Big rigs draw big crowd to raceway

ELMA — The Rolling Thunder Big Rigs took center stage on Saturday night as they highlighted an action-packed two days of racing at Grays Harbor Raceway.

In addition to big-rig racing, the ISCS Limited Sprint Cars, PHRA Dwarf Cars and Outlaw Tuners took to the track, with the PHRA Dwarf Cars running their Week of Speed finale and crowning a champion.

Also, the PHRA Dwarf Cars had their Pocket Change Challenge with $2,105 going to the feature-race winner.

FRIDAY

PHRA Dwarf Cars

Corey Estaban of Gaston, Ore. took to the early lead in the PHRA Dwarf Car feature.Portland’s Ryan Martinez ran in the second spot with Jeremiah Hester of Hillsboro, Ore. looking to take over the runner-up spot.

Martinez and Estaban battled for the lead for a handful of laps as Josh King of Rio Linda, Calif. joined in to try and make it a three-car battle.

Martinez took over the lead on lap 5 and slowly pulled away. Hester brought out the caution on lap 9 while running fourth, spinning and making contact with a uke tire, setting up a restart.

King looked to the highside to try and make a pass at Estaban and Martinez, but didn’t have enough momentum. Anthony Pope of Roseburg, Ore. worked his way around King and set his sights on Estaban and Martinez.

Lap 16 saw Pope make a pass for the lead down the backstretch. He slowly worked his way through lap traffic and went on to pick up the win. Martinez, Camron Diatte of Monterey, CA, Estaban and King rounded out the top five.

ISCS Sprint Cars

Kelsey Carpenter of Burlington and Sedro Woolley’s Steve Parker set the front row of the 25-lap ISCS Limited Sprint Car feature.

Carpenter took the early lead from Parker, who looked to the lowside on lap 2, setting his sights on Carpenter for the lead. Parkers took the top spot for a split second until Carpenter regained the lead.

Tyler Thompson of Harrisburg, Ore. made a pass at Parker for second, taking the spot in turn three. Thompson quickly made it to the back bumper of Carpenter as lap traffic became a factor.

Disaster struck on lap 12 as Carpenter made contact with the lap car of Medford’s Camden Robustelli in turn one, bringing out the caution and losing up the lead to Thompson.

Jake Helsel of Monroe moved into the second spot while Tanner Holmes of Jacksonville, Ore. ran third. Thompson worked his way through lap traffic to go on and pick up the win over Helsel, Holmes, Parker, and Everett’s Jayme Barnes.

Outlaw Tuners

Robert Lovosek of Olympia took the early lead in the 15-lap feature.

A four car battle for the lead saw Tyler Sundstrom of Aberdeen take the lead until the caution flag flew for Lovosek, who made contact with the turn-four wall.

Chad Norton of Tenino took over the lead after Sundstrom had mechanical issues. Jeremy Jones of Wishkah moved into second, looking to chase down Norton for the lead.

Norton slowly pulled away from the field during a long green flag run but the battle for second between Jones and Wishkah’s Don Briggs Sr. was the race to watch. Midway through the race, Jones started to close in on Norton.

A late-race caution for Cory Sweatman of Aberdeen setup a restart, allowing Jones and Briggs Sr. a shot at the lead. Norton would pick up the win over Jones, Briggs Sr., Tacoma’s Trevor Dugent, and Sweatman.

SATURDAY

PHRA Dwarf Cars

With over $2,100 on the line, 24 cars were ready for 30 laps of action in the dwarf cars feature race.

Shane Youngren of Tigard, Ore. jumped to the early lead with Ryan Martinez at his back bumper.

Mac Marmon of Mojave Valley, AZ ran third in a great battle with Scappoose, Ore. driver Jake VanOrtwick.

The battle for fifth saw a five-car battle with numerous cars mixing it up, while the top four slowly pulled away from the field.

Youngren continued to lead Martinez, slowly pulling away using the low lane.

Lap 10 saw the red flag come out for a multi-car incident in turn one. Youngren looked to time his restart just right as VanOrtwick moved his way into the second spot, looking to take the lead down the backstretch. Youngren went to the top, lost control, and a melee of cars bunched up on the front stretch, bringing out the red flag as Danny Altom of Lebanon, Ore. went upside down.

On the restart, Martinez had the lead, with VanOrtwick and Marmon battling for position. Albany, Ore. driver John Chrisman went from fourth to second and set his sights on the lead. Lap 15 saw Chrisman take the lead momentarily in turn two, but Martinez gained it right back, bringing VanOrtwick with him.

Lap 17 saw the caution flag for Chrisman with mechanical issues, slowing to a stop in turn two.

Jonathon Henry of Stockton, CA, worked his way from the back of the field to give Martinez a run for the lead. Lap 20 saw Henry move into the top spot going into turn two.

A huge wreck down the front stretch on the same lap saw Marmon barrel roll violently down the front stretch after contact with Martinez bringing out the third red flag, and the final finish of the PHRA Dwarf Car feature.

Henry picked up the win over VanOrtwick, Brandon Wiley, Gaston’s Corey Estaban, and Youngren.

Anthony Pope of Roseburg, Ore., who won Friday night’s feature was the Dwarf Car Week of Speed Champion.

Rolling Thunder Big Rigs

Rob Johnson took the early lead in the 20-lap Rolling Thunder Big Rig feature as Kaleb Thompson looked to the outside for the lead.

Jay Steiger ran the low side to get by Thompson and set his sights on Johnson for the lead. Steiger took the top spot on the back stretch as Johnson had tough company from Tammi Rodstrom.

Steiger saw problems in turn two, bringing out the caution flag on lap 3.

Rodstrom took to the early lead as Dustin Smith and Johnson battled for second. Smith and Rodstrom raced side-by-side for a handful of laps before Smith took the lead out of turn four on lap 7 momentarily before sliding to the high side of the track heading into turn one.

Lap 11 saw Smith spin in turn four, collecting Rodstrom and bringing out the caution. Tom Rayton took over the lead on the restart with Dave Barr looking to chase him down.

Five trucks remained over the ten that started.

Rayton would pick up the win over Barr, Johnson, Leo Norris and Thompson.

Racing resumes next Saturday night with the 360 Sprint Cars, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks and Outlaw Tuners.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

ISCS Limited Sprint Cars

Mt. Vernon’s Bill Rude took the early lead in the feature race as Everett’s Brett McGhie worked his way into second.

Monroe driver Jake Helsel raced hard with McGhie momentarily, looking to move up one spot from Friday night’s finish.

Rude looked strong out front as Helsel looked to stay right there with him after Helsel worked his way by McGhie. Contact between Rude and Helsel saw the yellow come out for Rude, as he spun to a stop on lap 8.

Helsel took over the lead on the restart as Tyler Thompson moved into second. Bailey Sucich of Granite Falls ran third.

Helsel looked strong running the low side of the 3/8-banked clay oval, keeping a good distance between himself and Thompson. As lap traffic became a factor late in the race, Thompson found himself within striking distance of Helsel but couldn’t take over the lead.

Lap 23 saw a violent flip from third-place running Sucich in turn four after contact with a uke tire, bringing out the red flag.

On the restart, Thompson had one more shot at Helsel. With the momentum being on the bottom of the raceway, Helsel picked up the win over Thompson, Tanner Holmes of Jacksonville, Ore, Sedro Woolley’s Steve Parker, and McGhie.

Thompson picked up the ISCS Week of Speed Championship.