9/16/2013
NW Extreme Late Models
Winebarger Wins The Battle; Walters Wins The War
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Mark Derita)
Saturday September 14th would be the Mark Howard Memorial at the Cottage Grove Speedway. 360 Sprints, Late Models, Street Stocks, and Hornets were divisions in action while the Northwest Extreme Late Model Series were in the house taking on the local Late Model contingent. The Street Stocks were on hand competing for the annual Wallbanger Cup for their biggest race of the 2013 calendar.
Cottage Grove’ Colin Baker looked as if he was on his way to his first career 360 Sprint victory in the BC Motorsports/Steelhouse Metal Roofing Supply #2 KPC. That is until lapped traffic would decide the outcome in the final circuits. Roger Crockett, of Medford, would make a pass around lap twenty for the lead and would on hold to put his SKS Racing/Al Parker Racing Engines/Champion Racing Oil #11 KPC back in victory lane.
In the Late Models Collen Winebarger of Corbett would be the car to beat. Taking the lead on lap eleven Winebarger build a huge lead only to experience a scary moment on lap thirty-one. While heading in to turn three Winebarger’s Discount Race Car Parts/All In Property Investments/Hillsboro Vac & Sew #1 MasterSbilt would go off the top of the turn and nearly got collected with the outside retaining wall. Winebarger would briefly lose lead only to get it right back on lap thirty-three and hold on for the win. After the feature Greg Walters would be crowned the champion to earn his third series title in four seasons.
In the 2013 edition of the Wallbanger Cup Daniel Ray would come from the back of the pack not once, not twice, but three times to win his first ever Mark Howard Memorial race. Once the Springfield driver finally got the lead on lap seventeen, after being involved in a few cautions, he would hold on for the victory to become the fifth different winner of the Wallbanger Cup. It was the fifth win of the season in the Street Stocks for Ray and the Ty Mayden owned Pure Romance-Leslie Grimes/Brad’s Car Tunes/SDMF Race Cars #28 Camaro.
Taunton Swaim of Dexter would get the lead late in the Hornet main event as he looked for his fourth straight main event win. Swaim would cross the stripe in first in the Bigg Dogg Recycling/A-1 Auto Supply #17 truck but would be disqualified unfortunately due to missing the scales for post-race inspection. The win would be given to Chris Pierce of Cottage Grove in his Material Fabrication/Garage 808 #28 machine for his first trip to the winner’s circle in 2013.
The Cottage Grove Speedway will be the place to be on Saturday September 21st as it will host the Rolling Thunder Big Rigs for the first time ever. These are freight trucks that are modified and will race on the ¼-mile clay oval presenting lap-after-lap action. Also on the card will be Street Stocks and Hornets. For more information log on to www.cottagegrovespeedway.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage