SOUTH SOUND -- Derek Vetter and Mark Rogers undoubtedly had the wildest night on Sunday at South Sound Speedway. In the Bumblebee main event, Vetter slammed hard into the back of a stalled car causing major front-end damage. Vetter was taken from his car and had a neck brace and backboard put on him. He was transported to Centralia Providence Hospital where he was examined and released. It was relayed to us that Vetter is fine but very sore. Mark Rogers was luckier. He flipped his car in the Figure-8 main event right after the green was flown. Rogers was fine and the car was drivable. In fact, he brought it out and finished the main only seven laps down. The Hinkle Homes Pure Stocks and NWSST had great nights of racing also.
John Hinkle won the cone dash in the Bumblebees. Travis Major held off Brian Wilson for a heat race win and Michael Osborn Jr. won the other heat race. With a chicane in the front stretch and a No Passing Zone on the backstretch it was a crazy main event. Michael Osborn Jr. led the first two laps before Jim Moen took over. The next lap, Mike Ebeling passed them both to lead the lap. Then, a yellow came out. Michael Osborn Jr. was playing in the No Passing Zone and finally made it to the end when a tire broke on his car and he couldn't move. He sat in middle of turn three and when Derek Vetter came out of the No Passing Zone, he slammed into the back of him resulting in Vetter being transported to the hospital and Osborn to be done for the night. Mike Ebeling continued to lead for three more laps before Jim Wyrick passed him. Ron Ehli moved quickly up into the field behind Wyrick who won the main. Ehli was second and Brian Wilson was third. Patrick Simmons and Ebeling rounded out the top five. A special thanks goes out to Yelm National Auto Parts who generously sponsored the Bumblebees for Sunday's racing.
Ian Alder had a 24.12 to capture the top qualifying spot in the Figure-8. David Tresenriter won the dash and Sean Alder won the heat. After the green flew in the main event, Mark Rogers got out of shape and hit a large tire. Rogers flipped into the air and landed back on his wheels. He was took in the ambulance for precautions but was fine. His car was towed in and looked at by his crew. Rogers got out of the ambulance and back in his car. While on the track, Sean Alder was leading with David Tresenriter in second. Rogers was back out by lap seven and racing right with the front of the pack. The leaders never passed Rogers. Sean Alder won with David Tresenriter is second and Marshall Hallett in third.
Brandon Tompkins broke the Hinkle Homes Pure Stock track record with a motor he and his crew reinstalled overnight. Mike Brooks claimed Tompkins motor on Saturday. Tompkins counter-claimed and took Brooks' motor and broke the track record, won the heat and main with it. Brian Wilson was the dash while Justin Floreck won the B-heat two nights in a row. In the main event, Jake Petty led the first six laps before Eric Lee took over. Lee battled with Dan Rhodes before Rhodes got out in front. Tompkins caught up to Rhodes within three laps and took the lead. Rhodes chased Tompkins for the rest of the race. Tompkins, Rhodes, and Lee were the top three finishers. Fourth went to Mike Osborn with Jake Petty in fifth.
It looked to be a Willy Thom night in the NWSST. Thom qualified fastest, won the dash and heat but couldn't get back around Mike Aubrey for the main win. Larry Gaylord led for the first 15 laps of the 50 lap main event before Willy Thom took over. Gaylord stayed tough in second before Aubrey got around him on lap 44. The next lap, Gaylord spun his Ford around and his motor blew and caught on fire. He slid down the banking and was hit by Mark Potter who had no place to go. Both drivers were fine but done for the night. Aubrey was still running second until lap 48 when he got around Thom. Aubrey won for the second time at South Sound with Thom in second and Brian Overturf in third. Grant Baker finished fourth and also won the B-heat earlier in the night.
Don't miss the "Last Days of Summer 300" Enduro, which takes place Monday at South Sound Speedway at 2:00 pm. Next week the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series will have it's Championship Night. The Late Model Super Stocks and Top Notch Trailer Street Stocks will be competing for their number one spots. The NW Legends and Bandoleros will also be on hand.
Fast Time: Brandon Tompkins 17.45 Track Record
Dash: Brian Wilson
A Heat: Brandon Tompkins, Eric Lee, Dan Rhodes, Mike Osborn, Bobby Moore, Bill Manney, Brian Wilson, Jake Petty
B Heat: Justin Floreck, Curt Moon, David Dix, Dave Knittle, Tim Vermillion, Zach Floreck, Mark Rorvik,
Main: Tompkins, Rhodes, Lee, Osborn, Petty, Wilson, Manney, Moore, Moon, Knittle, Rorvik, Dix, J. Floreck, Vermillion, Brooks, Z. Floreck
Fast Time: Willy Thom 15.94
Dash: Willy Thom
A Heat : Willy Thom, Brian Overturf, Mike Aubrey, Chris Schlaht, Dave Cannon, Pat Schwartzkopf, Larry Gaylord, Dustin Wilkinson,
B Heat : Grant Baker, CJ Thom, Mike Crase, Jay Estes, Pete Kelly, Kevin Martell, Mark Potter, Shawn Aubrey,
Main: M. Aubrey, W. Thom, Overturf, Baker, Estes, Crase, Kelly, Martell, S. Aubrey, Gaylord, Wilkinson, Travis Eubanks, Cannon, Potter, Schlaht, C. Thom, Nelson
Dash: John Hinkle
Heat 1: Travis Major, Brian Wilson, Patrick Simmons, Jim Moen, Ron Ehli, Tonya Hird, Gary Lawrence, Derek Vetter
Heat 2: Michael Osborn Jr., Mike Ebeling, Jim Wyrick, Josh Zahn, Eva Hinkle DQ, Ed Cope DQ, John Hinkle DQ, Brenda Jussila DQ, Kristi Carlson DQ
Main: Wyrick, Ehli, Wilson, Simmons, Ebeling, E. Hinkle, Cope, Jussila, Carlson, Hird, Lawrence DQ, J. Hinkle DQ, Vetter DNF, Osborn DNF, Zahn DQ, Moen DQ, Major DNF
Fast Time: Ian Alder 24.12
Dash: David Tresenriter
Heat: Sean Alder, David Tresenriter, Mark Rogers, Ian Alder, John Keyzers, Tim Vermillion, Curt Moon, Marshall Hallett
Main: S. Alder, Tresenriter, Hallett, I. Alder, Keyzers, Moon, Rogers
