5/29/2018
Cottage Grove Speedway
Logan Forler Wins Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic Finale: Ray Bloom Earns Victory In Street Stocks
Logan Forler Wins Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic Finale: Ray Bloom Earns Victory In Street Stocks
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy Of Tina Gargurevich/Wings Off Photography)
Cottage Grove, Oregon- The final night of the 2018 Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic would be a thriller on Sunday, May 27th. Despite only two classes on the schedule both divisions would thrill the crowd the entire night. Those two divisions were the 360 Sprints and the Street Stocks.
Michael Kofoid, piloting the Doug and Kathy Rutz owned entry, would seize the initiative of the forty-one lap 360 Sprint feature on the opening start. The Penngrove, California teenager would have his hands full when he hit slower traffic around lap three. Despite having to make the split second decisions and constant pressure from behind he would retain the race lead for quite some time.
However, on lap fourteen Jason Solwold would make an incredible pass for the lead. Solwold, racing for car owners Mike Anderson and Monica Baca, kept his mount ahead of the field but unfortunately would get caught up in an incident after the caution flag waved on lap twenty-two. The Burlington, Washington veteran was able to restart but was put to the tail end of the field and it gave first place back to Kofoid.
Michael Kofoid again would try and pull away from the rest of the pack but again he would have challengers rise to the occasion. Logan Forler, of Boise, Idaho, managed to put himself in a position to challenge late and obtained the top spot on the thirty-eighth circuit.
Two consecutive red flag stoppages, both of which involved drivers running inside the top five, would keep the drama building in the final stages. On the ensuing restart Forler would master the timing and propelled himself to a comfortable lead. He would go on to win the feature and become the fourth different driver in five years to win the prestigious event.
Jason Solwold tried to challenge late but was a noble second while Clarksburg, California’s Justyn Cox placed third. The balance of the top five would consist of fourth finishing Lucas Ashe, of Cottonwood, California, and Quilcene, Washington driver J.J. Hickle, in fifth.
Earlier in the evening Lucas Ashe and Michael Kofoid were the quickest drivers in their respective groups while Kofoid would go on to win the dash and start on the pole. Heat race winners were Medford’s Seth Nunes, Tyrell Mead of Winston, Mill Creek, Washington chauffeur Cam Smith, and Sutherlin teenager Cooper Desbiens. Allison Journey, from Lincoln City, won the consolation feature.
In the Street Stocks Aaron Houseman, of Monroe and racing for Roy Moore, got out in front early. Jasper’s Andrew Langan made it around Houseman on lap four and began to pull away from the pack. He would be hunted down by Ray Bloom, from Cottage Grove, in the last half of the race. Bloom managed to track Langan down and pull off a last lap upset with a big win for himself and his team.
Andrew Langan was a respectable second followed by Eugene’s Hunter Bloom, in third. Aaron Houseman ended his evening in fourth while Creswell drive Michael Hollingsworth came across the wire fifth. Ray Bloom was fast time of the night and won the heat race while Andrew Langan scored a victory in the trophy dash.
Cottage Grove Speedway returns to racing this Friday, June 1st, for the next installment of the Kage Kart program and Saturday, the 2nd, for Driver Appreciation Night. Classes on the card for Saturday include the Todd’s Auto Body Sprints, Mohawk Metal IMCA Modifieds, Late Models, IMCA Sport Mods, Street Stocks, and Quality RV Repair Hornets. For more information log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com .
Race Results:
Marvin Smith Memorial Grove Classic Night #2
Sunday, May 27th, 2018
Cottage Grove Speedway
Cottage Grove, Oregon
360 Sprints
A-Feature: 1. 2L-Logan Forler; 2. 18-Jason Solwold; 3. 31C-Justyn Cox; 4. 33-Lucas Ashe; 5. 3-J.J. Hickle; 6. 22-Garen Linder; 7. 33S-Lance Sargent; 8. 1B-Chelsea Blevins; 9. 91-Chase Goetz; 10. 66-Tyrell Mead; 11. 22R-Mike Romig; 12. 11M-Michael Hodel; 13. 4J-Allison Journey; 14. 6A-Kyle Miller; 15. 8P-Michael Kofoid; 16. 70-Raquel Iviel 17. 34S-Melissa Solesbee; 18. 28-Tyler Thompson; 19. 17-Cam Smith; 20. 5N-Seth Nunes; 21. 4D-Cooper Desbiens; 22. 33V-Henry Van Dam; 23. 21W-Jake Wheeler; 24. 75-Brian Boswell
B-Feature: 1. 4J-Allison Journey; 2. 75-Brian Boswell; 3. 22R-Mike Romig; 4. 70-Raquel Ivie; 5. 21J-Ryan Cully; 6. 12O-Orion Redmond; 7. 34M-Rob Matherly; 8. 34R-T.J. Richman; DNS 10J-Jake Waddell
Street Stocks
A-Feature: 1. 33E3-Ray Bloom; 2. 74-Andrew Langan; 3. 33E-Hunter Bloom; 4. 83-Aaron Houseman; 5. R31-Michael Hollingsworth; 6. 11C-Richard Clink; 7. 42-Wayne Clink; 8. 44-Troy Chamberlain
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage