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Cole, Miller, Blood, Sundstrom and Kerrigan Victorious on Championship Night!

Cole, Miller, Blood, Sundstrom and Kerrigan Victorious on Championship Night!
By: Aaron Reed
Photos by Josh Bryant, Cindy Cole
The final points race of the 2023 season at Grays Harbor Raceway saw 5 champions across the 360 Sprint Cars, Limited Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Hornets and Super Stocks.
IMCA Modifieds
Clyde White of Longview and Yakima's Don Martin set the front row of the 25-lap feature event. White took the early lead with Martin in second. Ryen Haney of Elma ran in third. Shelton driver Brenton Schnitzer looked to work his way into the top three, racing side by side with Haney. White put some slight distance on Martin as Schnitzer moved into third. Schnitzer was on the move, getting by Martin on the high side of turn two. White continued to lead but had tough company as Schnitzer closed in. The battle for the lead saw White and Schnitzer pull away from the rest of the field, making it a two-car race. Schnitzer bobbled allowing White to pull away. Lap 15 saw Schnitzer take over the lead and put some distance on White. The first caution of the feature was for Belfair's Rodger Perry after contact from White on lap 13. White gave up his second position run after going to the work area. Schnitzer led Hoquiam's Jason Tole, Martin, Haney and Tumwater driver Tyson Blood. A long green flag run saw Blood and Scott Miller of Shelton work their way into the top three. With just a handful of laps left Miller took the lead bringing Blood with him. Schnitzer shuffled back to third. Blood reeled in Miller to setup a battle for the lead. Blood and Miller raced side by side with Blood taking the lead with three laps to go. Blood picked up the win over Miller, Schnitzer, Tole and Haney. Elma Lane's Hard Charger was Lane Zerbin of Campbell River, BC going 12 positions to a 6th place finish. Heat race winners were Graham's Zane Miner, Schnitzer, and White. The 2023 IMCA Modified track champion is Tyson Blood.
Hornets
Elma's Brandon Tyler led the field to the green flag. Tyler Sundstrom of Hoquiam took the early lead with Tyler in second. Olympia driver Zach Dalrymple ran in third, looking to take second from Tyler. The first caution of the feature saw Wishkah's Don Briggs Sr and Tyler make contact with Briggs Sr stopping in turn two. On the restart it was Sundstrom leading Tyler, Dalrymple, and Max Sanford of Belfair. Dalrymple worked his way into second, looking to make a charge for the lead. Sanford moved into third, shuffling Tyler back to fourth. Oakville's Payton Harding was on the move, working her way into the top five. The caution flag flew for Elma's Scott Reed on lap 4. Dalrymple looked to make another attempt at the lead on the restart as Harding battled with Tyler for third. Harding set her sights on the front runners, taking over second. Harding made her way to Sundstrom and took over the lead on lap 6. Sundstrom and Harding battled for a handful of laps before Harding put some distance on Sundstrom. The battle for third between Dalrymple, Sanford and James Gunter of Grayland was the race to watch. Late in the feature lap traffic started to become a factor for Harding, allowing Sundstrom to get within striking distance. Harding took the white flag but saw disaster as a pair of lap cars raced ahead and made contact with Harding, causing her to spin to the infield bringing out the caution. A green, white, checkered restart saw Sundstrom lead Dalrymple, Gunter and Tyler. Dalrymple made an attempt to take over the lead going into turn one, but it was Sundstrom picking up the win over Gunter, Dalrymple, Briggs Sr and Tyler. Spanaway's Mark Cooper and Sanford won the heat races with Tyler winning the scramble. Sundstrom picked up the 2023 Hornets track championship.
360 Sprint Cars
Shelton's Jay Cole took the early lead in the 15-lap feature event. Kent's Jeff Dunlap ran in second with Tim Martin of Shelton rounding out the field. Cole put some distance on Dunlap early in the feature event. Dunlap looked to close in late in the feature to try and make a bid for the lead, but a slight bobble allowed Cole to put some distance. Cole picked up the win over Dunlap and Martin. Cole won the scramble earlier in the evening and picked up the 2023 360 Sprint Car Championship.
Limited Sprints
Destry Miller and Xan Miller of Olympia set the front row making it a sibling rivalry on the final points race of the 2023 season. Destry Miller took the early lead with Xan in second. Steve Parker of Sedro Woolley ran in the third position looking to track down the top two. Nate Geister of Tahuya ran in the fourth spot as Alex Olsen of Tenino and Shelton's Tim Martin battled for fifth. Destry Miller quickly put a straightaway lead on the rest of the field as Parker looked to close in on Xan Miller for second. Lap 5 saw Olsen spin in turn four, doing a complete 360 spin and bringing out the caution. On the restart Destry Miller led Xan Miller, Parker and Geister to the green flag. Destry quickly put some distance on the rest of the field with Xan Miller and Parker running second and third. Parker made an attempt at second but couldn't make the pass. Destry Miller was in a whole different zip code, picking up the win over Xan Miller, Parker, Geister and Olsen. Destry Miller picked up the scramble and the 2023 Limited Sprints track championship.
Super Stocks
Austin Kerrigan of Aberdeen and Spanaway's Tom Hecker set the front row with Kerrigan taking the lead. Hecker looked to the outside to try and make a battle for the top spot. Both raced side by side with Kerrigan having the advantage. Hecker saw trouble a few laps later with a flat right rear tire, bringing out the caution. Kerrigan led Montesano's Scott Fritts and Gig Harbor driver Jayson Wolcott to the green flag. Kerrigan quickly put some distance on Fritts as Wolcott and Larry Paladin of Hoquiam battled for third. Paladin took over the podium spot with Wolcott looking to battle back. Kerrigan continued to lead, putting on over a straightaway on Fritts. Kerrigan picked up the win over Fritts, Paladin, Wolcott, and Bremerton's Steve Vonheeder. Kerrigan picked up the scramble earlier in the evening and finished out the year as the 2023 Super Stocks track champion.
Congratulations to all the 2023 track champions.
Racing for the 2023 is not done yet. Racing action will resume next Saturday, September 23rd for the 360 Sprint Cars, Northwest Pro 4 Trucks, Super Stocks and Hornets. This will be a non-points race for the 360 Sprint Cars, Super Stocks and Hornets. Gates will open at 4:30 with racing at 6PM.
Grays Harbor Raceway
September 16, 2023
Season Championship
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1:

1. 31Z Zane Miner, 2. 93 Elliott French, 3. 31 Don Martin, 4. 419 Jeff Hunt, 5. 42 Kevin Valen, 6. M57 Mike Mann, 7. 25 Will Taylor
   Heat 2:
2. 87K Brenton Schnitzer, 2. 67 Ryen Haney, 3. 16 Chaz Wilder, 4. 97TB Tyson Blood, 5. M14 Craig Moore, 6. 97 Rodger Perry, 7. 39 Brenden White
   Heat 3:
3. 15 Clyde White, 2. 26 Scott Miller, 3. 34 Jason Tole, 4. 81 Austin Rognlin, 5. 81Z Lane Zerbin
   A-Main:
4. Blood, 2. Miller, 3. Schnitzer, 4. Tole, 5. Haney, 6. Zerbin, 7. Rognlin, 8. Wilder, 9. Miner, 10. Moore, 11. Hunt, 12. Martin, 13. Valen, 14. French, 15. Scherer, 16. Mann, 17. Taylor, 18. White, 19. Perry, 20. White
   Elma Lane Hard Charger: 81 Lane Zerbin (12 positions)
   2023 IMCA Modified Champion: 97TB Tyson Blood
   Limited Sprint Cars
   Scramble:
5. 3X Destry Miller, 2. 23X Xan Miller, 3. 38 Nate Geister, 4. 23 Steve Parker, 5. 67X Axel Walker, 6. 77 Alex Olsen, 7. 51 Tim Martin
   A-Main:
6. Destry Miller, 2. Xan Miller, 3. Parker, 4. Geister, 5. Olsen, 6. Martin, 7. Walker
   2023 Limited Sprint Champion: 3X Destry Miller
   Hornets
   Scramble:
7. 18 Brandon Tyler, 2. 23 Tyler Sundstrom, 3. 13XXX Don Briggs Sr, 4. 0 Zach Dalrymple, 5. 88 Ryan Shapansky, 6. 39 Scott Tobeck
   Heat 1:
8. 37 Mark Cooper, 2. 425 Jacob Saulsbury, 3. 29 Payton Harding, 4. 07 James Gunter, 5. 33 Dale Vacknitz
   Heat 2:
9. 3 Max Sanford, 2. 96 Nick Sheats, 3. 41 Scott Reed, 4. 423 Randy Goodman, 5. 20P Landon Pruett, 6. 410 Ryan Curry
   A-Main:
10. Sundstrom, 2. Gunter, 3. Dalrymple, 4. Briggs Sr, 5. Tyler, 6. Shapansky, 7. Tobeck, 8. Cooper, 9. Vacknitz, 10. Harding, 11. Sheats, 12. Reed, 13. Sanford, 14. Goodman, 15. Pruett, 16. Saulsbury
    2023 Hornets Champion: 23 Tyler Sundstrom
    Super Stocks
    Scramble:
11. AK47 Austin Kerrigan, 2. 5 Tom Hecker, 3. 83LSX Jayson Wolcott, 4. 42 Scott Fritts, 5. 2 Larry Paladin, 6. 19 Steve Vonheeder
    A-Main:
12. Kerrigan, 2. Fritts, 3. Paladin, 4. Wolcott, 5. Vonheeder, 6. Hecker
    2023 Super Stocks Champion: AK47 Austin Kerrigan
    360 Sprint Cars
    Scramble:
13. 0J Jay Cole, 2. 15 Jeff Dunlap, 3. 51 Tim Martin
    A-Main:
14. Cole, 2. Dunlap, 3. Martin
    2023 360 Sprint Car Champion: 0J Jay Cole

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