9/23/2014
Willamette Speedway
Full Card Of Racing For Championship Night At Willamette Speedway; Six Champions Crowned
Full Card Of Racing For Championship Night At Willamette Speedway; Six Champions Crowned
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Doc’s Photos)
Willamette Speedway would be in action for the final time of 2014 on Saturday September 20th. A good car count and some great racing would take place on the historic 1/3-mile clay oval. All six championship classes were on the card including the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Models, Wirth Wireless IMCA Modifieds, Crocker’s Cars Super Sports, Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman, Street Stocks, and 4-Cylinders.
Collen Winebarger would set the pace in the first half of the X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Model main event. The Corbett youngster, in his Discount Race Car Parts/Gordy Lee Photography/Frisbie Motorsports/Bessette Family Racing #SW MasterSbilt, would surrender the lead shortly after a restart by Happy Valley’s John Duty.
On a late race restart the Don Frank Flooring/Mid Ohio Graphics/Metro Services/Darren and Mardell Williams #5 Rocket, of Duty, would get passed by Jeremy Shank from Salem. Shank would propel himself from third to first in a short span of time to win his second Late Model feature of the season for the Left Coast Motorsports/South Pacific Auto Sales and Service Center/Bilstein Shocks by Left Coast #30 Swartz team. Rob Mayea of Bend would officially be named the 2014 X-Factor Race Cars Super Late Model champ in his J&S Farms/Cornett Racing Engines/Tim Logan Racing #37 Rocket.
Bruce Ray from Amity would be the early race leader in Wirth Wireless IMCA Modified competition. He would blaze the trail in the first ten laps or so in the MTD Motorsport/Junction City Muffler Shop #1 Harris before being overtaken by Albany’s Dustin Cady. Cady and the Left Coast Motorsports/South Pacific Auto Sales and Service Center/Bilstein Shocks by Left Coast #30 Swartz of Jeremy Shank would put on a thrilling battle for several laps before Cady would pick up the win by just half of a car length over Shank at the line.
For Cady it marked the second win of the season for the Drager Performance/Franks’s Fab & Auto/GRT Race Cars/Susan River Reality #7 GRT team. Collen Winebarger would win the Wirth Wireless IMCA Modified championship title in his Discount Race Car Parts/Gordy Lee Photography/Frisbie Motorsports/Bessette Family Racing #SW Shaw by Jeff Taylor entry after entering the final race tied for the points lead. The Esterlee Motel of Lincoln City/Dr. Mary Harada Breast Cancer Specialist/Debra Herndon Family Nurse Practitioner/Big Sky Landscaping/Drager Performance #25 Rocket by Ruhlman of Craig Cassell from Albany, despite finishing runner-up in track points, secured the 2014 Oregon State IMCA championship.
Once obtaining the lead there was no looking back for Albany teenager Bricen James in the Crocker’s Cars Super Sports. James would take off with the top spot and would go on to win his tenth feature of the season in the James Gang Pizza/Lebanon Auto Body/Rainbow Rentals/Schram Brothers Excavating #13 MasterSbilt. He would have to defend a late race challenge from Sweet Home’s Brian Thompson in his Crocker’s Cars/Left Coast Motorsports #44T Swartz. James would win the 2014 Crocker’s Cars Super Sports title in only his first year in the division.
Obtaining the lead and walking away from the rest of the field in Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman action would be Jeff Rash of Lebanon. Rash would dominate the main event to win for the fourth occasion, and tying teammate Brian Smith for most wins on the year in the class, in the Hackney Racing/Wirth Wireless #1 Swartz for car owner Glen Hackney. The Fritz Cutting & Coring/Flatt Muffler & Custom Exhaust/Dorfler Farms #88 Rayburn of Brian Winkler out of Newberg would be declared the title holder in the Albany & Eastern Railroad Sportsman.
In the Street Stocks it would be an entertaining race between three drivers duking it out. Kevin Roberts of Gresham would battle hard with the likes of Bricen James, in his James Gang Pizza/Lebanon Auto Body/Rainbow Rentals/Schram Brothers Excavating #13 Monte Carlo, and the Roy and Haven Doran owned Doran Racing #47 Monte Carlo driven by Lebanon’s Kyle Yeack. But despite all the late challenges Roberts would hold on to win his first race of the season in his Big Sky Landscaping #88 Camaro. Bricen James would also be the champion in this division too to cap off what has been an incredible season.
Last but not least it would be the Dale Holland show in the 4-Cylinder ranks. Holland would take the winner’s check home for fifth time of the campaign in his DCM Trucking #18 machine. Holland would also be the 2014 4-Cylinder champion.
Well another year comes to a close with a season full of great memories that won’t be forgotten. Be sure and visit www.trophymotorsports.com for all of the latest information including news, stories, and the upcoming 2015 season. Until then everyone have a safe offseason and we'll see you in 2015.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage