 Alex Olsen
   A-Main:
5. Destry Miller, 2. Strange, 3. Geister, 4. Xan Miller, 5. Martin, 6. Olsen
   Super Stocks
   Heat Race:
6. M57 Mike Mann, 2. 42 Scott Fritts, 3. 2 Larry Paladin, 4. 5 Tom Hecker, 5. 83LSX Jayson Wolcott, 6. AK47 Austin Kerrigan, 7. 69ER Don Briggs Jr, 8. 5B Chuck Goodman, 9. 90 Brenden White
   A-Main:
7. Kerrigan, 2. Fritts, 3. Wolcott, 4. Paladin, 5. Hecker, 6. Mann, 7. Briggs Jr
   Hornets
   Heat 1:
8. 22 Riley Shapansky, 2. 39 Scott Tobeck, 3. 85 Robert Shapansky, 4. 37 Mark Cooper, 5. 410 Ray Curry, 6. 23 Tyler Sundstrom, 7. 425 Jacob Saulsbury, 8. 29 Payton Harding, 9. 07 James Gunter, 10. 71RC Austin Lassiter
   Heat 2:
9. 13XXX Don Briggs Sr, 2. 35 Steve Morgan, 3. 0 Zach Dalrymple, 4. 3 Austin Henderson, 5. 81M Megan White, 6. 88 Ryan Shapansky, 7. 41 Scott Reed, 8. 18 Brandon Tyler, 9. 423 Randy Goodman
   A-Main:
10. Sundstrom, 2. Morgan, 3. Dalrymple, 4. Briggs Sr, 5. Henderson, 6. Robert Shapansky, 7. Tobeck, 8. Reed, 9. Cooper, 10. White, 11. Ryan Shapansky, 12. Curry, 13. Saulsbury, 14. Harding, 15. Goodman
    IMCA Modifieds
    Heat 1:
11. 91 Chris Beaulieu, 2. 81 Austin Rognlin, 3. 26 Scott Miller, 4. 34 Jason Tole, 5. 17 Brian Izzi, 6. 419 Jeff Hunt, 7. 23C Ron Comfort
    Heat 2:
12. 5R Robert Jenner, 2. 16 Chaz Wilder, 3. 87K Brenton Schnitzer, 4. 42 Kevin Valen, 5. 97TB Tyson Blood, 6. 1 Riley Scherer, 7. 45 Gene Miller
    Heat 3:
13. 81Z Lane Zerbin, 2. M14 Craig Moore, 3. 31Z Zane Miner, 4. 67 Ryen Haney, 5. 93 Elliott French, 6. 75 Alan Grimbly
    A-Main:
14. Blood, 2. Schnitzer, 3. Miner, 4. Moore, 5. Jenner, 6. Valen, 7. Zerbin, 8. Beaulieu, 9. Rognlin, 10. Haney, 11. Gene Miller, 12. Grimbly, 13. French, 14. Hunt, 15. Scott Miller, 16. Wilder, 17, Comfort, 18. Scherer, 19. Izzi, 20. Tole
    Elma Lane's Hard Charger: 97TB Tyson Blood (started 14th, finished 1st)

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