SOUTH SOUND -- The Can-Am Demo Derby brought fans from all over the Northwest and Canada to South Sound Speedway on Saturday June 29th. Joining in the patriotic fun were the MMRA Super Mini Cups and Future Stars and the Hinkle Homes Pure Stocks. After all the action, Hinkle Homes Pure Stock driver, Mark Rorvik, put on an awesome fireworks show.
The grandstands were buzzing with excitement as the 10 American Team cars and 10 Canadian Team cars battled it out. The teams were actually mixed with Americans and Canadians. Two Canadians joined the American team and three Americans joined the Canadians. It started with the time ins. Mike Clark took his car out and qualified fastest but blew the motor as he came across the line with a 19.61 for he American team. The fastest Canadian driver was Phil King with a 20.60. Ralph Huether, for the Americans, won the four car dash. Next up was the Bump to Pass heat race. Nine Americans and ten Canadians lined up for the start of the race. Only 12 cars made it around for the first lap. It was pure madness and destruction as car after car was spinning, squealing and dieing. The race was to last 10 minutes. Huether (American) led for the first few minutes before Jay Hartle (American) took over. Nearing the nine minute mark, Hartle got turned around and the new leader was Amos Dale (American). Dale (American) won the race. In second was Hartle (American) and Eddy Martinho (American) was third. Kevin Mulder (Canadian) was fourth with Huether (American) rounding out the top five. Sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth all went to Canadian drivers making it five and five in the top ten. Heading into the Demo Derby, the score was tied at 190.
The actual Demo Derby was a see to believe event. Crashing bashing and beating was going on all over the field. In the end, Ralph Huether (American) was the winner of the Demo. Second was Kevin Mulder (Canadian) with Jay Hartle (American), Eddy Martinho (American), and Steve Clark (American) surviving to the last five. Spots eight through twelve were occupied by Canadians and after the final tally of points, the score was 261 for the Americans and 256 for the Canadians.
Zach Floreck ran his heart out in the Hinkle Homes Pure Stocks. Floreck started on the pole of the dash with Mark Rorvik next to him and Bobby Moore and Tim Vermillion behind. Floreck wasn't intimidated by the cars around him and just ran his race. He took the lead from the beginning and held on. This was Floreck's first trophy dash win. This wasn't the end of Floreck's streak. He did the same in the heat race. Floreck led over Todd Wilson for seven of the eight laps. On the last lap Moore got around Todd Wilson but Floreck wouldn't be caught and won the B-heat race. Second was Moore with Todd Wilson in third. The A-dash started off with Tim Vermillion leading over David Dix and Mike Brooks. On lap three, a yellow was thrown when Dan Rhodes clipped the back of Brooks, sending Brooks into the wall. Luckily Brooks's crew got his car fixed during some clean up and he was back out without missing a lap. After the caution, Brandon Tompkins got to the front. He led on to win with Rhodes in second and Eric Lee in third. This was Tompkins first weekend after running last season as a rookie.
The Hinkle Homes Pure Stock main could have been mistaken for the Bump to Pass race seen earlier in the evening. What was originally to be a 30 lap race, was shortened to 18 after seven cautions were thrown. The first caution came before a full lap for Brandon Tompkins getting into Eric Lee. Lee got his spot back but Tompkins was black flagged and put a lap down. The next caution was for some debris. Actually the debris was the passenger side door skin of Bobby Moore's car. Racing got back under way and they ran for 6 more laps before another caution was thrown. This time, Mike Brooks spun in turn one and also Bobby Moore and Zach Floreck spun on the backstretch. Two more laps complete before another caution. This one was for Tompkins and David Montgomery. One more lap later, another caution for Tim Vermillion spinning. The next time, five laps were completed before a yellow. The sixth was for Mark Rorvik spinning and the seventh for Adam Montgomery. After a strange 18 lap race, Dan Rhodes was the winner. In second was Brian Wilson with Eric Lee and David Dix in tow. Zach Floreck finished in fifth with Mark Rorvik in sixth.
Marshall Hallett set the fastest time for the Figure-8 class with a 24.03. David Tresenriter started on the pole of the dash with Sean Alder on the outside. After the first lap, Sean Alder was leading. As they came out of the X, Tresenriter and Sean Alder got together. Tresenriter broke an axle but Sean Alder was able to continue. Marshall Hallett won the dash with Ian Alder in second and Sean Alder in third. Tresenriter, thanks to a quick crew and help from his fellow drivers was able to make it out to the heat race. Mark Rogers led the first two laps before Hallett took over. Hallett won the heat with Rogers in second. At the line, Tresenriter beat John Keyzers for third. David Tresenriter started on the outside pole for the main and got the lead quickly. After a complete lap, Marshall Hallett got into John Keyzers, spinning him around. Ian Alder came through and just kissed the front of Keyzers as he was pointing the wrong way. Both cars were fine and continued the race. Hallett was black flagged for the incident and lost one lap. Tresenriter got a half lap lead over the rest of the pack and easily won the main event. Mark Rogers was second with Sean Alder in third.
