The sun was shining bright, and temperatures were in the high 70’s for Mother’s Day Weekend and the racing was red hot on the 3/8-banked clay oval as the 360 Sprint Cars, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks, Outlaw Tuners and the Vintage Modifieds took to the track at Grays Harbor Raceway on Saturday.
Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks
Hoquiam driver Jason Tole took the early lead from the second row, after getting by Cory Sweatman of Aberdeen and Ocean Shores’ Jeff Daniel. Caution quickly flew on lap 1 for Westport driver Taylor Miller slowing to a stop, giving Sweatman a shot to get the lead back from Tole. Montesano’s Scott Fritts ran in the second spot, looking to get the lead but saw issues after spinning off of turn four, losing multiple positions.
Tole continued to lead as fellow Hoquiam native Jack Parshall moved into second place.
After a mid-race caution, Tole had tough company on the restart as Parshall was on his back bumper, Parshall looked to the inside lane multiple times but couldn’t make the pass. On lap 18, Parshall looked to the inside in turn one, and took the lead from Tole in turn two. Parshall took the checkered flag over Tole, Tom Hecker of Spanaway, Sweatman and Haney.
Vintage Modifieds
A series that normally runs on asphalt, the Vintage Modifieds race saw 10 cars take to the dirt oval in the 25-lap feature.
Mike Clother took the early lead but was overtaken by Kyton Jones on the restart after a caution flag.
Jones’ lead but that didn’t last long as Jim Jones took the top spot and quickly pulled away from the rest of the field.
The battle for second saw Ken Kalschmidt and Wenatchee’s Vern Huson battle for position racing side-by-side for a few laps. A handful of restarts allowed Kalschmidt to make a run at Jim Jones for the lead as both drivers pulled away from Huson and Tacoma’s John Mustered who battle for third.
A late-race caution saw Jim Jones pull into the pit area with mechanical issues, giving up the lead to Kalschmidt.
Kalschmidt took the checkered flag over Kyton Jones, Clother, Devin Eierman and Robert Rux.
360 Sprint Cars
Raymond’s Devon Borden took the early lead but a red flag quickly stopped the action. On the restart, Cam Smith took the lead. Borden ran to the low side and took the lead back in turn two.
Lap 8 saw JJ Hickle and Borden battle for second as Hickle took over the runner-up position in turn one. Lap traffic started to become a factor for Smith as he looked to get around and pull away from Hickle. Lap 23 saw disaster strike for Smith as he made contact with the lap car of Lance Sargent, causing both to spin and bringing out the caution. Hickle took over the lead and went on to pick up the feature event over Chase Goetz, Jay Cole, Borden and Tyler Anderson .
Outlaw Tuners
Will Wright of Aberdeen, substituting for Tyler Sundstrom, led the field to the green flag in the Outlaw Tuner feature.
After a pair of rocky restarts, Wright jumped out in front ahead of Max Sanford. Devon Harper sat in the third spot looking to the high side to try and get by Sanford for second. Contact between Sanford and Harper brought out the caution on lap 2 as Harper made contact with the front-stretch wall, ending his evening.
Wright continued to lead as Wishkah’s Don Briggs Sr. was right on his bumper. The top three ran close as Wishkah’s Jeremy Jones joined in on the battle.
Briggs took over the lead from Wright, but a lap later the caution flag flew for debris. Briggs Sr. went to the pit area with a flat tire, allowing Wright to gain the lead once again. A late race restart allowed Jones and Tenino driver Chad Norton a shot at the lead, but Wright quickly pulled away.
Wright took the checkered flag over Jones, Norton, Addison Smith and Zach Dalrymple
Racing resumes at on Saturday with the 360 Sprint Cars, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, Outlaw Tuners and Northwest Focus Midgets Series back in action. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.. Racing starts at 7 p.m.
