6/25/2015
Western Sprint Tour
VWJ Back And Ready For Speedweek Northwest
VWJ Back And Ready For Speedweek Northwest
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Dirt Monkey Productions)
The first two races of the 2015 Speedweek Northwest will be right in Vern Wheeler Jr.'s backyard. The Central Point pilot intends to run the whole Western Sprint Tour sanctioned Speedweek and post some good finishes along the way. The opener on Sunday June 28th at Yreka, California's Siskiyou Motor Speedway will be the first time he has driven in about a month.
“I'm really excited to be back behind the wheel,” said Wheeler, “the last few times the car has ran I've had my kid (Jake) run it.”
Wheeler has made one feature with the WST and that was back on April 24th when he finished ninth. Look out for the Alliance Trucking/In & Out Gardens/Richie Rich & Tin Pimps Customs/Rodgers Racing Engines/Augie's Fiberglass & Boat Repair/Matt Moberly Motorsports/Kanopy Kountry/Greg Lyles Logging #21W JEI entry as he looks for his first win with the Western Sprint Tour.
“Our goal for the week is that when every green flag is thrown to just stay out of trouble,” Wheeler continued, “this deal has been rough on us through the years. We just want to get through it and in order to do that we have to take it one day at a time.”
The Western Sprint Tour sanctioned Speedweek Northwest begins at Yreka, California's Siskiyou Motor Speedway on Sunday June 28th and will conclude with the $5000.00 to win finale at Cottage Grove Speedway on Saturday July 4th. The best 360 Sprint drivers in the Western United States will race six events in seven nights at some of the best tracks in the country.
In the seventeen years Speedweek Northwest there have been ten different champions. Steve Kent and Roger Crockett are tied with four apiece while Brent Kaeding has two. Seven drivers have won the entire kit and caboodle just once which is a very impressive list of winners. That list includes Brad Furr, Jesse Hockett, Bud Kaeding, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Mitch Olson, and in 2014 Kyle Hirst.
The Western Sprint Tour is the Pacific Northwest region's most premier touring 360 Sprint car series. Visiting some of the nation's best facilities it is a series that offers some of the best racing you can find anywhere around. For the latest news and information log on to sprints.nwextremeseries.com. Also check out the WST Facebook page and be sure to “Like” it.
Additional Information:
2015 Western Sprint Tour Schedule
April 24th Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR Trey Starks
April 25th Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR Rained Out
May 23rd Southern Oregon Speedway White City, OR Roger Crockett
May 24th Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR Roger Crockett
June 28th Siskiyou Motor Speedway Yreka, CA (Speedweek Northwest)
June 29th Southern Oregon Speedway White City, OR (Speedweek Northwest)
June 30th Coos Bay Speedway Coos Bay, OR (Speedweek Northwest)
July 1st Travel Day
July 2nd Willamette Speedway Lebanon, OR (Speedweek Northwest)
July 3rd Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR (Speedweek Northwest)
July 4th Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR (Speedweek Northwest)
August 14th Siskiyou Motor Speedway Yreka, CA
August 15th Southern Oregon Speedway White City, OR
September 25th State Fair Raceway Yakima, WA
September 26th State Fair Raceway Yakima, WA
Past Speedweek Northwest Champions:
2013- Roger Crockett
2012- Mitch Olson
2011- Kyle Larson
2010- Roger Crockett
2009- Jesse Hockett
2008- Roger Crockett
2007- Shane Stewart
2006- Steve Kent
2005- Brent Kaeding
2004- Brent Kaeding
2003- Roger Crockett
2002- Steve Kent
2001- Steve Kent
2000- Steve Kent
1999- Brad Furr
1998- Bud Kaeding
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage