6/9/2014
Sunset Speedway Park
Sunset Speedway Park Hosts Action Packed Races
Sunset Speedway Park Hosts Action Packed Races
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Ken O'Neil)
Sunset Speedway Park was back in action on Saturday June 7th. And with the $25.00 Car Load Special being offered a good turnout of race fans were on hand at the “Banks Bullring”. Classes racing included the IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, 4-Bees, and Womens divisions.
A good field of IMCA Modifieds were on tap for their third race of 2014. Jake Van Ortwick from Scappoose was ultra-quick in his MAPS Auto Center/Andone Enterprize/DFI Performance/Justin Russell Trucking #53V Rayburn. Rob Ireland of Banks would eventually seize the lead but he was by no means out of the woods yet as Van Ortwick kept the pressure on him. Ireland would hold on despite Van Ortwick nearly retaking the lead on the final lap. Ireland became the third different winner in as many races at SSP in 2014 and it was a big win for the defending champion in his Ireland & Ireland at Law/Privateer Racing/Applebee Aviation #8 machine.
Jake Van Ortwick would finish a respectable second while in third place was Aloha’s Doug Lockwood in his Aloha Station Tavern/Perfection Automotive/Ross Electric/Curtis Trailers #66 Shaw. Brad Gentry from Lafayette in the T-N-T Motorsports/Busy Bee Cleaning/Willamette Valley Automotive #2G Loose Gruff crossed the stripe in fourth while Chris Hallberg of Sandy was fifth in his Marty’s Transmissions/All-In Property Investments/Baldwin Motorsports #01 FR1.
In Street Stock action the Shattercrystal.com Game Codes/McCutcheon Fence/AFT Race Engines/Van Raden Industries #32 Camaro of Robert Summerhalder from Portland was dominant in the first half of the race before losing the top spot to John Ireland of Banks. Ireland, and father to Rob, was searching for his third win of the season but unfortunately some mechanical issues with his engine would put the Ireland & Ireland at Law/Privateer Racing/Applebee Aviation #88 Monte Carlo out of action prematurely. That would give the lead to Brian Roden of West Linn. Roden would lead the remainder of the laps to pick up his first win of the season in his JNR Construction/Molecular Motion Inc./Dockweiler Stainless Steel Tube Systems #14 Camaro.
Last week’s winner Earl Claypool Jr. from Hillsboro was second in the Beaverton Machine Shop/Customs by RC/JNR Construction #3 Camaro and crossing the wire in third was the A.F.T. Racing Engines/Aftermarket Enterprises #5 Camaro of Marc Farrar out of Sherwood. The Eric’s Frame Shop/All-American Classics/Sign Of The Times/Tom’s Performance #96 Monte Carlo of Danny O’Neil Jr. from Vancouver, Washington was fourth and the Sweere's Auto Body/Sweere's Trucking/Tire Factory of McMinnville #37 Camaro of McMinnville’s Freya Smith was fifth.
In Pure Stock competition Vancouver, Washington’s Bert Pegg seemed to be on his way to his first victory of the campaign. The Pegg Boys Racing/Kenton Station/Pfeifer's Mobile Concrete/Local Glaziers #17 Firebird was on a rail but unfortunately would get sideways after Ken Shauve, in the Creekside Mortgage #05 Nova, got together with him while challenging for the lead. That would give the lead to Forest Grove’s Trevor LaBarge. LaBarge blazed the trail the rest of the way to win his second consecutive victory in his Pure Addiction Diesel Performance/S&R Motorz/Courtesy Auto Body #7 Camaro.
Kendall Lee from Forest Grove in the Lee Racing #66 Camaro was second and Yamhill’s Terry Houck ended the night in third piloting his Luttrell's Trucking/Trask Mountain Outpost/Sweere’s Trucking/Happy Hut #58 Camaro. Bert Pegg would come from the back to finish fourth followed by Ken Shauve in fifth.
