(Alger, WA) by Kelly Hart
By most recollections it has been since 2007 since ASA member track Skagit Speedway has seen a car driven by Brandon Harkness taking the checkered flag first in a feature. Harkness thrilled the huge crowd Saturday night by squeezing between the car of Cory Swatzina and the front stretch wall with five laps to go to take home first place in the Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprint feature.
It was a great battle as Swatzina held the point for the first 15 laps fending off charges from point leader Derek Roberts, Rick Fauver subbing for budding tv star Justin Youngquist in the 56 car for the weekend and Harkness driving for the injured Steve Parker. Harkness cleared Clayton Sibley for second position on the 4th lap and dogged Swatzina lap after lap. Each of the three previous laps Harkness looked high to go around Swatzina but the two rubbed tires and swapped nerf bar rubs and things looked dicey. Finally Harkness got a great run off of four and left Swatzina no choice but to watch him squeeze up against the front stretch fence bringing the crowd to its feet. Swatzina is still looking for that elusive first win, while Roberts was third, Fauver fourth and Rob Schroder fifth. Heat race wins went to Harkness and Swatzina. Roberts set fast time at 13.081.
Jared Peterson picked up his second feature win of the season in the Budweiser 360 Sprints. Josh DeWitt made things interesting until knocking the support straps off his nose wing late in the race before fading back to third. 5th starting Travis Jacobson moved his way up to second. Strong runs came from Rod Perkins who had to change a rear end between winning the second heat and the Main. Perkins finished fourth. Brian Kirkpatrick won the other heat. Seth Bergman set fast time at 12.081.
Visiting Skagit Speedway for the first time in many years were the Dwarf Cars as the track hosted the first ever NW Dwarf Car Challenge. Organized by the Pacific Hardrop Racing Association and featuring cars from the Okanagan Dwarf Car Association and Washington Dwarf Car Association. The 25-lap main was an entertaining affair with winner Ronnie Gilmore Jr leading all 25 laps. All eyes however were on the charge made by Dave Cantu. Cantu went to the back of the 17 car pack after a lap 3 spin. Diving in and out of heavy traffic Cantu made it all the way up to second with just two laps to go and actually came within a slide job or two of capturing the win himself. Troy Kunas finished third after a late race restart saw him make a move from seventh to third with a great move down the back straight. The crowd really enjoyed the wheel to wheel excitement and exuberance of the Dwarf cars. Heat race wins went to Henry Corbin II and Rick Taylor.
All season the Outlaw Hornets have featured multiple car battles for the lead race in and race out or late lap passes for the lead. Tonight there were 6 lead changes in 17 laps and an epic battle between two teammates that left one of them steaming. Rick Young took the lead from Matt Powers with 3 laps left only to see Powers slam his way back into the lead two laps later for the win. Young wasn’t happy but declined to comment post race despite being visibly shaken. Powers admitted to racing hard and wanting to win in his victory interview on the front stretch. The heat race winners were appropriately enough Young and Powers.
Skagit Speedway will take the July 4th weekend off from racing so employees, fans and racers can enjoy the holiday but returns to action July 9th with the Les Schwab Tires Midseason Championships featuring a giant fireworks show following the races. All 4 divisions will see action. Gates open early to accommodate the big crowd with racing starting at 7:00 p.m.
RESULTS
BUDWEISER 360 SPRINTS
Fast time Seth Bergman 12.081
Heat 1 Brian Kirkpatrick, Seth Bergman, Josh DeWitt, Jared Peterson, Devin Madonia
Heat 2 Rod Perkins, Travis Jacobson, Danielle Huson, Kelsey Carpenter, Alan Munn
Main Jared Peterson, Travis Jacobson, Josh DeWitt, Rod Perkins, Seth Bergman, Devin Madonia, Mack Brown, Danielle Huson, Kelsey Carpenter, Alan Munn, Randy Price, Ozzy Magee, Brian Kirkpatrick
Lap leaders Jared Peterson 1-25
COOK ROAD SHELL SPORTSMAN SPRINTS
Fast time Derek Roberts 13.081
Heat 1 Brandon Harkness, Clayton Sibley, Curtis Clark, James Bundy, Derek Roberts
Heat 2 Cory Swatzsina, Rick Fauver, Bill Rude, Rob Schroder, Ben Gunderson
Main: Brandon Harkness, Cory Swatzina, Derek Roberts, Rick Fauver, Rob Schroder, Clayton Sibley, Kurt Meyers, Caleb Brooke, Ray Parker, Ashley Lewellen, Curtis Clark, Paul Burdick, Glenn Reinstra, Eric Thibert, Bill Rude, Ben Gunderson, James Bundy
Lap leaders Cory Swatzina 1-15, Brandon Harkness 16-20
OUTLAW HORNETS
Heat 1 Rick Young, Howard Vos, Ken Higby, Cliff Ballenger, Keith the Navy Guy
Heat 2 Matt Powers, Adam Nelson, Stacy Sims, Clint Meins, Tina Thibert
Main Matt Powers, Rick Young, Ben Gunderson, Freddy Vela, Howard Vos, Stacy Sims, Tina Thibert, Dave Erlandson, Keith the Navy Guy, Adam Nelson, Cliff Ballenger, Ken Higby, Matt Ploeg, Clint Meins
Lap leaders Stacy Sims 1, Ken Higby 2, Adam Nelson 3, Matt Powers 4-13, Rick Young 14-15, Powers 16-17
NW DWARF CAR CHALLENGE
Heat 1 Henry Corbin II, Dave Cantu, Ronnie Gilmore Jr., Al Goldie, Henry Corbin III
Heat 2 Rick Taylor, Stu Seeley, Brad Hicks, Troy Kunas, Kevin Benson
Main Ronnie Gilmore Jr., Dave Cantu, Troy Kunas, Rick Taylor, Al Goldie, Brad Hicks, Stu Seeley, Henry Corbin III, Henry Corbin II, Mike Miller, Brian Hicks, Kory Knutson, Tristan Wood, Kevin Benson, Brian Taylor, Jim Strong, Steve Taylor
Lap leaders Ronnie Gilmore Jr. 1-25