RAIN SHORTENS NWSST ROSEBURG DEBUT AS STANWOOD WINS HIS FIRST EVER

Source: KD Colton
Date: 05/27/2003

Similar to the Portland Speedway, the 4/10ths mile paved oval was a welcome sight for many of the tour drivers that raced at Portland for years. Practice sessions probably brought back some memories. Unfortunately, Jay Estes returned to spectator status when he blew an engine ten laps into practice. 22 cars qualified, 2 local cars joining in the fun. Willy Thom set fast time at a smokin' 16.804 seconds for 85.663 MPH, qualifying him to take a shot at the Hot Shoe Award. The Randy's Ring & Pinion Hot Shoe Award challenges the fastest qualifier to start in the last position of the Main Event and win the race. The pool is started at $25 and another $25 is added each time the Award isn't won.

Racing started with the 4-lap B Trophy Dash, CJ Thom and Grant Baker leading the way. The two stayed side by side through most of the first lap but Baker had grabbed the lead by lap two. Brad Hanken followed Baker around Thom, leaving her to hold off Wilkinson the last two laps. At the finish line it was Baker, Hanken, Thom and Wilkinson. The A Trophy Dash was led off by Brian Overturf and Mike Aubrey. Aubrey worked the outside line, going door-to-door with Overturf. Going into turn 4, Aubrey's car pushed up the track, opening the door for Willy Thom to sneak underneath and take over second place at the end of lap one. Thom kept looking outside of Overturf for the lead but couldn't hold the outside line. Overturf wasn't giving up the bottom line and showed Thom, Brad Stanwood and Aubrey across the line.

Keith Clevenger and Kevin Martell showed the way for the 8-lap B Heat race. Martell lead the first four laps but Mike Crase, Brad Nusom and Grant Baker were moving up fast. Crase made an outside pass for the lead and Baker stayed right on his tail. Baker had taken the lead by lap six, leaving Crase and Nusom to squabble over second place. Crase held his ground and followed Baker past the checkered flag. Behind them were Brad Nusom, Wilkinson, Hanken, Martell, Nelson, Livermore, Cardwell, Phillips, and Clevenger. The last Heat race had Dan Harris and Curt Nusom on the front row. Harris and Nusom left the field when the green flag dropped. By lap three, they were WWAAYYY ahead of everyone else. Larry Gaylord and Willy Thom weren't going to let that happen - they nearly caught the leaders but ran out of time. Dan Harris took the last flag, followed by Nusom, W.Thom, Gaylord, Schlatt, M.Aubrey, Stanwood, CJ Thom, Overturf, Cannon, S.Aubrey.

Now for the Finish Line Industries Main Event - a sizzlin' 125 lapper! The 10-car invert put Dustin Wilkinson on the pole, Dan Harris beside him. Willy Thom started in the last position, choosing to make a run for the Randy's Ring & Pinion Hot Shoe Award. His chances were very good as his race machine was fast all night. When the green flag flew, so did Dan Harris. He jumped to the lead over Wilkinson but they had a mirror full of Brad Stanwood and Chris Schlatt before too long. Stanwood, starting from 9th, moved into the lead on lap 8. Schlatt, from 7th position, was in second place a couple laps later. Meanwhile, back in the pack, Overturf and Nusom were battling for position, letting the leaders open a huge lead on the field. Overturf finally sealed the 3rd spot and started his run on the leaders. By now Willy Thom had charged from last to about sixth but brought out the 1st yellow when he collided with Randy Cardwell. When the green flag flew again, W.Thom had to start over from the back, his penalty for bringing out a yellow flag. Schlatt had the lead at this point, he and Stanwood traded the lead just about every other lap. These two were tearing up the track and were back into lap traffic just 7 laps later. W.Thom was making his charge again, moving up fast, joining in the fray that developed for the 4-8th positions. A mid-race 10-minute break came at lap 66. Hoods came up and truck lids came off as pit crews scrambled to make adjustments and/or repairs. The friendly firemen put out a fire in Randy Cardwell's car and Brad Hanken's hotrod went on the trailer. At the restart, the cars came back out in the same order they were running at the break. Grant Baker had made his way up to 3rd with Larry Gaylord on his bumper. Another caution came out when CJ Thom got a little help spinning her car around in turn 2. Back to green flag racing, Gaylord was able to grab second spot for a minute but didn't hold it long. Stanwood and Schlatt were still fighting for all they were worth. Lap traffic didn't slow them a bit. They weaved in and out, ducked under and around cars, went 3 wide at times, with Stanwood finally coming out with a solid lead by lap 85. Back in the middle of the pack, a gaggle of racecars were scrapping for position

Then came the other 4-letter word of racing - RAIN. The race was flagged at lap 93 with Brad Stanwood, in his B & M Engine Service Chevrolet, taking home his first Main Event trophy. He and Schlatt put on an impressive show! Schlatt came home second, followed by Gaylord, W.Thom, Overturf, M. Aubrey, C.Nusom, Cannon, Wilkinson, Harris, Baker, Crase, CJ Thom, B.Nusom, Nelson, Livermore, S. Aubrey, Phillips, Cardwell, Martell, Hanken, and Clevenger.

Willy Thom earned the Racing Wheels Newspaper Pole Award. The Race Central Hard Charger Award went to Brad Stanwood for starting in 9th and moving up to a 1sth place finish. The Randy's Ring & Pinion Hot Shoe Award rolls over to the next race. Thank you to all of our sponsors - Jody's Bar and Grill, Evelyn's Digital Solutions, Christiansen Oil, Red Line Racing Lubricants, Mac's Radiator, Race Central, and Fast Signs, Oswego Roof, Randy's Ring & Pinion, The Wax Shoppe, B & M Engine Service, and Racing Wheels Newspaper. The NWSST's next race is set for South Sound Speedway in Tenino, WA, June 14th. For complete race results, standings, schedule, news and more info, visit us on the web at www.nwstreetstocktour.com - because its all racin' and its all good!

See Also .:

• Douglas County Speedway Track Page

News Index | E-mail to a Friend