The 4-Bee division would see yet another new face visit victory lane. Bo Jones of Troutdale, after a handful of impressive top five finishes in the last few weeks, managed to take advantage of some of the leaders getting together and pulled away while running in the top spot. It was a huge accomplishment for Jones and his entire Mark’s Towing and Transport #82 Dodge Neon team.
Last week’s winner Travis Koch of Vancouver, Washington was second in his North's Plumbing/Dusty's Automotive/Mac Tools #21 Dodge Neon and the Henry Racing/Joe’s Autobody and Paint/Social Lies Pub and Grill #22 Dodge Neon of North Plains driver Nick Henry was third. Driving for car owner Robert Summerhalder and finishing in fourth was Forest Grove’s Andrew Olsen in the Shattercrystal.com Game Codes/McCutcheon Fence/AFT Race Engines/Van Raden Industries #32 Ford Probe while behind him in fifth was Jake Henry of North Plains in his Henry Racing/Joe’s Autobody and Paint/Social Lies Pub and Grill #77 Toyota Celica.
Last but not least was the Womens division which was in action for the first time in 2014. The night would be a war of attrition as several cars were put out of commission in races before the start of the feature. But when it was all said and done Gabrielle Hollinger of Banks would take care of business in her All-In Property Investments/Duncan Automotive/Avenue Title Company/Jeremy Martin Racing #60 Firebird. Behind Hollinger in second was Theresa Gartner of Portland in the Gartner Racing/Ram Light Truck/ACE Car Detailing/Foot Print Designs #48 Camaro.
Next week Sunset Speedway Park gets back into the swing of things on Saturday June 14th. Classes in competition will include the Northwest Extreme Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Northwest Extreme Modifieds, 4-Bee's, and both classes of Micro Sprints.
Pit Gates will open at 2:00 PM, Front Gates open at 3:30, and racing starts at 6:00. Tickets for the event are Adults $12.00, Seniors/Military/Juniors (13-17) $10.00, Youths (Ages 12-6) $5.00, and Children under the age of 5 are FREE and a Family Pass will be offered for two Adults and up to four Youths for just $35.00. For more information log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.
Race Summary:
Saturday June 7th, 2014
Sunset Speedway Park
Banks, Oregon
IMCA Modifieds
A Feature: 1. 8-Rob Ireland; 2. 53V-Jake Vanortwick; 3. 66-Doug Lockwood; 4. 2G-Brad Gentry; 5. 01-Chris Hallberg; 6. 5R-Robert Jenner; 7. 6X-Don Jenner; 8. 68-Bubba Foster; 9. 6M-Matt Jenner; 10. 05-Rayun McMichael; 11. 4D4-Danny Daniels; 12. 00-Kent Dollarhyde; 13. 31-Tony Hendon; 14. X3-Chris Quinn; 15. D4-Shawn Dorie
Street Stocks
A Feature: 1. 14-Brian Roden; 2. 3-Earl Claypool; 3. 5-Marc Farrar; 4. 96-Danny O'Neil; 5. 37-Freya Smith; 6. 7-Doug Pitsch; 7. 01-Eric Clancy; 8. 32-Robert Summerhalder; 9. 00-Terry Mason; 10. 88-John Ireland; 11. 26-Eric Netherton
Pure Stocks
A Feature: 1. 7-Trevor LaBarge; 2. 66-Kendall Lee; 3. 58-Terry Houck; 4. 17-Bert Pegg; 5. 05-Ken Shauve; 6. 23-Bob McGrotty; 7. 53-Scott Hoodenpyl; 8. 22-Jimmy Biggs; 9. 25-Michael Vandercoevering
Women's
A Feature: 1. 60-Gabrielle Hollinger; 2. 48-Theresa Gartner
4-Bee's
A Feature: 1. 82-Bo Jones; 2. 21-Travis Koch; 3. 22-Nick Henry; 4. 32-Andrew Olsen; 5. 77-Jacob Henry; 6. 7-Gary Jones; 7. 53-Lonnie Jackson; 8. 97-Joe Loy; 9. 38-Chris Batalgia; 10. 26-Stan Asanovic; 11. 48-John Gartner; 12. 12-Jason Blythe
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
