Saturday saw the finale for the Interstate Sprint Car Series Week of Speed, as well as the Dwarf Car Pocket Change Race at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma.
Also on hand were the Rolling Thunder Big Rigs for a great night of racing in front of a huge crowd.
Dwarf Car Pocket Change Race
Saturday night saw the Dwarf Cars return to action, but this time for some extra cash. The winner of the feature event picked up $2,227 in change.
Thirty-one cars signed in for the evening of racing action as Camden Robustelli of Medford, Oregon took the early lead in the feature.
The caution flag came out quickly for Josh King of Eagle Point, Oregon with mechanical issues.
On the restart, Robustelli worked his way back into the lead as the battle for second saw seven different drivers in one big cluster battling for position.
Darren Brown of San Diego, California worked his way from eighth and set his sights on Robustelli for the lead.
The battle for third saw Johnathon Henry of Stockton, California, battle withAlbany, Oregon, driver John Chrisman.
Lap 6 saw Brown catch Robustelli and stay on his back bumper. Brown used the high side to make a diving move in turn four on lap 8 to take the lead.
A three-car battle ensued for the fourth position as Jake VanOrtwick of Scappose, Oregon saw tough company of Ryan Martinez of Portland, Oregon and Santa Maria, California driver Brandon Wiley.
Robustelli saw problems while running second as he slowed in turn two on lap 13, bringing out the caution flag. On the restart, Henry looked to the low side to make a pass on Brown, but couldn’t take over the lead.
VanOrtwick and Martinez stayed within striking distance of the leaders until a late-race caution for Martinez saw his motor go up in smoke, ending his evening.
Brown led the field to the green, and went on to pick up the win over Henry, Wiley, Jessica Swanson of Anaheim, California and VanOrtwick.
Heat race winners earlier in the evening were King, Martinez, Brown and VanOrtwick, with Chad Cardoza of Medford, Oregon winning the B-Main.
Interstate Sprint Car Series Week of Speed Finale
After five nights on the road for most of the ISCS Limited Sprint Car teams, the final night of the “Week of Speed” took place with a 25-lap feature.
Sutherlin, Oregon, driver Nickye Mendenhall and Kelsey Carpenter of Burlington set the front row. Carpenter took the early lead from Mendenhall, as the battle for third saw Shane Forte of Junction City, Oregon, battle for third with Tanner Holmes of Jacksonville, Oregon, and Meridian, Idaho, driver Tyler Driever.
Forte held on to third as Holmes and Driever battled behind him.
Carpenter quickly worked his way into lap traffic as Forte moved by Mendenhall for second. Driever and Forte battled for second with lap traffic in between.
Holmes joined in on the battle, making contact with a lapped car doing damage to the left front wheel.
The caution flag flew for Mendenhall and Raquel Ivie of Eugene, both stopping in turn four. On the restart, Carpenter quickly jumped back into a huge lead over Forte and Driever.
The red flag flew on lap 15 for Arlington driver Brett McGhie going upside down in turn four, when the car landed back on all four wheels, the car continued to move and stay under power.
Carpenter looked strong on the restart as Forte, Driever, and Cottage Grove, Oregon’s Kinzer Cox looked to chase him down.
Carpenter maneuvered his way through lap traffic and went on to pick up the win over Forte, Driever, Cox and Lake Stevens driver Eric Turner.
Heat race winners earlier in the evening were Holmes, Cory Swatzina of Sedro Woolley and Mendenhall.
Holmes was crowned ISCS “Week of Speed” Champion.
Rolling Thunder Big Rigs
The annual stop for the Rolling Thunder Big Rigs saw Weston Smith take the early lead in the feature event.
Jay Steiger moved into second as Kaleb Thompson and Josh Sanaski battled for third.
Steiger took the lead from Smith early on as Thompson moved into second.
Sanaski made a run at second on Thompson making the pass on lap 4 in turn two.
Tom Rayton looked to join on that battle, getting by Thompson for position.
Steiger looked strong up front as Sanaski inched closer looking to the low side in turn four, but couldn’t make the pass.
Rayton tried to take the second spot, but contact forced him to continue in third.
Lap 10 saw Sanaski take the lead from Steiger in turn two.
Dustin Smith worked his way into the top spot late in the feature making a pass on Sanaski, who slowed drastically in turn one.
Dave Barr worked his way into third, hoping to track down Dustin Smith and Steiger.
At the white flag, Barr made a look to the outside in turn two, passing both Dustin Smith and Steiger to pick up the win. Rayton and Rob Johnson rounded out the top five.
Heat race winners were Sanaski and Johnson.
Racing resumes Saturday as the Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks, Northwest Focus Midget Series and Outlaw Tuners will be back in action.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing scheduled to begin at 7.