Patrick Phillips once again timed in fastest in the MMRA Super Mini-Cups with a 16.75. Kevin Harris, last year's champion in the division, joined the group this weekend. He started on the pole of the dash and led the first two laps until Mike Allen got around him. Allen won with Chris Davis in second. Harris did win the first heat race after leading all eight laps. Mike Allen led the first half of the second heat before Patrick Phillips overtook him to win, leaving Allen in second. Allen also led the first four laps of the main event. Lap five was led my Chris Bell but both lost the position when Phillips led form lap six until the end to win. In second was Scott Moore with Craig Moore, Scott Moore, Chris Davis and James Sullivan rounding out the to five.
Cougar Stewart had an awesome night going in the Future Stars. She led the dash for three laps before she got a mechanical black flag because her gas cap came off and she was spilling gas on the track. This left Cody Stewart to win the dash. Daniel Moore won the heat race. In the main event, a red flag was thrown after the first lap when Tanner McCombs, Cody Stewart and Daniel Moore all tangled and hit the wall. McCombs was finished for the night and left the track but the ambulance had to come out to check out Daniel Moore. Moore scored the fastest time earlier in the evening with an 18.12. Things turned out ok and Moore was just very sore but done for the night. Cougar Stewart led all 15 laps of the main event with Steven Roberts in second. Cody Stewart finished third and Kyle Lund in fourth. Earlier in the night, Kyle Elliott smacked the wall in practice and was transported to the hospital for observation.
Thursday, July 4th, at South Sound Speedway will be Lucky Eagle Casino Night with the "Independence 300" Enduro. As an added bonus, a special Enduro Figure-8 and Fireworks show will be presented. Saturday July 6th will be Gatorade Night at the races. The NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model Super Stocks and Top Notch Trailer Street Stocks will be on hand along with the NW Legends and Bandoleros. Check out www.southsoundspeedway.com for season points, ticket prices and information on your favorite drivers.
Fast Time: Mike Clark (American) 19.61
Dash: Ralph Huether (American)
A-American, C-Canadian
Bump to Pass: Amos Dale-A, Jay Hartle-A, Eddy Martinho-A, Kevin Mulder-C, Ralph Huether-A, Kevin Boddy-C, Jon Earl-C, Steve Clark-A, Phil King-C, Jim Young-C, Jimmy Amelung-A, Jason Brinar-A, Bryce Muir-C, Tom Kantola-C, Nathan Eror-C, Chris Huisingh-C, Buck Wilder-A, Randy Makowsky-A, John Peers-C
Main: Huether (Darrington, WA), Mulder (Abbotsford, BC), Hartle (Abbotsford, BC), Martinho (Visalia, CA), S. Clark (Seattle, WA), Huisingh (Elma, WA), Amelung (East Rochester, OH -USAF), Boddy (Startup, WA), Young (Langley, BC), Peers (Langford, BC), Kantola (Littlerock, WA), Muir (Victoria, BC), Earl (Victoria, BC), Brinar (Graham, WA), Dale (Port Angeles, WA), Wilder (Tacoma, WA)
Fast Time: Brian Wilson 17.93
Dash: Zach Floreck
Heat A: Brandon Tompkins, Dan Rhodes, Eric Lee, David Dix, Mike Osborn, Brian Wilson, Tim Vermillion, Mike Brooks
Heat B: Zach Floreck, Bobby Moore, Todd Wilson, Adam Montgomery, David Montgomery, Mark Rorvik, Jake Petty
Main: Rhodes, B. Wilson, Lee, Dix, Floreck, Rorvik, Vermillion, Tompkins, A. Montgomery, Osborn, Moore, Petty, T. Wilson, Brooks, D. Montgomery
Fast Time: Patrick Phillips 16.75
Dash: Mike Allen
A Heat: Patrick Phillips, Mike Allen, Craig Moore, Scott Moore, Chris Davis, Chris Bell
B Heat: Kevin Harris, James Sullivan, Pink Smith, Terry Tumbleson, John Vanderpol, Tim Murphy
Main: Phillips, S. Moore, C. Moore, Davis, Sullivan, Allen, Vanderpol, Murphy, Harris, Tumbleson, Bell, Smith
Fast Time: Daniel Moore 18.12
Dash: Cody Stewart
Heat: Daniel Moore, Cody Stewart, Tanner McCombs, Cougar Stewart, Kyle Lund, Tim Veneble, BJ Brown
Main: Cougar Stewart, Steven Roberts, Cody Stewart, Kyle Lund, Tim Veneble, BJ Brown, Tanner McCombs, Daniel Moore
Dash: Marshall Hallett 24.03
Heat : Marshall Hallett, Mark Rogers, David Tresenriter, John Keyzers, Ian Alder, Sean Alder
Main: Tresenriter, Rogers, S. Alder, I. Alder, Keyzers, Hallett
