4/25/2013
Willamette Speedway
Tanner Triumphant In DIRTcar Opener
Tanner Triumphant In DIRTcar Opener
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Doc's Photos)
Lebanon, Oregon- 2012 was a year to forget for Joey Tanner at Willamette Speedway. Despite five top five feature finishes in the DIRTcar Super Late Models it was a year that was plagued for bad luck. That bad luck has seemed to turn around for the twenty-three year old Portland pilot. Tanner would put the Woodshed Bar and Grill/Metro Services/Xtreme Motorsports #111 X-Factor in victory lane for the first race of 2013 on April 20th.
But before Tanner would cross the line in first place it looked as if he would finish in second. That was because veteran ace Russ Sell from Brownsville seemed to have the field covered. The five-time Willamette champ was the class of the field in his 99.9 KRKT Cricket Country/South Pacific Auto Sales/Left Coast Motorsports #50 Swartz until disaster struck. On lap twenty-five Sell’s fifth arm suspension component broke and forced him to spin out.
The incident was a game changer and Tanner would inherit the lead. Running right behind him was seven-time and defending track champion Trevor Glaser of Tangent. Glaser tried to maneuver his Mid-Valley Farms/Farmland Tractor Supply/Ground and Water #2 Trak-Star past Tanner but Tanner was able to hold on.
“Last year was so stressful and discouraging with all the bad luck we had,” commented Tanner, “in the off season we worked the kinks out and adjusted the car to fit my driving style. I knew Trevor was back there so I knew I had to just keep hitting my marks and maintain my line. If I hadn’t he would have probably passed me.”
Glaser would finish in second place while third place went to young Justin Duty of Happy Valley in the Don Frank Flooring/Big Sky Landscaping/Metro Services #15 Rocket. His father John would finish behind him in fourth in his Don Frank Flooring/Metro Services/Elite Cabinets Plus #15 Rocket while the top five was completed by five-time Willamette Speedway champion Rob Mayea in the J&S Farms #37 Victory Circle. Earlier in the evening Russ Sell and Justin Duty were heat race winners with Sell earning the victory in the trophy dash.
The DIRTcar Super Late Models return to Willamette Speedway on Saturday April 27th for their second race of the year. Other classes in competition include IMCA Modifieds, Super Sports, Sportsman, and Street Stocks. For more information log on to www.trophymotorsports.com.
Race Summary
2013 Season Opener
Saturday April 20th, 2013
Willamette Speedway
Lebanon, Oregon
DIRTcar Super Late Models
17 Entries
Heat Race Winners: Justin Duty (1), Russ Sell (2)
Trophy Dash Winner: Russ Sell
A-Feature: 1. Joey Tanner, 2. Trevor Glaser, 3. Justin Duty, 4. John Duty, 5. Rob Mayea, 6. Todd Shandy, 7. Brian Cronk, 8. Jayme Van, 9. Todd Sieg, 10. Brady Sell, 11. Thomas Hunziker, 12. Kevin Roberts, 13. Trent Elliott, 14. Trent Croy, 15. Russ Sell, 16. Cody Sell, 17. Dan Dieble
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage