9/26/2016
Willamette Speedway
Willamette Concludes 2016 Season With Les Schwab Championship Night; Mayea, Winebarger, Deibele, T. Yeack, D. Cronk, And Corley Get Wins
Willamette Concludes 2016 Season With Les Schwab Championship Night; Mayea, Winebarger, Deibele, T. Yeack, D. Cronk, And Corley Get Wins
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Jessica Campbell/Rob Mayea Motorsports)
Lebanon, Oregon- Willamette Speedway would have one final weekend left of racing. Unfortunately, the Kart races for Friday night would be rained out so the only race completed was Championship Night, presented by Les Schwab Tires, on Saturday, September 24th. All six staple classes were in attendance including the Super Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Super Sports, Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Hornets.
Rob Mayea would conquer the field in the Super Late Model division. The Bend native collected his fifth win of 2016 at the historic 1/3-mile clay oval. Mayea also would win his fifth Late Model championship, and third consecutive, to make it eight career titles at Willamette.
Scio’s Rob Campos crossed the line in second followed by La Pine driver Trent Elliott, in third. Portland’s Brian Cronk and Collen Winebarger, from Corbett, were respectively in fourth and fifth.
Collen Winebarger, pulling double duty, would get the job done in the IMCA Modified ranks. Winebarger crossed the stripe ahead of the competition for his fifth triumph of the campaign in the Mods. Once the racing was over Lebanon’s Kyle Yeack would win his second career Modified title, first since 2012, adding to his additional Street Stock championships.
Matthew Drager, from Albany, was the runner-up with fellow Albany racer Rod McCombs finishing in third. Fourth place went to Bruce Ray, now living in Amity, while Bend’s Ethan Landers was fifth.
Dan Deibele managed to close his Super Sport season out with success. The Lebanon driver would best the field for the second occasion in 2016. Randy Barley, of Albany, managed to hold back the competition to earn the season’s Super Sport championship.
Steve Fuller ended his evening in second and champion Randy Barley placed third. Newberg’s Brian Winkler got fourth while James Slover, of Lebanon, completed the top five, in fifth.
Tom Yeack made a return to victory lane with the Sportsman after a couple of week’s absence. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful performance by the Crawfordsville chauffeur to end an incredible year with ten victories. Yeack, who is the father of Modified champion Kyle, also would win the championship for the Sportsman ranks.
Corvallis chauffeur Ryan Emry was behind Yeack, in second, and Albany’s Todd Miller managed to get third. The balance of the top five would consist of fourth finishing Andrew Mather, of Eugene, while Lebanon’s Chad Slover placed fifth.
Despite not racing all year David Cronk closed his season out with another win. The Portland pilot picked up the checkers a season-leading fourth time in the Street Stock classification. While Cronk won the main event Lebanon’s Mikey Brakeall would make history by becoming the first Willamette Speedway female champion and did it in her first full season.
Andy Breshears was a respectable second and Portland’s Jody Tanner got third. Albany teenager McKenzie Lockhart ended her night in fourth while behind her, in fifth, was Justin Evans, in the Al Flora entry, also from Albany.
Last but not least were the Hornets. Josh Corley made the trip up from Westfir. Despite not a lot of experience at Willamette Speedway, he managed to win the main event. Tracy Muse, of Albany, would win his first track championship after having an incredible season.
Devin Translavia was the second placed finisher while Albany’s Rowe Lovvorn got third. The rest of the top five was made up of Lebanon’s McLain Beaudoin, in fourth, and champion Tracy Muse, in fifth.
With racing all done and over with there is one event left and that is the Awards Banquet. This year the Awards Banquet will be on Saturday, November 5th at the Best Western Premier Boulder Falls in Lebanon.
If you have not picked up payout from an event you have until October 29th to do so. After that date the funds will go towards the banquet.
Tickets are $35.00 each and can be purchased by contact Michelle Preston at michellep_willamette@comcast.net or by calling (360)-903-5785. Social Hour is at 6:00 PM, with Dinner at 7:00, and the Awards Ceremony starting around 8:00. For the latest news and information log on to www.trophymotorsports.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage