BARNES, BLOODGOOD, FISHER AND ERICKSON WIN AT SKAGIT SPEEDWAY

Source: Skagit Speedway Public Relations
Date: 04/29/2007

ALGER, Washington -- After a week of steady rains in the Pacific Northwest, the weather finally cooperated and Skagit Speedway was able to run race number two in the Skagit Racing Series. First time winner Jason Bloodgood in his Budweiser 360 Series Sprint, joined former winners Jayme Barnes in the 410 Sprints, Eric Fisher in the Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints and Chris Erickson in the Wilson Auto Brokers Outlaw Hornets in winners circle.

Jayme Barnes kicked things off in the 410 Sprint Cars with a blistering 11.285 qualifying lap. The all-time track record is 11.118 held by Kasey Kahne and there have been less than ten laps in the low 11.2 second range all-time. Barnes electrified the crowd with the run, then backed it up with a superlative performance in the main event. John Tharp beat Barnes to turn one on the green flag lap of the 25-lap main. On the third lap Adriana Klein flipped in turn 3. The next lap saw Josh Edson helicoptering in turn 4, while Roy Blumenhagen right behind him was flipping in turn 3. After the lap 4 restart Barnes passed Tharp and took off, negotiating an increasingly tough race track with ease. While others were struggling with the track Barnes was consistently running laps mid eleven second laps almost 4 tenths of a second faster than anyone in the field. The final caution flew when Tharp hit the front stretch wall coming out of turn 4. Barnes won, with Barry Martinez settling for his second straight second place finish 3.6 seconds behind at the finish line, and the season opener winner Brock Lemley finishing third. Danny Bullock and Steve Kilcup won the heat races.

The Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints were challenged by the track. The weeklong rains started taking their toll by the time the Sportsman Sprints took the green flag. Todd Rork started the flip-fest on the start hopping a tire at the end of the front stretch and demolishing his sprint car at the old turn one entry gate. In short order teammated Devon Madonia and Paul Burdick got together in turn three, with Burdick sliding down the track and into Matt Van Der Sys ending his evening. Burdick would return, while Madonia and Van Der Sys were done with front end damage. A few laps later Martin Koetje turned it over in turn 3. Then Steve James followed suit in almost the same place. On the lap 4 restart early race leader Kevin Smith went over entering turn 3 and the second place car or Matt LeHay got caught trying to squeeze by turning his car over in turn 4. At this time track personnel came out, and regarded the entire turn 3 and 4 sections of the racetrack. Track owner Steve Beitler apologized to the crowd and thanked them for their patience as they worked the track back to racing condition. The track was not to his standards and he wanted the fans to know they were doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the competitors and the integrity of a good racing show. When racing continued sometime later, Kelleigh Johnson had inherited the lead and was followed closely by Eric Fisher. Fisher overtook Johnson on the 10th lap and sailed away for his first victory of the year. Johnson was a solid second with Jarrid Zimmerman, Jeff Voter and Marcus Schutte rounding out the top five. Heat race wins went to Johnson and Smith.

Towards the end of the 2006 season, Budweiser 360 series driver Jason Bloodgood started putting together a string of high finishes resulting in a top 10 season points finish. Bloodgood has started 2007 strong in the Big John Motorsports entry, finishing second on opening week and dominating the second week 360 class racing at Skagit Speedway. Bloodgood set fast time with an 11.887 lap, and won his heat. Brian Kirkpatrick won the second heat. On the freshly regroomed racetrack the 360’s took the green flag, Bloodgood beat Cory Chamberlain to the first turn and was never challenged. Nobody was going to catch the #38 car, Bloodgood led all 25 laps finishing with a 5 second advantage at the finish line. The clean sweep should vault Bloodgood into the points lead heading into week 3 of the Skagit Racing Series. Rod Perkins looked strong with a good second place finish, followed by Bob Stevens, Nick Evans and Dan Pierson.

The story of the Wilson Auto Brokers Outlaw Hornet season has been the #43 car of Chris Erickson. Erickson won his first race ever last week and claimed his second win in a row to start the year. From his seventeenth starting position Erickson worked his way through the field picking off one car after another and missing potential disasters taking place in front of him. There were six different lap leaders in the 17 lap race. Wendy Johnson looked strong leading the first 4 laps, followed by second generation driver Jerry Birdsey, Jr. leading the next four laps. Jesse “Skippy” Eldridge led his first main event laps of the year pacing the field for two laps, when Scott Naylor blew past to lead laps 11, 12 and 13. Clayton Delano then moved to the point and held the top spot until the last 200 feet when Chris Erickson past him at the stripe taking the checkered flag by a nose and thrilling the crowd with the last few laps of racing.

