Late Models Headline Southern Oregon Speedway Show
The season is nearing an end at Southern Oregon Speedway, but there is the matter of some track championships left to be decided. This weekend, Southern Oregon Speedway welcomes back the exciting Kendall Oil Winged Sprint Cars, Late Models, Bobbio’s Pizza Mini Stocks, JOAT Labs Hornets and Valley Store All Late Model Lites. If this five-division lineup isn’t enough for you, Friday night will offer a full complement of Outlaw Kart racing at little Southern Oregon Speedway.
David Hibbard may be the leader in the Sprint Car division, but he got a lesson in recent weeks about how quickly things can slip away from you. The Iron Head Nationals race back on August 11th was a $2,000 to win event. After neglecting to go to the scales and getting disqualified from a heat race win, Hibbard had worked his way halfway through the pack in the 18 car field, only the blow a motor. The good news on this was that since there were no points on the line, the Top 3 finish that Jeffrey Hudson achieved wasn’t going to count in his bid to overtake Hibbard.
But it went from bad to worse for Hibbard, who was participating in Week Of Speed at various Oregon and Washington race tracks. Just a couple of races into the series, he flipped and destroyed his chassis. He’ll be back to try and finish his season in a different car, and he holds a 45 point lead over Hudson. He could clinch the championship just by starting the Main Event.
Hibbard has won an amazing five times in seven races, finishing second on the two nights he didn’t win. The only two drivers to beat Hibbard in the Main Event are his son Bailey Hibbard and 2016 champion Jake Wheeler. Hudson meanwhile, is knocking on the door to his first win of the season. With a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds, he holds a 19 point lead over the division’s top rookie, Blaine Cory, in the battle for second. Hudson also impressed by taking off his wing at the Cascade Wingless Sprint Car Challenge and finishing a $1,500 second that night.
With two seconds and two thirds of his own, Cory managed to move ahead of Bailey Hibbard by 10 points for third after some recent bad luck for the younger Hibbard. The Top 4 drivers are anticipated this week along with other notables such as Aaron Miller, Enrique Jaime, Charlie Thompson and TJ Winningham.
The Late Model championship is heating up after two-time winner and current point leader Nathan Augustine retired from the most recent race with a flat tire. When John Dees scored his fourth second place finish of the season that night, he moved to within 13 points of Augustine. Dees has one win to his credit and was going for a second win at the most recent race when he was overtaken by the division’s top rookie, Miles Deubert. With two wins, Miles is just 11 points behind Dees with an outside shot at the championship. Hard charger Dave Foote is a one-time winner who ranks fourth in the standings, 14 points behind Deubert and nine ahead of 2016 champion Bob Dees. These five are anticipated this week along with Mike Linder, Don Garrett Jr, Garrett Dees and Brian Bowman.
The closest championship battle at the speedway is taking place in the JOAT Labs Hornets division. Rookie Bree Tritchler has used one win and four second place finishes to maintain a six point advantage over 2016 champion Tim Hedges. Hedges, who is a one-time winner this year, managed to hold on to third last time out despite nearly rolling his car in Turns 3 and 4. There’s another close battle taking place for the third position. With two wins and a division-leading five second place finishes, Brandon Wonsyld is four points ahead of two-time winner Chris Boynton and 21 points ahead of the most recent winner, Dylan Irving. These five will be racing hard this week along with Jenna Hedges, Dylan Sauer and John Ferreira.
In the Bobbio’s Pizza Mini Stock division, David Steele has been unstoppable. Steele has an amazing eight wins and one second place finish in his nine starts and will clinch his first Southern Oregon Speedway championship just by starting the Main Event on Saturday. After scoring his third second place finish of the season last time out, Hunter Magnan took a 27 point lead over reigning champion Kristopher Mix in the battle for second. However, Megnan wants what Mix already has this year. He’ll be looking to get his first career Main Event win this week. On the strength of four second place finishes, Steve Goetz is closing in on Mix. He trails by 15 points. Other drivers to watch for this week include Garrett Fredrickson, Michael McLeod, Gary Anderson and Ashtin Hedges.
Rounding out Saturday’s program will be the Valley Store All Late Model Lites. Three-time winner Charlie Eaton could clinch his first championship merely by starting the Main Event. He leads one-time winner Greg Arnold by 52 points. Only 23 points behind Arnold is Dusty Aos. Dusty leads his father, Eric Aos, by 11 points. After scoring his first win of the year, 2016 champion Lee Doty moved into fifth in the standings. Lee is the only driver to win a Main Event in this class in each of the last three years. Other drivers to look for this week include reigning champion Bob Burkett and Danny Prewitt.
On Friday night, there will be a full complement of Outlaw Kart racing on the little track. It appears as if young Vinny DeBenedetti will parlay his two feature wins into the 250 Kart championship. He holds a good lead on reigning champion Trevor Grimes, but he needs to start Friday’s Main Event. Steve Rambo has been unstoppable lately and is headed for the UAS Speedway Kart championship. The closest battle at the track in between leader Carson Henson and four-time winner Malachi Johnson for the Beginners Box Stock title. Keaton Augustine is also having a good battle with Ryan Hirschbock in the Box Stock class. The kids put on a great show every time they’re on the race track.
Gates open both nights at 5 with the first race starting at 7. Admission to the Outlaw Kart program is $10 and gives you pit access and a bleacher seat to enjoy the show. On Saturday, General Admission will be $12 with Veterans, Seniors and Juniors (7 to 12) $6 each. Children 6 and under are free. For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com or the official Facebook page.
Southern Oregon Speedway point Standings
Kendall Oil Sprint Cars
3 David Hibbard 236
L88 Jeffrey Hudson 191
94 Blaine Cory 172
1 Bailey Hibbard 162
2m Aaron Miller 107
48e Enrique Jaime 103
101 Charlie Thompson 90
17m Merissa Henson 82
42 Theron Smith 76
04 Todd Whipple 71
Late Models
24 Nathan Augustine 221
16 John Dees 208
38 Miles Deubert 197
75 Dave Foote 183
6 Bob Dees 174
22 Mike Linder 114
05 Don Garrett 99
66 Garrett Dees 83
7 Eric Massey 76
222 Brian Bowman 45
Bobbio’s Pizza Mini Stocks
67 David Steele 340
33m Hunter Magnan 269
89m Kristopher Mix 242
55 Steve Goetz 227
45g Garrett Fredrickson 168
3 Michael McLeod 148
14t Ashtin Hedges 125
0 Gary Anderson 112
11 Marilyn Yawnick 39
90 Mike Whitaker 38
Valley Stor-All Late Model Lites
5 Charlie Eaton 206
39 Greg Arnold 154
3 Dusty Aos 131
66 Eric Aos 120
7 Lee Doty 101
43 Bob Burkett 93
99 Danny Prewitt 57
18 Terry Hadley 24
16 Krista Hadley 24
JOAT Labs Hornets
17 Bree Tritchler 298
14t Tim Hedges 292
7 Brandon Wonsyld 255
28 Chris Boynton 251
11 Dylan Irving 234
27j Jenna Hedges 170
54d Ashtin Hedges 163
007 Jason Stoutenburgh 139
26 Zach Nelson 135
7s Dylan Sauer 103
