Submitted By Ben Deatherage for Grays Harbor Raceway
The DIRTcar Super Late Models made their one and only visit to the 3/8-mile clay oval that is the Grays Harbor Raceway. Also on hand for some exciting racing were the Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks and Hornets. The night would provide some memorable side by side action as well as breathtaking speeds.
After sustaining some significant damage in his heat race earlier in the program Brian Cronk was able to bounce back in the main event and seize the glory. The Portland, Oregon driver, of Cronk, in his Metro Services/Dog Lover’s Gold/Big Sky Landscaping #29 Rocket would seize the lead on lap ten after battling with Happy Valley, Oregon’s John Duty.
Cronk would dominate the field lapping every car but second place. It would be his first win of the season in a DIRTcar Super Late Model this year for the second-generation rising star.
Finishing the race in second, and the only car on the lead lap, was John Duty in his Don Frank Flooring/Tony Carbaugh Racing Engines #5 Rocket followed by the Don Frank Flooring/Tony Carbaugh Racing Engines #5 Rocket of his son Justin Duty in third. Jimmy Whisler of Otis, Oregon would cross the stripe in fourth in the Galluci’s Pizzeria/Les Schwab Tire Center of Lincoln City #28 Rocket while the visitlapine.com/Country Financial/AAA Home Inspection #4E Victory Circle entry of Trent Elliott of La Pine, Oregon was fifth.
Brian Cronk would perform a clean sweep of the night events as he would set fast time and earn the heat race victory. Winner in the other heat race was John Duty.
Coming from mid-pack and making it to the front of the field was Jason Tole of Hoquiam. Tole, in his Western Washington Construction/Crowell Brothers Automotive #34, would obtain the lead on the seventh circuit after battling Cosmopolis’ Cory Sweatman and would prove to be the car to beat. Tole would lead the rest of the distance to win his sixth race of 2013.
The Sweatman Trucking/D&D Dyno #11 of Cory Sweatman would finish a respectable second place while ending his night in third was Jack Parshall of Hoquiam in his Jacknut Apparel/CNK Machine #9 Camaro. Completing the top five finishers were the Eddie’s Automotive/Fusion Graphix #97 Malibu of Olympia native Eddie Blood in fourth and Shane Kerrigan of Aberdeen in his #43 Mustang.
It would be a clean sweep for Jason Tole as well as he managed to set quick time in qualifying as well as win his heat race. Other heat race winners were Matt Babcock of Hoquiam, in the Billy Bob’s Custom #99 Nova, and Shane Kerrigan.
Last but not least the Pure Clothing/John L. Scott Real Estate/John’s Plumbing #14 of Jeff Daniel from Ocean Shores took care of business in the Hornet ranks. Daniel would run away with the main event to win his third race of the season. The win will now tie Daniel with Chad Norton for most wins in the division this season.
Finishing in the runner up position would be the Cranberry Road Winery/Westport Brewing Company #25 of Chris Pugsley from Ocasta while behind him in third was Brian Norton of Tacoma in his Free Junk Removal #43 entry. Aberdeen’s Willie Wright would finish fourth in the Kerrigan & Sons Trucking #17 and Amanda Allery of Elma would finish the night in her I-5 Auto & Truck/Loop-ez/Cut Rate Auto Parts #37X machine in fifth. Earlier in the evening heat race winners were Chris Pugsley and Brian Norton.
The Grays Harbor Raceway will return to action on Saturday August 24th for the Open Wheel Showdown presented by Pepsi. Classes included in action will be the Northwest Wingless Tour, Shipwreck Beads IMCA Modifieds, and the USAC Ford Focus Midgets. For more information log on to www.graysharborraceway.com or dial the Northwest Hotline at (360)-699-RACE.
