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Bennymite
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Posted: Sunday May 4th, 2008 09:04 AM |
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First Wins Of The Season And Careers Occur At “The Grove”
By Ben Deatherage
Last Saturday night seen four first time winners for the 2008 season and one driver his first victory of his career. It was CG Yamaha Bike Fest at the races featuring Limited Sprints, Late Models, Modifieds, and All-American Street Stocks. The evening zipped by as the races concluded around 9:30 PM or so.
All-American Street Stocks:
For the first class of the night seven All-American Street Stocks timed in. Of the fastest was the defending 250cc Kart champ Kolby Clay from Junction City at 15.93 seconds. For Clay it was his second ever race and his first fast time.
Clay’s early success was not quite over as he was able to come from the back and win the four lap Ray’s Food Place Trophy Dash another first of his career. For the heat race though Ross Denton of Yoncalla led for the most part until problems occurred and eventually the field got eliminated down pretty low. Despite having a part of his hood coming of a little bit Jeff Casto of Cottage Grove was able to win the heat.
Casto pulled a blue chip meaning an invert of the field based on their finished in the heat race. For the main pole sitter Don Frisbie of Vancouver, Washington spun before the first lap was completed and sent to the back. On the second attempt TJ Langan of Jasper was able to get ahead of Ross Denton and pull away and didn’t look back.
It was more of a race for second as Robert Wulbrandt of Springfield and Kolby Clay. Langan would win it followed by Wulbrandt, Clay, Denton, and Eugene’s April Howard rounding up the top five. For Langan it was his first win of 2008 and his second in a row (Langan won the season finale last September).
Late Models:
The Late Models had a competitive field of nine cars last Saturday with a couple of drivers making the trip south on I-5 to “the Grove”. Don Muth Sr. of Cottage Grove outpaced the field in qualifying at 14.078 seconds. For Muth it was his second fast time of the season.
In the Ray’s Food Place Trophy Dash Mike DeSilva of Springfield used his pole starting position to his advantage and led from the beginning to the end. DeSilva came into the night as a defending race winner after beating the field in the season finale last September. For the heat race DeSilva also found himself out front but during the right time of the night, Don Muth Sr. led early but spun during the race, DeSilva drew a blue chip and inverted the field based on heat race finishes.
For the main Kevin Ropchan of Veneta led early and found himself in front until Muth made the move around him. Like Langan the main before Muth didn’t look back lapping all the way up to fifth place. A good battle for third occurred though between Desilva and Ropchan. When it was all said and done Muth was on top followed by Paul Culp of Springfield, DeSilva, Ropchan, and Tom Tesch of Brooks.
Limited Sprints:
With the 360’s off the Limited Sprints were the fastest cars at the Cottage Grove Speedway last Saturday. All season long one driver has dominated qualifying and gotten fast time every week and again Monte Smith of Springfield bested the twelve car field at 12.853 seconds.
For the Ray’s Food Place Trophy Dash Steven Horner of Cottage Grove made it two in arrow and finished on top. In heat race one Heath Shelton of Drain and Nate Morelock of Cottage Grove battled hard but Shelton made the outside work and went on to the next heat. In heat two Ron Cooper of Cottage Grove used the outside pole position to his advantage and cruised to an unchallenged heat race win.
Another blue chip was on hand for the night and Cooper would have to start in the middle of the field. On the initial start youngster Jake Waddell of Roseburg gained the hole shot lead and opened up a large lead until the first caution came out about halfway home. Ozzie Osburn of Springfield battled Brandi Bounds of Cottage Grove hard for second and gave Waddell a chance to build a lead.
Later in the race though Bounds cleared Osburn and tried to reel Waddell only it was too little too late. Waddell picked up his first win of his career and Bounds’ streak snapped but finished in a respectable second. Osburn ended up third followed by Monty Smith and Steven Horner.
Modifieds:
Sixteen modifieds were on hand for Saturday and Gus Cooper of Creswell bested them all at 14.734 seconds. For Cooper it was his first fast time of the year.
In the Ray’s Food Place Trophy Dash “Kid Rocket” Braden Hand of Cottage Grove was able to pull away and take the victory. Braden was looking to get his first victory of the season at his home track after snatching a victory at the Siskiyou Speedway in Yreka, California last month. For the first heat race it was a battle between Don Muth Jr., Curtis Towns, and Robert Hand all of Cottage Grove. Towns was able to best the field and grab the only transfer position. In heat two Jesse Williamson of Coburg took off and dusted the field to the heat race victory and made it four for four on blue chips and had to start from the middle of the field.
During the main the first two attempts at a start failed so Gus Cooper and Curtis Towns were but on the pole. Cooper got out to the early lead as the thirty lap main seen action all over the track. Williamson attempted to pass Cooper many times but was unable to do so. Only once did he clear the pass but a caution came out and Williamson had to go back to second. When the checkered flew it was Cooper edging Williamson, Braden Hand, Aaron Sheelar of Springfield, and Robert Hand.
Well race fans that does it for this recap and we hope to see you this Saturday for Budget Lumber of Roseburg Night at the Races. The 360’s will be back in town as well as the Pacific Coast Fast Trak Series. These group of guys will be running against our drivers with their Crate motors and they have proven cars with the most power don’t always win. So far in the “Turf War” the Crate cars have a victory over the Open motors so see the rivalry continue Saturday.
Also after two previous attempts this Friday will hopefully be the charm for the Kart season opener. Catch a chance at seeing the brightest stars in the Willamette Valley compete on Friday night, Log on to cottagegrovespeedway.com for times and prices for both days and in the meantime I’ll see you at the races.
Race Summary
CG Yamaha Bike Fest
5/3/2008
All-American Street Stock:
Fast Time- Kolby Clay, Junction City, 15.93
Trophy Dash- Clay
Heat Race-Jeff Casto, Cottage Grove
Main-
1. T.J. Langan, Jasper
2. Robert Wulbrandt, Springfield
3. Clay
4. Ross Denton, Yoncalla
5. April Howard, Eugene
Late Models:
Fast Time- Don Muth Sr., Cottage Grove, 14.075
Trophy Dash- Mike DeSilva, Springfield
Heat Race- DeSilva
Main-
1. Muth
2. Paul Culp, Springfield
3. DeSilva
4. Kevin Ropchan, Veneta
5. Tom Tesch, Brooks
Limited Sprints:
Fast Time- Monty Smith, Springfield
Trophy Dash- Steven Horner, Cottage Grove
Heat Race One- Heath Shelton, Drain
Heat Race Two- Ron Cooper, Cottage Grove
Main-
1. Jake Waddell, Roseburg
2. Brandi Bounds, Cottage Grove
3. Ozzie Osburn, Springfield
4. Smith
5. Horner
Modifieds:
Fast Time- Gus Cooper, Creswell
Trophy Dash- Braden Hand, Cottage Grove
Heat Race One- Curtis Towns, Cottage Grove
Heat race Two- Jesse Williamson, Coburg
Main-
1. Cooper
2. Williamson
3. B. Hand
4. Aaron Sheelar, Springfield
5. Robert Hand, Cottage Grove
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