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Fan Appreciation Night A Success At CGS

Fan Appreciation Night A Success At CGS
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Madman Photography)
For the first time ever in the storied history of the Cottage Grove Speedway a special night was dedicated specifically to the fans. The Saturday May 11th Fan Appreciation Night presented by Knecht’s Auto Part turned out to be a fun night for all. After qualifying, all cars that were racing that night were brought out onto the track and gave a chance for fans to interact with the drivers. Classes in competition included the 360 Sprints, Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, and Street Stocks. The Northwest Extreme Late Model Series was also on hand competing against the local Late Model ranks.

In the 360 Sprint feature youngster Seth Nunes set a wicked pace over the rest of the field. The Medford teenager in his Lucas Oil Products/Lonnie’s Auto Body/ABC Powdercoating #5N Maxim led the first half of the race. Roger Crockett, also of Medford, had reeled him in and was waiting for Nunes to make mistake. Nunes would enter a little too hot into turn three on lap fifteen giving Crockett his opportunity to capitalize.

The SKS Racing/Al Parker Racing Engines/Champion Racing Oil #11 KPC of Crockett would earn the lead and would pace the field for the rest of the distance. It would mark his third consecutive win in 2013 at the Cottage Grove Speedway.

Nunes would finish a respectable second place with Rob Held of Sutherlin completing the podium in third in the Held’s Automotive/Independent Motor Rebuilders/Double R Powdercoating #68 J&J. Brendan Boyce from Eugene crossed the line fourth driving the Boyce & Sons Landscaping and Building Materials/Double R Powdercoating/Steelhouse Metal Roofing Supply #65 XXX while earning fifth would be the Double R Powdercoating/Rocket Designs/BC Motorsports #10J XXX of Jake Waddell from Roseburg.

A little over two weeks previous Collen Winebarger of Corbett earned his first career Late Model feature victory at CGS. On Saturday a full field of Late Models were on hand as the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series was on hand to compete against the local competition. Winebarger would put on a clinic in the feature on the top groove chauffeuring his All In Property Investments/Discount Race Car Parts #1 MasterSbilt entry.

Collen’s father Scott Winebarger was the early leader in the All In Property Investments/Discount Race Car Parts #6 MasterSbilt until lap four when Collen would take the lead after a restart. The younger Winebarger would establish a lead as large as half a lap over second place at one point. It would mark the first victory that “Superman” Collen Winebarger would earn against the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series and his second victory of 2013 at CGS.

Former track champion Mark Carrell from Redmond would earn the runner-up spot in the Mark’s Auto Body/Gray’s Racing Engines #26 Rocket while in third was the Quantum Mechanics/Gary Wilson Racing Engines #03 Swartz of Veneta driver Kevin Ropchan. Vancouver, Washington’s Jerry Schram crossed the line in fourth in his Schram Brothers Excavating/Century III Stables #16 MasterSbilt with Jason Johnson of Gresham finishing in fifth piloting the Jackhammer Trucking/T&G Trucking #76 Rayburn.

A large contingent of IMCA Modifieds converged onto the Cottage Grove Speedway. In a caution filled feature that witnessed four different leaders the twenty-five lap event provided some entertaining moments. When it was all said and done Jesse Williamson of Coburg would emerge the victor in his Furniture Options/Housing Options/Raceprint.com #W5 Hughes.

David Schmidt of Eugene was the early race leader in the Cindy Sew It/EMS Truck Repair #9 Pro before losing the top place position to the Furniture Options/Seth Anderson Racing Engines #W4 TRE of Ron Wilson from Coburg on lap four. Wilson would briefly lead for a handful of laps before he himself loosing the lead to his nephew Williamson.

Williamson would pace the field before losing the lead to the Mark’s Auto Body/Gray’s Racing Engines #27 GRT by Phillips of Mark Carrell. Carrell and Williamson would battle for several laps with Williamson taking control of the lead finally on lap fifteen. Williamson would be out in front for the rest of the distance.

Mark Carrell would be scored in second while the Payroll Specialties Inc./Hoppes Construction #F1 Impressive of Monte Bischoff from Medford was third. The balance of the top five consisted of Klamath Falls’ Nick Trenchard in the Biehn Racing/Air Gas #54N Loose Gruff in fourth and fifth place would go to the Bailey Trucking/C-Bar-C Truck Sales and Parts #68 Jet of Jesse Bailey from Central Point.

In the third Street Stock race of 2013 Daniel Ray would win his second race of the year. Defending champion Darin Crooks of Cottage Grove in his #73 Nova would pace the field early. Crooks would lose the lead on lap five to Russ Blum of Thurston. Blum had recovered from being in an early race incident and set a quick pace but would spin on lap twelve while leading.

This would give Ray the lead in his Pure Romance-Leslie Grimes/S.D.M.F. Race Cars/Brad’s Car Tunes #01 Camaro. Blum would try and track down Ray but would not be able to get around Ray. Despite the car count in the division it once again was a great race to watch.

Russ Blum would finish in second place in his Classic Metal Works/Black Flag Racing/Edward Jones Investments #6 Nova while behind his was the Stacy Graves LMT #00 of Steve Begley from Eugene in third. Darin Crooks ended the night in fourth while fifth went to Myshkin Ferguson of Dexter in his Ferguson Horseshoeing/Lawson Racing #25¢ Camaro.

On Saturday May 18th the Cottage Grove Speedway will return into action for race six of 2013. Classes that will be on hand will include Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Hornets. For more information log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com or call the brand new Northwest Track Hotline at (360)-699-RACE. Mylaps results can be found at www.mylaps.com/en/events/896194

Race Summary
Fan Appreciation Night presented by Knecht’s Auto Parts
Saturday May 11th, 2013
Cottage Grove Speedway
Cottage Grove, Oregon

360 Sprints
13 Cars
A-Feature: 1. Roger Crockett, 2. Seth Nunes, 3. Rob Held, 4. Brendan Boyce, 5. Jake Waddell, 6. Shane Forté, 7. Mike Romig, 8. Jesse Thistle, 9. Raquel Ivie, 10. Zack Spaulding, 11. Mark Herz, 12. Allison Journey, 13. Kyle Miller

IMCA Modifieds
23 Entries
A-Feature: 1. Jesse Williamson, 2. Mark Carrell, 3. Monte Bischoff, 4. Nick Trenchard, 5. Jesse Bailey, 6. Ron Wilson, 7. Braedon Hand, 8. Steven Sturdevant, 9. Don Muth Jr., 10. Tanner Baldwin, 11. Aaron Sheelar, 12. Les Williamson, 13. Austin McTaggart, 14. Gus Cooper, 15. Shane Mills, 16. Corey Russell, 17. Curtis Towns, 18. Greg McDonald, 19. David Schmidt, 20. Brian Gary, 21. Jason Andrews, 22. Mark Wauge, 23. Collen Winebarger

Late Models
19 Entries
A-Feature: 1. Collen Winebarger, 2. Mark Carrell, 3. Kevin Ropchan, 4. Jason Johnson, 5. Jerry Schram, 6. Paul Culp, 7. Scott Winebarger, 8. Blaine Taylor, 9. Bob Trout, 10. Kreg Britton, 11. Jacob Myers, 12. Chuck Christian, 13. Rob Williams, 14. John Gamell, 15. Robert Duncan, 16. Brittany Ray, 17. Brad Martin, 18. Greg Walters, 19. Mike Peters

Street Stocks
5 Entries
A-Feature: 1. Daniel Ray, 2. Russ Blum, 3. Steve Begley, 4. Darin Crooks, 5. Myshkin Ferguson

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