Racing returns to Skagit Speedway Saturday night May 5th with Round 3 of the Skagit Racing Series. All four local classes return. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m. For more information log on to www.SkagitSpeedway.com

Fast time: 9 Jayme Barnes 11.285

Heat 1: 31 Danny Bullock, 83 Josh Edson, 66 Barry Martinez, 9 Barnes, 28 Eddie Evans

Heat 2: 18 Steve Kilcup, 40 Brock Lemley, 69 John Tharp, 75 Roy Blumenhagen,

17 Kelly Barnett

Main: 9 Jayme Barnes, 66 Martinez, 40 Lemley, 18 Kilcup, 31 Bullock, 17 Barnett, 69 Tharp, 28 Evans, 83 Edson, 75 Blumenhagen, 23 Steve Parker, 25 Adriana Klein

Lap Leaders: 69 John Tharp 1-4, 9 Jayme Barnes 5-25

Fast time: 38 Jason Bloodgood 11.887

Heat 1: 38 Bloodgood, 10c Cory Chamberlain, 69 Rod Perkins, 18 Kilcup, 66 Jason Cocking

Heat 2: 5k Brian Kirkpatrick, 98 Bob Stevens, 7k Danny Kirkpatrick, 19 Greg Sandquist, 24 Nick Evans

A Main: 38 Jason Bloodgood, 69 Perkins, 98 Stevens, 24 Evans, 3 Dan Pierson,

9 Jared Peterson, 7k D.Kirkpatrick, 66 Cocking, 38t Trevor Turnbull, 21 Kris Fraser, 22 Blake Cook, 73 Danielle Huson, 10c Chamberlain, 9a Ray Parker, 18 Kilcup, 5k B.Kirkpatrick, 19 Sandquist, 13gr Glen Reinstra

Lap Leader: 38 Jason Bloodgood 1-25

Heat 1: 14 Kelleigh Johnson, 90 Martin Koetje, 29w Steve James, 44 Devon Madonia, 0z Jarrid Zimmerman

Heat 2: 75 Kevin Smith, 1m Matt LeHay, 59 Eric Fisher, 72 Marcus Schutte, 22 Todd Rork

Main: 59 Eric Fisher, 14 Johnson, 0z Zimmerman, 5v Jeff Voter, 72 Schutte, 13gr Reinstra, 3m Dave Mead, 9 Paul Burdick, 75 Smith, 1m LeHay, 29w James, 90 Koetje, 44 Madonia, 30 Matt Van Der Sys, 22 Todd Rork

Lap Leaders: 75 Kevin Smith 1-4, Kelleigh Johnson 5-9, 59 Eric Fisher 10-20

Heat 1: 10 Jerry Birdsey Jr., 3 Scott Naylor, 28 Garrett Van Der Sys, 6% Jesse Eldridge, 40 Mike Powers Sr.

Heat 2: 58 Clayton Delano, 25 James Sims, 43 Chris Erickson, 39 Tyler Ketchum, K9 Karl Dahl Main 1: 43 Chris Erickson, 58 Clayton Delano, 6% Jesse Eldridge, 10 Jerry Birdsey Jr., 19 Greg Hibma, 41 Wendy Johnson, 3 Scott Naylor, 856 Bill Tomer, 40 Mike Powers Sr., 9p Stacey Day, 39 Tyler Ketchum, 25 James Sims, 20 Freddy Vela, 04 Matt Powers, 26 Mike Powers Jr., 68 Ben Gunderson, 57 James Bundy, 64x Adam Holtrop, 66 Erik Vickery, 42 Blake Clark, 7 Travis Meins, 28 Garrett Van Der Sys, 03 Howard Vos, K9 Dahl, 8 Ken Higby, DNS 44 Josh Hansen, 24 Mike Ploeg, 66s Larry Kwik

Lap Leaders: 41 Johnson 1-4, Birdsey Jr. 5-8, 6% Eldridge 9-10, 3 Naylor 11-12, 58 Delano 14-16, Erickson 17.

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