After a 2 week hiatus for region 9 scheduling in Langley, and Portland, the drivers once again took to the small clay oval at the new Grays Harbor Raceway ¼ midget track. Friday night rains and Saturday morning overcast skies had the track tacky and fast. Organizers kept a watchful eye on the Western skies hoping to get a full event in before Mother Nature reclaimed the ground. Drivers did their part by running good, clean races, with several of the heat races running green to checker. Mother nature ultimately prevailed for the day though when the skies started dumping as the Senior Honda A-main got underway, leaving the seniors and the Jr ½ class mains to be ran at the next club event. Not to be let down though, as the action in the heats and the other classes were as exciting as it gets.

In the Jr Novice 1^st group, Jeremiah Mueller used his third spot starting position to his advantage getting the jump on the field and leading every lap en route to his first A-main victory. Dylan Volz gave chase with Autumn Johnson in hot pursuit, but as the laps wore down it was evident this was Jeremiah’s day.

The Jr Novice 2^nd group was a duplicate of the first group with "High Side" Cale Shute lined up inside row 2, getting the jump, and then promptly leading every lap while the rest of the field battled it out behind him. Ryan Mottner hoped to capture his first win, but Cale proved too strong. McKenzie Journey finished third behind Ryan.

In Jr Honda the factor of the day was lapped traffic. It seemed everyone wanted to lead until they found lapped traffic and then tried to find a way around. In the main, Tucker Sprague jumped out to an early lead and looked to be running away with it until he found lapped traffic on lap 6. He hesitated just long enough to allow Nicki Hartman to go around everyone on the high side. Nicki built a commanding lead coming around to lap the field, when she got tangled up with a lapped car and had to restart in the back. That gave Tucker his second shot at the lead until once again he hesitated in lapped traffic and Janell McPeake was there to capitalize. Janell never looked back and went on to win her first ever Jr Honda A-main. Nicki made a last lap pass for second with Tucker rounding out the top three.

The Sr Honda A-main was not finished due to rain, but the heat race action was second to none. In a tough class where momentum is key, the drivers have figured out the high groove can be your friend. At one point the first three positions were nose to tail, while the rest of the field was 2 wide and keeping pace. It’s not often that a single line of cars will hold up the field, but that seemed to be the case. Angie Magnusson and Garret Johnson were running fourth and fifth, side by side, with the rest of the field lined up side by side behind them. Angie eventually drove underneath the third place car and went on to win the heat. Fun for the fans and drivers, but too much of that kind of action can make a handler turn gray.

In Light 160, several drivers turned out to see who would be the first to steal a win from TJ Hartman. JJ Hickle made his first appearance of the year at the new track and wasted no time putting the pressure on. Second heat race action had TJ and JJ putting on a clinic of good, clean, slicing and dicing for the lead. TJ prevailed, but that would line him up outside row 3 for the main, giving JJ the inside advantage. JJ wasted no time getting to the front while TJ patiently made his way through the field. A lap 8 restart had JJ in the lead, Brandon Peterman second, and TJ third. On the green TJ wasted no time getting around Brandon, and set his sights on JJ. It was all for not though as JJ pulled out to a straightaway lead while TJ searched the track for a faster groove. Competition makes us better, and JJ showed his talents ending TJ’s string of wins in the Lt 160 class at 11. Brandon held off the rest of the pack and finished third in his first ever Lt 160 race.

The Jr ½ A-main was rained out as well. The hooked up track in the heats had the cars circling the track at a blistering pace. It also took its toll on the motors as well, as several of the drivers pulled off early with problems. Logan Forler made the step up to Jr ½ and won the first heat race pulling away in a brand new car that had never seen the track. TJ Hartman won the second heat race in the same fashion. The alcohol burning Jr ½ class looked to be the first cars to break the 6 second barrier before the rains came.

Racing resumes June 19^th as the I-5 QMC continues to enjoy the new facility at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA. Come on out and enjoy the action, admission is free, and see the next generation of open wheel drivers before anyone knows who they are! You’ll be amazed at what a child can do. See you there.

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