Two Northwest touring series — the Wingless Sprint Series and the Northwest Focus Midgets Series — took center stage at the three-eights of a mile clay oval at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma on Saturday, June 10.
Sherwood, Ore’s Rob Lindsey took the checkered flag for the wingless sprints and Burlington’s Tristin Thomas holding off the field late to win the midget series feature. Corbett, Ore’s Collen Winebarger grabbed the win in the modifieds and Aberdeen’s Tyler Sundstrom won the outlaw tuners.
On Saturday, it will be GHR’s Big 3 classes on the track, highlighted by the Washington Modified Tour and supported by the 360 sprints and street stocks. The gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m.
Wingless Sprints
Tacoma’s Jonathan Jorgenson didn’t hold the pole position at the start of this 30-lap feature race, but he took the lead quickly from Forrest Grove’s Jake Gilman to lead the first half of this race.
All of the action came behind Jorgenson as he pulled away for a sizeable lead. A caution flag on lap 22 bunched up the field when Jorgenson spun out and came to a stop in turn four with the lead. This allowed Lindsey, who worked his way from the middle of the pack, to inherit the lead.
Just as Jorgenson did in the first half of the race, Lindsay pulled away and hid from the rest of the field in the second half of the race to take the checkered flag. Salem, Ore’s Tim Alberding, Gilman, Portland’s Lindsay Barney and McMinnville’s Lance Hallmark rounded out the top-five finishers.
NW Focus Midgets
In this 25-lap feature, Sedro Woolley’s Nate Vaughn grabbed the early lead as a pair of Thomases — Burlington’s Tristin Thomas and McCleary’s Garrett Thomas — moved up to second and third by lap four. Garrett Thomas grabbed the lead from Vaughan, then Tristin passed for second a few laps later.
Garrett Thomas held the lead firmly from Tristin Thomas before lapped traffic made life difficult. Here Tristin Thomas made his move in turn two, making slight contact before pulling away on the back straightaway for the lead.
Garrett Thomas kept the pressure on Tristin Thomas in the final laps, but there was no more lead exchanges in the race. Lynnwood’s Shane Smith, Nick Evans and Vaughn rounded out the top-five spots.
Modifieds
Vancouver’s Kenny Miller led the field to the start of the 25-lap feature, with Cosmopolis’ Tom Sweatman taking second and Winebarger third early on. Sweatman grabbed the lead quickly, then Winebarger was behind him after seven laps, turning the early portion of the race into a dogfight up front.
A caution flag brought the field together and Winebarger took the lead on the high line of the track on lap 8. Winebarger enjoyed the lead for the rest of the race, with a late caution flag bunching the field up for a bit of drama. A three-lap sprint to the finish saw Winebarger pull away from Sweatman and Stayton, Ore’s Grey Ferrando for the win.
Ferrando passed Sweatman on the final laps for second, with Shelton’s Kyler Moore and Miller rounding out the top five.
Outlaw Tuners
Tyler Sundstrom won the heat race earlier in the night and enjoyed it so much, he didn’t let the rest of the field get a chance to get a taste of it. In this 15-lap feature, Sundstrom went wire-to-wire for the win. Shelton’s Joseph Palmer and Dale Speas, Cosmopolis’ Cory Sweatman and Aberdeen’s Jason Parmalee rounded out the top five.
