Riley Watson won the ASA Late Model 75, leading nearly every lap, Saturday night at the Douglas County Speedway.
The Wilbur racer assumed the lead on Lap 4 and was not challenged until the waning laps prior to the 50-lap intermission. Medford’s Adam Whitlock bumped the back of Watson in Turn 4 after Lap 40, sending the No. 11 sideways and wide off the corner. But Watson was able to gather his car before Whitlock, in the No. 39, could pull past him for the lead.
During the 10-minute break, prior the race’s final 25 laps, drivers were stopped on the front stretch and were allowed two crew members from each team onto the track to make any adjustments, except change tires or add fuel.
Watson said the key to his win, may have been his decision to stand pat on his car’s setup.
“The car (No. 11) was awesome all day. We only practiced four laps today,” Watson said. “I know the other guys were making changes on the break, but I gambled and left mine alone.”
On the contact that could have changed the outcome of the race, Watson shrugged it off as part of racing.
“He (Whitlock) got into me in the corner,” Watson said. “I’ve got a lot of J-Car experience and I think most of these guys know that Riley can drive one sideways.”
It was contact on Lap 63 that later eliminated Whitlock from victory contention. Running third, Willie Thom spun Whitlock from behind drawing a caution flag and sending both drivers to the back when the field returned to green.
Portland’s Brad Stanwood, Sutherlin’s Rod Scevers, Dundee’s Mark Pothoff and Roseburg’s Dale Roth finished second through fifth respectively.
The race had three cautions and four laps under caution after the break counted toward the final 75.
Whitlock was the fast qualifier with a lap time of 15.173 seconds. Thom won the trophy dash.
Sutherlin’s Kent Bower dominated a short field of seven Limited Sprint Cars.
Bower recorded the local racing trifecta by winning the 20-lap main event, the heat race and the trophy dash.
Matt Hein, Roseburg, turned the fastest lap of the night (13.434). Ray Douglas, Winchester, and Tim Alberding, Portland, finished second and third in the main.
Dan Fouts won both the Super Stock and Street Stock 25-lap main events.
The Roseburg driver also won two trophy dashes, recorded a first place and a second in his two heat races and was the fast qualifier in both divisions.
Bobby Edwards won the first Super Stock heat and Donald Moore won the Street Stock heat. Doug Risley, Dillard, finished second and Ken Irving, Medford third, in the Super Stock main. Tyrell Mead celebrated his 18th birthday with a second place finish in the Street Stock main and his teammate Chris Sherman placed third.
Racing resumes Saturday at the Douglas County Speedway featuring the Limited Sprint Cars, Modifieds, J-Cars, Mini Stocks Hornets and Spectacular Drags
