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Rognlin and Tyler First Time Winners, Austin Kerrigan Victorious During GH County Fair!

Rognlin and Tyler First Time Winners, Austin Kerrigan Victorious During GH County Fair!
By: Aaron Reed
Photos by Josh Bryant
The 2023 Grays Harbor County Fair took place during the week, the final day of the fair saw racing action on the 3/8 banked clay oval with the IMCA Modifieds, Super Stocks and Hornets on a lighting fast racetrack.
IMCA Modifieds:
22 cars started the 25-lap feature event. Josh Sheller of Oregon City, Ore and Hoquiam's Elliott French set the front row. Sheller took the early lead. French shuffled back to fourth as Austin Rognlin of Olympia worked his way into second. Another Olympia driver Brian Izzi worked his way into the top three. Elma driver Chaz Wilder worked his way into fourth after French and Renton's Ron Comfort spun in turn one on lap 2. On the restart Sheller continued to lead Rognlin, Izzi, Wilder and the rest of the field. Sheller went too high in turn four allowing Rognlin, Izzi and Wilder to work their way by. Rognlin put some distance on the rest of the field. Olympia's Jeff Hunt looked to make his way into the top three, getting within striking distance of Wilder. Rognlin worked his way into lap traffic, allowing Izzi to close in on his back bumper. Wilder, Hunt, and Brenton Schnitzer of Shelton had a battle for third. Rognlin continued to pick off cars through lap traffic, putting some distance between himself and Izzi. The battle for second between Izzi and Wilder was the race to watch with Wilder working into the runner up position. Lap 13 saw a chain reaction incident after some contact between Schnitzer and Izzi. Causing Scott Miller of Shelton to spin. Rognlin brought the field to the green on the restart, but the caution flag flew for a multiple car incident in turn two, after Brian Harding of Oakville made contact with Wilder. On the next restart, another multiple car incident saw Dylan Ensor of Port Orchard make hard contact with the wall on the backstretch. Campbell River, BC's Lane Zerbin was also involved. Craig Moore of Seabeck worked his way into the top three late in the feature after coming from the back. Rognlin went on to pick up his first ever win at Grays Harbor Raceway. Izzi, Moore, Graham's Zane Miner, and Schnitzer rounded out the top five. Heat race winners earlier in the evening were Josh Sheller, French, and Rognlin. Moore picked up the Elma Lane's Hard Charger, moving up 19 positions.
Hornets
Jacob Saulsbury of Spanaway and Elma's Brandon Tyler led the field to the green flag in the 15-lap feature event. Tyler took the early lead, as Saulsbury saw problems and pulled to the infield. The battle for the lead saw Tyler and Riley Shapansky of Elma. Contact by Shapansky saw Tyler get sideways, but continue to maintain the lead. Shapansky took the lead from Tyler later on and put some slight distance. Austin Henderson of Vancouver worked his way into second, getting by Tyler, looking to track down Riley Shapansky for the lead. Henderson battled it out with Shapansky, looking to the high side, and eventually taking the lead on lap 9. Lap 12 saw Don Briggs Sr get sideways and go straight into the turn three wall. Briggs was ok and his night was over with significant damage to the front. Henderson picked up the win, but was disqualified, giving the win to Tyler, picking up his first ever win. Riley Shapansky, Tyler Sundstrom of Hoquiam, Don Briggs Jr of Woodland and Olympia's Zach Dalrymple rounded out the top five. Megan White of Port Orchard and Ryan Shapansky of Elma picked up the heat races earlier on.
Super Stocks
Dylan Sims of Ocean Shores took the early lead in the feature event, with Aberdeen's Austin Kerrigan right on his back bumper. Sims continued to hold of a hard charging Kerrigan for a few laps. Contact between Shane Kerrigan of Aberdeen and Larry Paladin of Hoquiam brought out the first caution of the race. Austin Kerrigan took the lead on the restart. Daryl Brumfield of Satsop ran in third. Brandon Babcock of Gainesville, Texas ran in fourth looking to work his way into the top three. Austin Kerrigan continued to lead, as Sims ran in second. Sims saw trouble late, as the right rear tire started to go flat. Late in the feature Sims saw his night come to an end after the right rear tire exploded, bringing out a late race caution. Austin Kerrigan picked up the win over Brumfield, Babcock, Sims and Paladin. Earlier on Paladin picked up the heat race win.
Racing will resume next Saturday night for Coca-Cola Night at the races. The 360 Sprint Cars, Limited Sprint Cars and Hornets will be in action. Gates open at 4:30PM with racing at 6PM. For more information, go to www.graysharborraceway.com.
Grays Harbor Raceway
August 5, 2023
Grays Harbor County Fair Race
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1:

1. 98D Josh Sheller, 2. 17 Brian Izzi, 3. 419 Jeff Hunt, 4. 87K Brenton Schnitzer, 5. 81 Lane Zerbin, 6. 31Z Zane Miner, 7. 67 Ryen Haney, 8. M57 Mike Mann
   Heat 2:
2. 93 Elliott French, 2. 16 Chaz Wilder, 3. 34 Jason Tole, 4. 26 Scott Miller, 5. 97TB Tyson Blood, 6. 99 Brad Martin, 7. 1 Riley Scherer, 8. M14 Craig Moore
   Heat 3:
3. 81R Austin Rognlin, 2. 98s Dan Sheller, 3. 28H Brian Harding, 4. 147 Dylan Ensor, 5. 23C Ron Comfort, 6. 43K Shane Kerrigan
   A-Main:
4. Rognlin, 2. Izzi, 3. Moore, 4. Miner, 5. Schnitzer, 6. Martin, 7. Miller, 8. Zerbin, 9. Tole, 10. Wilder, 11. Scherer, 12. Hunt, 13. Dan Sheller, 14. French, 15. Kerrigan, 16. Mann, 17. Haney, 18. Blood, 19. Harding, 20. Josh Sheller, 21. Ensor, 22. Comfort
   Elma Lane's Hard Charger: M14 Craig Moore (19 positions, 22nd to 3rd.)
   Super Stocks:
   Heat Race:
5. 2 Larry Paladin, 2. AK47 Austin Kerrigan, 3. 34 Dylan Sims, 4. 99 Brandon Babcock, 5. 11 Daryl Brumfield, 6. 43K Shane Kerrigan
   A-Main:
6. Austin Kerrigan, 2. Brumfield, 3. Babcock, 4. Sims, 5. Paladin, 6. Shane Kerrigan
   Hornets:
   Heat 1:
7. 81M Megan White, 2. 22 Riley Shapansky, 3. 18 Brandon Tyler, 4. 69 Austin Henderson, 5. 713 Don Briggs Jr, 6. 3 Max Sanford, 7. 85 Robert Shapansky, 8. 39 Scott Tobeck, 9. 13XXX Don Briggs Sr
   Heat 2:
8. 88 Ryan Shapansky, 2. 96 Nik Sheats, 3. 425 Jacob Saulsbury, 4. 0 Zach Dalrymple, 5. 37 Mark Cooper, 6. 07 James Gunter, 7. 23 Tyler Sundstrom, 8. 423 Randy Goodman, 9. 95 Richard Woolverton
   A-Main:
9. Tyler, 2. Riley Shapansky, 3. Sundstrom, 4. Briggs Jr, 5. Dalrymple 6. White, 7. Sheats, 8. Ryan Shapansky, 9. Sanford, 10. Cooper, 11. Gunter, 12. Goodman, 13. Briggs Sr, 14. Tobeck, 15. Saulsbury, 16. Woolverton, 17. Henderson (DQ)

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