9/26/2016
Sunset Speedway Park
Sunset Speedway Park Closes Out 2016 With Championship Night Presented By FinishLine Graphics; G. Walters, Miller, A. Case, Braaten, LaBarge, Gartner,
Sunset Speedway Park Closes Out 2016 With Championship Night Presented By FinishLine Graphics; G. Walters, Miller, A. Case, Braaten, LaBarge, Gartner, And Long Get Wins
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Slideways Photos)
Banks, Oregon- The 2016 season would come to a close on Saturday, September 24th at Sunset Speedway Park for Championship Night presented by FinishLine Graphics. Capping off the thirtieth-anniversary campaign would be a full card with all the remaining track titles left to be settled. Classes in action included the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series, Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, Bridgeport Logistics Street Stocks, IMCA Sport Mods, Pure Stocks, 4-Bees, and the New Bees.
It only took Greg Walters ten laps to get to the front of the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series main event. Making a pass on Brush Prairie, Washington's John Gamell, Walters who is from Banks, would maintain the position the rest of the way to collect his second win at SSP this year.
Gresham’s Jason Johnson was second followed by Celeste Hardesty, of St. Helens, in third. The rest of the top five was made up of John Gamell, in fourth, and fifth finishing Brian Roden, out of West Linn. Jason Johnson would accrue enough points to win his first career Northwest Extreme Late Model Series championship.
Jeff Lovell was the guy to beat for much of the Budweiser IMCA Modified main event. The Oregon City native blazed the trail until he was passed on lap twenty-three by Kenny Miller. Miller, out of Vancouver, Washington, and Lovell would both battle for several laps until Miller secured the position and hit the checkers first. It was Miller’s second win of the season at the 1/4-mile clay oval.
Jeff Lovell finished a respectable second while Portland’s Aaron Elwess went home third. Aloha veteran Doug Lockwood got fourth followed by Albany’s Craig Cassell in fifth. Cassell would end the night the champion to make it two years in a row at the “Banks Bullring” in the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds.
Arnie Case was the man to beat all year long in the Bridgeport Logistics Street Stocks. Case, out of Gresham, would dominate the final main event of the year leading every single lap. It was victory number eight for Case as well as Arnie’s first Street Stock title at Banks.
Vancouver, Washington driver Chris West crossed the wire in second while Sherwood’s Marc Farrar got third. Forest Grove native Tony Catalano and Gresham’s Justen Case were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Jorddon Braaten would make the long tow from the southern Oregon city of Central Point to compete with the IMCA Sport Mods. Braaten would take care of business when it was time for the main event and managed lead every single lap. It was his first win in his Sunset debut.
John Henry, of Hillsboro, was second while Medford’s Mike Medel got third. Archie Somers, out of Woodland, Washington, placed fourth and Scott Ruth completed the top five, in fifth. John Henry claimed his first career IMCA Sport Mod title officially once all the racing was complete.
In Pure Stock action there would several different leaders in the first five laps. Kendall Lee would take control of first place and held the position until lap nine. The Forest Grove pilot would lose the coveted position to Trevor LaBarge. LaBarge, also out of Forest Grove, completed the rest of the distance as the leader to win his seventh feature. Trevor also would be crowned the points champion and mark the second occasion, and first since 2014, that he has managed to be a Pure Stock title holder.
Kendall Lee was second followed Cornelius Amanda Clarke, in third. Travis Pitsch and North Plains driver Nick Henry were fourth and fifth.
Ryan Conroy set the pace early in the 4-Bee main. Conroy, out of Portland, would slip back to second on lap eleven. The man to make the move around him was Portland’s John Gartner. Gartner kept everyone in check to win his first main event of the year at Sunset.
Ryan Conroy would hold on to second with William Wolfe finishing behind him in third. Forest Grove’s Chris Batalgia was fourth and Rob Ferree, of Vancouver, Washington, claimed fifth. Rob Ferree would earn enough points to win his first career SSP 4-Bee crown.
Last but not least were the New Bees. Carlton’s Bailey Jackson showed the way early before getting passed on lap five by Cheyenne Long. Long, who hails from Forest Grove, would lead the rest of the distance to pick up the triumph.
Bailey Jackson stayed in second while Cassidy Jackson, also from Carlton, was third. Vancouver, Washington’s Taylor Sayre and Kaylee Batalgia, of Forest Grove, finish fourth and fifth.
With the racing a wrap, there is still the 2016 Award Banquet. The banquet will be on Saturday, October 29th at the Shilo Inn-Portland Airport. Doors open at 5:30 PM, Social Hour 6:00-7:00, Dinner 7:00-8:00, and the awards start around 8:00. Tickets are $35.00 each and can be ordered via Nikki Gamell by phone (503)-476-7206 or by email at nswatzell@gmail.com. We would like folks to order their tickets by October 21st. Be sure to keep up to date with all the current information by visiting www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage
