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Shoemaker Tops at NW Modified Nationals.Becomes the Only Washington To Win The Race.
By Jack Fordyce
Grays Harbor Raceway
Elma, WA. Blair Shoemaker of Yakima, WA. Accomplished two things Saturday night when he won the 40-lap Ship Wreck Beads Northwest Modifieds Nationals at Grays Harbor Raceway.
Number one, he was the first Washington and Grays Harbor Raceway regular driver in the nine-year history of the race to do so. Number two, he broke the streak of John DeBenedetti of Medford, OR. DeBenedetti has owned the series for the last four years, wining in 2004, 2005 and 2007. There was no winner in 2006 after the race was cancelled.
Shoemaker was in the top-ten in the points accumulated after Friday night’s preliminary races and was among the top ten drivers that drew a pill for their starting positions in the feature event. Lady luck smiled on the Yakima driver as he drew the number two, putting him on the front row, outside of Brian Poppa of Medford, another former winner of the race in the field.
The next row back consisted of two more Grays Harbor Raceway drivers, Jeff Foster of McCleary, and defending “Modified” series champion Scott Miller of Shelton.
Shoemaker made an inside move on Poppa four laps into the race in turn turn-2. Poppa tried to close the door but it was too late as he brushed against Shoemaker and they slid wide and fell all the way back to sixth place before he recovered.
DeBenedetti had a couple of chances to overtake Shoemaker after caution flag restarts on lap-6 and again on lap-29, but he was unable to get by him.
DeBenedetti followed Shoemaker across the finish line, Scott Lenz, Shady Grove, Or. was third, Poppa recovered to take fourth and Ryan McDaniel, Marysville, CA. rounded out the top five, with Foster finishing sixth.
Scott Dorie of St Helens, Or. Took the lead from Josh Muller of Montesano, WA. on lap-9 of the 25-lap B Feature and went on for the victory, followed by Ron Wilson, Eugene, OR. Muller, and Shawn Dorie of St Helens, Or. and Lawrence O’Conner, Port Hardy B.C. The top four finishers in the race advanced to the feature race.
O’Conner, for the second year in a row had to gain his way into feature race via the last chance main, and did so as he led Matt Mitchell of Vancouver, WA. across the finish line, with both drivers gaining admission to the show.
The final two spots in the feature were taken by Tim Issacson, Olympia, WA. and Gannin Thomas, St. Helens when they finished 1-2 in the other last chance Main.
Randy McDaniel picked up the win in the A Trophy Dash, Mitchell took the B Trophy Dash and Rick Sjogren of Yakima won the C Trophy Dash.
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Top Finishers.
A Main. 1. Blair Shoemaker, Yakima, WA. 2. John DeBenedetti, Medford, OR. 3. Scott Lenz, Shady Grove, OR. 4. Brian Poppa, Medford. 5. Ryan McDaniel, Marysville, CA. 6. Jeff Foster, McCleary, WA. 7. Scott Dorie, St Helens, OR. 8. Randy McDaniel, Marysville. 9. Aaron Sheeler, Springfield, OR. 10. Shawn Dorie, St Helens.
B Main. 1. Scott Dorie. 2. Ron Wilson, Eugene, OR. 3. Josh Muller, Montesano, WA. 4. Shawn Dorie. 5. Lawrence O’Conner, Port Hardy B.C.
C Main. 1. Shawn Dorie. 2. Donny Bottoms, Yreka, CA. 3. David Wolford, Seabeck, WA. 4. Rob Sjogren, Maple Valley, WA. 5. Morgan Criswell, Vancouver, WA.
Last Chance A Main. 1. O’Conner. 2. Matt Mitchell, Vancouver, WA. 3. Lawhead. 4. Chris Towns, Cottage Grove. 5. Dan Wolford, Seabeck.
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