Grays Harbor Raceway was in action on Saturday, Aug. 27, with the 360 Sprint Cars, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, PHRA Dwarf Cars and Outlaw Tuners on the 3/8 banked clay oval.
Sprint
Snohomish driver Chase Goetz and Jason Reed of Elma set the front row of the 25-lap feature.
Goetz took the early lead from Reed. Jay Cole of Shelton quickly moved into the second spot, bringing Enumclaw’s Henry Van Dam with him. Van Dam and Cole battled for second as Cole would maintain the position. Goetz pulled away from the field in lightning quick fashion running the low side of the raceway. Reece Goetz looked to move on Van Dam for third as the field caught lap traffic, but couldn’t make the pass. Lap 14 saw the caution flag fly for Renton driver Jeff Dunlap as he spun in turn two, taking away Goetz’s lead on Cole, Van Dam and Reece Goetz.
On the restart Chase Goetz got on the throttle as Van Dam looked to the outside trying to make a move on Cole for second, but Cole had more momentum on the low side of the raceway. Reece Goetz moved into the third spot from Van Dam down the backstretch and set his sight on his younger brother Chase Goetz and Jay Cole. Lap 24 saw the caution flag fly once again for Kelso driver John Stewart and Cole after contact between both drivers.
Chase Goetz had to time his restart perfectly as his brother Reece was behind him and looked for any mistake on a green, white, checkered restart. Van Dam looked to the outside of Reece Goetz as they took the white flag and moved into second.
Chase Goetzpulled away from the rest of the field and picked up his first career 360 Sprint Car win. Van Dam, Reece Goetz, Lance Sargent and Mike Romig rounded out the top five. Reece Goetz and Sargent were heat race winners earlier in the evening and Van Dam was quick time.
Modifieds
Zack Simpson of Aberdeen led the field to the green flag on the Shipwreck Beads Modified A-Main.
Simpson took the early lead over Campbell River, British Columbia, driver Lane Zerbin. Tom Sweatman of Cosmopolis looked to pass on Zerbin for second but settled in the third position. Simpson pulled away from Zerbin, as the battle for fourth heated up between Scott Miller of Shelton and Seabeck’s Kyler Moore. Miller ran the high side of the raceway with Moore down low. Miller had momentum and continued to run in the fourth position. Simpson continued to lead Zerbin as Simpson hit lap traffic.
Simpson sliced and diced his way through the lapped cars, expanding his lead on Zerbin. Sweatman looked for any mistake by Zerbin to take the second position. As the main event continued on caution free, Simpson continued to work his way through traffic with Zerbin behind him.
Heavy lapped traffic became a factor for Simpson late in the race as Simpson had trouble getting around Shelton’s Del Schnitzer, which allowed Zerbin to get to the back bumper of Simpson. As Simpson took the white flag Zerbin was right there ready to make a move. Zerbin made a last lap pass on Simpson in turn four on the high side to pick up his first career win in a main event that went green to checkered.
Simpson, Sweatman, Miller, and Graham Cook rounded out the top five. Heat race winners earlier in the evening were Simpson, Zerbin, and Sweatman
Dwarf
Scappoose, Ore., driver Jake VanOrtwick set the pole for the 25 lap PHRA Dwarf Car A-Main right next to him was Las Vegas’ Chance Damron.
Damron jumped out to the early lead as VanOrtwick had Corey Estaban of Gaston, Ore., race side by side with him for second. Estaban moved into the second spot and set his sights on Damron for the lead. Lap 2 saw Estaban take the lead in turn two. Damron looked to the inside in turn three, but couldn’t make the pass. The battle for the fourth position between Portland’s Ryan Martinez and Brandon Ross of Kelso was one of the many battles to watch. Lap 6 saw Damron get by Estaban for the lead in turn two. Both drivers raced side by side for position with Estaban getting the lead back a few laps later. Lap 10 saw the caution flag fly for Damron as he slowed in turn three with a broken left front wheel.
Estaban had VanOrtwick and Martinez on his back bumper on the restart. Estaban jumped out to the lead and pulled away as Martinez looked to move into the second spot. St. Helens, Ore., driver James Brinster made it a three car battle for second making a move on VanOrtwick for third.
Estaban had no room for mistakes with Martinez and Brinister behind him. Martinez worked his way to Estaban’s back bumper not allowing him to run away with the lead. Lap 19 saw Martinez spin in turn two, while running second, bringing out the caution.
A six lap dash saw Estaban slowly pull away from the field as Brinster and VanOrtwick battle for the second position. Estaban picked up the checkered flag over Brinister, VanOrtwick, Henry Corbin III and Brian Smith. Estaban also picked up an extra $851 on top of the regular winnings, as this was the Pocket Change Race.
Heat race winners earlier in the evening were Martinez, Estaban, and Ross
Tuners
Cory Sweatman of Aberdeen has been on fire in the Outlaw Tuners class and looked to make it four wins in a row.
Sweatman and Wishkah’s George Lovell set the front row of the 15-lap A-Main. Sweatman jumped out to the early lead with Lovell in the second spot. Aberdeen’s Tyler Sundstrom set in the third spot, but had tough company as Don Briggs Sr. of Wishkah raced side by side with Sundstrom for position.
Briggs Sr. took over the third spot and looked to track down Lovell for second.
Lap 3 saw Montesano driver Brittany Diggle spin in turn one, but continue on.
Sundstrom and Lovell battled for the third position as Sweatman extended his lead over Briggs Sr. At the end of the caution free Outlaw Tuners A-Main Cory Sweatman picked up his fourth win in a row. Briggs Sr., Sundstrom, Lovell and Zach Darlymple of Olympia rounded out the top five.
Sweatman also won the heat race earlier in the evening.
Racing will resume at Grays Harbor Raceway next Sunday and Monday, Sept. 4 and 5, for the Summer Thunder Sprint Series and the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars.
