10/6/2013
Cottage Grove Speedway
Crockett, Hand, Mayden, Tow, And Austin Close Out 2013 With CGS Wins
Crockett, Hand, Mayden, Tow, And Austin Close Out 2013 With CGS Wins
By Ben Deatherage
(Photos Courtesy of Madman Photography)
The temperatures were a little on the cold side but the racing action was hot on the track. The Cottage Grove Speedway would host their final race of 2013 on October 5th with a card full of classes in competition. Divisions that were in action included the 360 Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hornets, and Dwarf Cars.
Kyle Miller was lightning quick in the early stages of the 360 Sprint feature as he looked for his seventh win of 2013 at CGS but his first with a wing on. Miller, driving the Hedge Carter owned Huddle Automotive Repair/Oregon West RV/Steelhouse Metal Roofing Supply #71 XXX, would develop some nice sized leads only to have them reduced due to a caution.
As the laps clicked away Miller would be caught and passed in traffic by Medford ace Roger Crockett on lap eighteen. The SKS Racing/Al Parker Racing Engines/Champion Racing Oil #11 KPC of Crockett would lead the rest of the way to capture his twelfth main event victory at “The Grove” this year. The win would also secure Crockett his fourth career CGS 360 title in five years.
Kyle Miller would finish a respectable second followed by Cottage Grove’s Colin Baker in the BC Motorsports/Steelhouse Metal Roofing Supply #2 KPC in third. Rob Held from Sutherlin in his Held’s Automotive And Accessories/Budget Lumber/Independent Motor Rebuilders #68 J&J ended his night in fourth while the Goetz Brothers Racing/Great Western Transport/Speedmart Inc./Elma Lanes #9R Eagle of Reece Goetz out of Snohomish, Washington was fifth after flipping in qualifications.
Taking over the lead from Crawfordsville’s Kyle Yeack on lap three 2013 IMCA CGS Modified champion Braedon Hand of Cottage Grove would win his second race of the season. Hand would keep the Jerry Severson owned D&D Automotive/Vintage Inn Family Restaurant/RDH Racing #7S mount up on the high side all while maintaining a comfortable lead. Hand, who arrived very late to the track, was in fact hunting deer until about 6:50 PM when he decided to try and make it to the race.
Finishing behind the leader was Kyle Yeack in the Mountain View Woodworking Enterprises/Side Oil Transport/Cascade Outdoor Power Equipment #47 Pro while third place went to Jeremy Richey of Phoenix in his Rapp Racing Engines/Jahnke Heating And Air #15J J-Rich. Gus Cooper from Creswell came home in fourth driving the Eastside Rollforming Specialties/BBQ Oil Barbeque Sauces/Mark’s Autobody #10 Shaw with Jasper’s Eric Ashley completing the top five finishing order in fifth.
Leading the entire distance of the Street Stock main event Jake Mayden would capture his first win of the season after only three starts. The Eugene driver in his Team S.D.M.F. #28 mount would hold on to the lead despite several cautions and a few challenges from behind him.
Ryan Emry from Corvallis, in his CGS debut, crossed the stripe in second driving the American Hero Carpet Cleaning/Albany Rental/Trustee Auto Repair #21X Chevelle followed by Don Garrett III’s #75 Camaro finishing third. Ethan Landers of Bend would place his #17Z Camaro in fourth while the Fountain Gutters/Josh Fountain Painting/White Water Well Drilling #0 ½ Camaro of Cottage Grove ended the evening in fifth. For the second straight year Cottage Grove native Darin Crooks would be declared the Street Stock champion and for the second straight year he had built up a big enough of a point lead to miss the last race of the season for a hunting excursion.
The Bigg Dogg Recycling/A-1 Auto Supply #17 of Taunton Swaim from Dexter was once again looking for another trip to the winner’s circle as he led early but teammate Justin Austin would make the pass for the lead on lap four. Swaim would trek down Austin in the closing stages and the two would make a little bit of contact with one another on the final lap. Coming down the front shoot to take the checkered Justin Austin of Pleasant Hill would edge out Swaim for the win. It was the second win of 2013 for Austin, who was driving the Rapid Delivery/Bigg Dogg Recycling #48, but his first in the Hornets.
Taunton Swaim was a close second while third was the Froggy’s Towing/Springfield Auto Recyclers/Big B Tire #31 of Goshen’s Teresa Walker. Springfield’s Steven Moore was fourth in the Froggy’s Towing/Springfield Auto Recyclers/Big B Tire #14 machine while Melvin Walker from Goshen also sponsored by Froggy’s Towing/Springfield Auto Recyclers/Big B Tire was fifth in his #00 entry.
Finally the Dwarf Cars were back in action and Creswell driver Kevin Hicks kept his Hicks Family Racing/The Wright Shop of Creswell #78 out in front for the victory. Hicks lead the entire distance and would beat out Castle Rock, Washington pilot Guy Tow Jr. in the #42N while finishing in third was the Hicks Family Racing/The Wright Shop of Creswell #76 of Eugene’s Brian Hicks. Completing the balance of the top five placers were the #46 of Guy Tow Sr. from Rainier in fourth and Keizer’s Bill Poehler in fifth driving the Central Coast Off Road/Hicks Family Racing #14 for car owner Robert O’Neil.
That will conclude the 2013 campaign at the Cottage Grove Speedway. Be sure and check out the track website during the offseason for interviews, stories, as well as information regarding the 2014 campaign. We would like to remind the drivers that the championship awards banquet will take place on Saturday November 16th. For more information log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
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