ELMA, Washington — Tim Goodman, Lebanon, OR. was the fourth different leader in the Mountain Dew/Amp Energy 50 “Late Models”, but that was the one that counted as he took the checkered flag in the 50-lap feature race at Grays Harbor Raceway Saturday night.
After destroying his car two weeks ago, Josh Muller, Montesano, returned to the track with a brand new machine and led from start to finish in the “Ship Wreck Beads “Modifieds” 25-lap feature event.
Zack Simpson, Hoquiam, returned to his accustomed spot, Victory Lane, with another domineering performance in the Cut Rate Auto Parts “Hobby Stocks” 20-lap feature.
Cory Estaban, Cornelius, OR. came from back in the pack and took over the lead with 5-laps left in the “Dwarf Car 25-lap feature.
Late Model
Goodman came from seven rows back at the start of the race, but methodically started moving up and picking drivers off on his march to the front.
A pair of Banks, OR. brothers, Doug and Bob Trout held the front row at the start with Doug grabbing the early lead, followed by Tom Lawson, Venita, OR. Bobby Ireland, Banks, Ronnie Saner, Forest Grove, OR. and Steve Moore, Scio, OR.
Saner took over the top spot on lap-6 and survived a caution flag restart on lap-17 but yielded the front spot to Terry Ferrando, Banks, on lap-21.
Ferrando was leading Jason wines, Lebanon, OR. Jimmy Schram, Vancouver, WA. Saner and Lawson when the second of only three caution flags of the race came out on lap-22.
Goodman had moved into the top five when he got by Lawson on lap-27, took over fourth when he passed Saner on lap-36 and Schram three laps later.
Goodman got the break he needed when the final caution flag of the night came out on lap-42.
Goodman went from third to first after the restart as passed both Wines and Ferrando, and then had to hold off Ferrando for the rest of the race.
Wines held onto third, Schram fourth and Saner fifth at the finish.
Modifieds
It took three tries to finally get first lap in, with three of the four cars in the front two rows of cars either out of the race or sent to the back of the pack.
Pole sitter David Wolfard, Seabeck was sent to the back of the pack on the first lap after causing a caution flag when he spun out in turn-2 right after the start, Scott Miller, Shelton, followed suit on the next attempt when he came to a stop in turn 4, and Leroy Lawhead, Rochester was next when he had mechanical problems on the third attempt to get the race underway.
When the race was finally able to get a complete start, Muller had the pole, Craig Moore, Seabeck was on the outside of the front row, Greg Dineen, Aberdeen, and Jim Oien Jr. McCleary next in line.
Muller set the pace with Moore in hot pursuit, followed by Dineen, Joe German, Aberdeen and Dan Wolfard, Seabeck.
Muller survived no less than five caution flag restarts, before the finish of the race.
Dineen got by Moore for second with two laps left in the race, Wolfard held onto fourth and Morgan Criswell, Vancouver, WA. edged German out of fifth on the final lap.
“When Bob (Race Director Bob Valencia said on the radio go to the front, I said O.K.” Muller said. “My ribs are still a little sore from the accident two weeks ago.”
Hobby Stocks
It usually doesn’t take long for Simpson to move to the front, and Saturday night was no exception as he moved from fourth to first in the first lap, taking over the lead from Derek Junell.
Keith Knowlton, Bremerton, moved into the second spot on lap-3 and Alan Muenchow, Shelton moved Junell back another spot on lap-6.
Simpson settled into a grove followed by Knowlton, Muenchow, Junell, and Chaz Wilder, Elma.
Junell and Wilder dropped out of the front five, Junell on lap-11 and Wilder on lap-13.
Knowlton crossed the finish line a full second behind Simpson, Muenchow held onto the third spot, Eddie Blood, Olympia took fourth and Jeremy Blood, Hoquiam finished fifth in his first race this year, driving the number 9 car of Jack Parshall Jr.
Dwarf Cars
Estaban completed a perfect night of racing when he took the checkered flag, having won the A Trophy Dash and his heat race earlier in the evening.
Estaban started four rows back in the twenty car field and worked his way into the top five by lap-8.
Jess Turner, Kelso, WA. was the early race leader until Mike Shoen, Hillsboro, OR took over the top spot just 2-laps into the race.
