ELMA, Washington — Port Hardy, B.C. driver, Lawrence O’Connor won a see-saw battle with former “Modifieds” series champion Craig Moore of Seabeck for his first “Modified” feature win at Grays Harbor Raceway Saturday night
Cosmopolis’s Tom Sweatman picked up is fourth feature win of the season in the “Hobby Stocks” class and his second in a row.
Olympia’s Rory Clevenger continues to be the man to beat in the “Hornets” class as he won again.
O’Connor took the lead for the final time on lap-19 of the 30-lap feature race. Sweatman had to start well back in the pack in the 25-lap “Hobby
Stocks” feature, despite qualifying second and winning his heat race. Sweatman left the track after qualifying and went to the shop for some repairs, thus had to start over from scratch and could start no higher than eleventh for the feature.
Clevenger started eleventh in the field in the “Hornets” 15-lap feature but only needed 6-laps to get to the front.
As an added attraction for the annual Grays Harbor Fair races, the crowd was treated to Mr. Dizzy, as he flew off of a ramp high into the air and crashed into a school bus that was standing on end. There was supposed to a domino effect but the second bus that was supposed to be standing on end fell to the wind earlier in the day.
Modifieds
It only took a single lap for Moore to come from sixth at the start to the front on lap-2 as he passed the front row of David Bottoms of Ridgefield and Olympia’s Randy Ward, Shelton driver Shane Rau, Aberdeen’s Joe German and Morgan Criswell of Vancouver, WA.
Moore was leading Shelton’s Scott Miller, German, O’Connor, Criswell and defending series champion Josh Muller of Montesano when the caution flag came out on lap-9 when Rau and David Wolfard of Seabeck got tangled up in turn-4. During the caution, Miller left the track for repairs and didn’t get back before the green flag.
O’Connor used a caution flag restart on lap-14 to grab the lead for the first time, but Moore regained the top spot a couple of laps later.
Moore was able to hold onto the lead until O’Connor made his move with 11-laps left in the race and then held off Moore the rest of the way. Muller finished third, German fourth and Criswell fifth.
Miller managed to get back on the track after the caution flag on lap-14 but was five laps down and finished 15th, which allowed Muller to close the season points race to just 6 points behind Miller.
Hobby Stocks
In the nine races so far this season, it has been either Sweatman or three time series champion Simpson ending up in victory lane, Simpson has garnered the most wins with five and Sweatman the other four, with Simpson’s Parshall and Wilder Racing teammate Parshall usually in either second or third. Saturday night was no exception.
Simpson was not exactly thrilled with the pill draw to determine the invert for the start, as the Hoquiam drew the number eight, which put him and his teammate in the fourth row with Sweatman a couple of rows back.
As usual it didn’t’ take Simpson long to get to the front when he passed Shelton’s Kyle Swenson on the third lap for the lead, with Parshall right behind and Sweatman in hot pursuit.
Sweatman gained the lead after a caution flag restart on lap-9, putting the Hoquiam teammates (Simpson and Parshall) in second and third.
It was a three car race from there to the finish ands the top three quickly out distanced the rest of the field and were the only cars to finish on the same lap as the winner. Swenson finished fourth and Eddie Blood of Olympia fifth.
Despite his four wins on the season, Simpson still holds a comfortable 74 point lead over Sweatman in the season point’s race.
Hornets
Only one other driver, Aaron Rockey of Chehalis has been able to best Clevenger this season as Clevenger seems to move to the top with ease.
It was business as usual Saturday night as Clevenger took over the lead early in the race then left the rest of the field well behind. Eric Franson of Tenino finished second and Aberdeen’s Cliff Gill third.
Top Finishers
Ship Wreck Beads “Modifieds” A Main. 1. Lawrence O’Connor, Port Hardy, B.C. 2. Craig Moore, Seabeck. 3. Josh Muller, Montesano. 4. Joe German, Aberdeen. 5. Morgan Criswell, Vancouver, WA. 6. Greg Dineen, Aberdeen. 7. Jim Oien Jr. McCleary. 8. Jake Sorenson, Aberdeen. 9. Randy Ward, Olympia. 10. Dave Burns, Bremerton. Heat 1. 1. Shane Rau, Shelton. 2. Moore. 3. Scott Miller, Shelton. 4. Sorenson. 5. Scott Westley, Centralia. Heat 2. 1. Dineen. 2. Alan Muenchow, Shelton. 3. Ward. 4. Criswell. 5. Muller. Heat 3. 1. O’Connor. 2. German. 3. Oien Jr. 4. Del Schnitzer, Shelton. 5. David bottoms, Ridgefield. Top Qualifier. Miller 17.598 76. 713 MPH. Top Points (Unofficial) Miller 947. Muller 941. Moore 907. German 829. Oien Jr. 824. Schnitzer 803. Larson 753. Burns 703. Hardesty 659. Muenchow 598.
Cut Rate Auto Parts “Hobby Stocks” A Main. 1. Tom Sweatman, Cosmopolis. 2. Zack Simpson, Hoquiam. 3. Jack Parshall, Hoquiam. 4. Kyle Swenson, Shelton. 5. Eddie Blood, Olympia. 6. Zach Fuller, Tacoma. 7. Brian Izzi, Olympia. 8. Ryan Haney, Elma. 9. Cory Sweatman, Cosmopolis. 10. Chad McSherry, Tacoma. Heat 1. 1. T. Sweatman. 2. Simpson. 3. Izzi. 4. Koit Honea, Montesano. 5. Fuller. Heat 2. 1. Parshall. 2. C. Sweatman. 3. Swenson. 4. Greg Watkins, Enumclaw. 5. Jim Atkinson, Grayland. Top Qualifier Simpson 19. 276 70.035 MPH. Top Points (Unofficial). Simpson 1004. T. Sweatman 930. Parshall 913. Blood 876. Hecker 842. Izzi 816. Woodbury 749. Honea 678. C. Sweatman 673. Biggs 662.
HiLine Homes “Hornets” A Main. 1. Rory Clevenger, Olympia. 2. Eric Franson, Tenino. 3. Cliff Gill, Aberdeen. Heat 1. Brian Izzi, Olympia. Heat 2. Michael Junemann, Ocean Shores.