Estaban took over second place from Mike Chadwick, Hillsboro, on lap-17 and the top spot from Shoen with 4-laps left.
Shoen held onto second, Chadwick third, Doug McVae, Scappoose, OR. finished fourth and Henry Corbin III, Molalla, OR. rounded out the top five.
Kevin Hicks, Creswell, OR. took the checkered flag in the B Main, followed by Jim Fischer, Portland, Gary Sause, Molalla, Henry Corbin II, Molalla and Kyle Thompson, of Hillsboro fifth, with the top four cars advancing to the A Main.
The “Sprints”, “Modifieds”, “Hobby Stocks”, “Midgets” and “Cruisers” return next Saturday night. Gates Open at 4:30 with racing around 7:00.
Top Finishers.
Mountain Dew/Amp Energy Warriors of Dirt “Late Models” A Main. 1. Tim Goodman. 2. Terry Ferrando. 3. Jason Wines. 4. Jimmy Schram. 5. Ronnie Saner. 6. Steve Moore. 7. Greg Walters. 8. Brandon Biffle. 9. Scott Puncochar. 10. Doug Trout. Heat 1. Doug Trout. 2. Tom Lawson. 3. Saner. 4. Bob Trout. 5. Mike Keely. Heat 2. 1. Ferrando. 2. Schram. 3. Bobby Ireland. 4. Jeff Biffle. 5. Steve Suckow. Heat 3. 1. Wines. 2. Goodman. 3. Puncochar. 4. Walters. 5. Moore. Trophy Dash. Lawson. Fast time: Moore. 15.195 88. 845 MPH.
Ship Wreck Beads “Modifieds” A Main. 1. Josh Muller. 2. Greg Dineen. 3. Craig Moore. 4. Dan Wolfard. 5. Morgan Criswell. 6.Joe German. 7. Jim Oien Jr. 8. Scott Miller.9. Del Schnitzer. 10. Randy Ward. Heat 1. 1. Miller. 2. Dineen. 3. Leroy Lawhead. 4. Oien Jr. 5. Ward. Heat 2. 1. Moore. 2. Muller. 3. David Wolfard. 4. German. 5. Criswell. Fast Time: Lawhead. 16.503 81.803 MPH. Top Points (Unofficial). Miller-582. Muller-576. David Wolfard-565. German-536. Oien Jr.-514. Burns-508. Criswell-493. Foster-467. Dineen-460. Rau-437.
Cut Rate Auto Parts “Hobby Stocks” A Main. 1. Zack Simpson. 2. Keith Knowlton. 3. Alan Muenchow Jr. 4. Eddie blood. 5. Jeremy Blood. 6. Kari Puncochar. 7. Derek Junell. 8. Celeste hardest. 9. Toss Watkins. 10. Brian Izzi. Heat 1. 1. Simpson. 2. E. Blood. 3. Chaz Wilder. 4. Hardesty. 5. Zach Smotherton. Heat 2. 1. Knowlton. 2. Muenchow Jr. 3. Junell. 4. Greg Watkins. 5. Izzi. Fast time: Simpson. 17.674 76.383 MPH. Top Points (Unofficial).Simpson-750. Knowlton-737. Junell-696. Muenchow-691. E. Blood-640. Izzi-564. Wilder-508. Murray-273. Borgeson-266. Smith-263.
Dwarf Cars A Main. 1. Cory Estaban. 2. Mike Shoen. 3. Mike Chadwick. 4. Doug McVae. 5. Henry Corbin III. 6. Dave Cantu. 7. Jess Turner. 8. Shane Youngrew. 9. Jim Pavel. 10. Steve Smith. B Main. 1. Kevin Hicks. 2. Jim Fischer. 3. Gary Sause. 4. Henry Corbin II. 5. Kyle Thompson. Heat 1. 1. Estaban. 2. Shoen. 3. Corbin III. 4. Youngrew. 5. Fischer. Heat 2. 1. McVae. 2. Josh Kribs. 3. Smith. 4. Pavel. 5. Sause. Heat 3. 1. Clay Goben. 2. Turner. 3. Chadwick. 4. Cantu. 5. Corbin II. A Dash. Estaban. B Dash. Fischer.
