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From the back! Crockett nips Forte’ at line in NSCS thriller
Andrew Kunas, NSCS Publicist
ELMA, Wash. – “Was that a show for you what!?”
The Grays Harbor Raceway crowd cheered in response to Medford driver Roger Crockett’s comment, this following arguably the wildest Northwest Sprint Challenge Series main event of the season Saturday night.
Crockett, who started inside the second row for the 30-lap affair, earlier spun out on the initial start. Crockett was put at the back of the 20-car field, only to make the drive of the year. By lap seven, Crockett was already back up to seventh and on lap 11 he passed Evan Funk for sixth.
After falling back one position briefly, Crockett gained two more positions and was fifth after an incident involving the top three cars on lap 18. Crockett used the cushion in turns three and four to pass Tacoma’s Mitch Olson for fourth. On a lap 19 restart, Crockett did the same thing in the same part of the track to pass Robbie Vaughn for third.
Crockett continued his mastery of the cushion on the track’s east end when he passed Seth Bergman for second on lap 25. The question then was whether or not he could catch race long leader Shane Forte’ of Junction City, Ore. in the last five laps, and Crockett answered with a resounding yes.
With the crowd rising to its feet, Crockett went high to chase down the low-running Forte’ as the second-year 360 sprint car driver struggled with slower cars in front of him. On the final lap Forte’ was several car lengths ahead of Crockett going into turns three and four. Crockett swung his way around on the cushion again, gaining momentum and getting himself between Forte’ and the outside wall as they exited turn four, making it a drag race to the finish line, located far down the front stretch towards turn one.
The crowd cheered wildly at the photo finish they saw, as Crockett won by a front nerf bar. The difference was a mere 0.011 seconds.
“I was pretty sure I did,” Crockett said when asked if he thought he won when he first reached the finish line. “The flag stand is so far down the straightaway and I had so much momentum.”
Knowing how good a car the Henderson Motorsports No. 7N Bailey Bros.-powered Eagle was, Crockett was confident about his chances following his earlier spin.
“I knew I did (have a chance),” Crockett said, “but I knew it was going to take a yellow and I was going to have to be aggressive. These yellows bunched everyone back together.”
Crockett used yellow flags to pick off cars on restarts twice, first Olson and then Vaughn.
For Forte’ it was his best finish of the season in his first full year with a traveling series in his No. 26f Springer-powered Maxim. Saturday’s race was also his first race since finishing second at a weekly show at Cottage Grove Speedway on June 2nd.
“Going almost a month without racing, mind boggling. It was our best night for sure with the NSCS,” said Forte’, who came into the event 15th in points. “Our goal was to finish in the top 10. We struggled here, so this was good.”
Forte’ led the entire race, but had to contend with Langley, Brit. Col. star Travis Rutz midway through the race. Rutz, who came into the race third in the NSCS standings, challenged Forte’ for the lead on lap 18, making a pass in turn two. Forte’ fought back as they raced down the back stretch. They suddenly collided in turn four, which sent Rutz spinning around. Raymond, Wash.’s Glenn Borden Jr., running third at the time, was unable to avoid Rutz, striking him and going for a wild tumble.
Forte’ regretted the accident that ended Rutz’s chances and ended Borden’s night. Forte’ said he was expecting Rutz to drift going around the turns, but he didn’t and he and Forte’ got together.
“I got back underneath him, and I just tapped (Rutz). I take full responsibility,” Forte’ said. “I feel bad for him and his crew, because they’ve been struggling.”
Crockett closed in on Forte’ in the closing laps, and Forte’ knew it. He was able to see the scoreboard, located just above the turn one wall.
“I looked at the board and knew he passed Seth (Bergman) and I knew he was behind me as I heard his motor,” said Forte’, who was unsure if he had won or not at first, “I knew if it came to a straightaway run he’d beat me. He had more bite.”
After being passed by Crockett, Bergman settled for third in the Steve Bergman-owned No. 23a Wesmar-powered Eagle. It was the Snohomish, Wash. star’s best finish with the NSCS this season, this coming after missing his only A-Main of the season in May at Cottage Grove.
“We needed this good run, and need to keep it going,” said Bergman, who struggled at times this season. “Coming out of the B-Main, starting eighth, we knew this would be a hard track to race on. We stayed out of trouble. It’s unfortunate for the other guys who had problems.”
After crashing at Willamette Speedway on Memorial weekend, Monroe, Wash.’s Robbie Vaughn started 11th and finished fourth to earn his third straight top-ten finish aboard the Jansma Racing No. 4r Becker. Like Bergman, Vaughn also intends to represent the NSCS in August’s Brodix Tournament of Champions at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa.
Six-time and defending Grays Harbor Raceway champion Jay Cole made a late race pass around Olson to finish fifth in his own No. 0J Gaerte-powered Maxim. Olson, driving the family’s No. 98m Shark-powered Rocket, earned his fifth top-ten finish in seven races as he finished sixth.
Former NST champion Billy Nutter of Central Point, Ore. had an eventful night in his No. 3N Vondersecht-powered Zeitler. After weighing in too light at the scales following his would be fourth fastest qualifying time, Nutter failed to transfer out of his race and started 16th in the B-Main. In 15 non-stop laps, Nutter made it all the way to fourth to transfer to the A-Main, where he started 20th. Nutter, who came into the night fourth in points, raced his way to sixth before finishing seventh with a tire going down at the end.
Shawn Rice, Alex Hantell and Nick Engberg rounded out the top ten. Though his car was damaged, Rutz was able to continue after his accident with Forte’ and Borden and would finish 16th. Evan Funk was running sixth when he spun out on lap 19, damaging his car and he finished 17th. Borden was credited with 18th, and front row starter Jayme Barnes was 20th after flipping on the initial start.
After Nutter failed to transfer out of his heat race, Derek Ingalls now has the distinction of being the only driver to transfer out his heat race in all seven events with the very competitive NSCS. Ingalls, seventh in the NSCS standings coming into the event, finished 11th.
For Crockett, the four-time Northern Sprint Tour champion and current NSCS point leader, it was his astounding fourth win in seven starts. Crockett, who carried a 67-point advantage over Olson going into the event, further padded his lead over Olson. Along with his four victories, Crockett has also finished second twice.
Olson set fast time in qualifying with a lap of 12.533 seconds around the wide 3/8-mile, high-banked clay oval. Olson finished sixth in the first heat race, putting him on the pole for the B-Main, which he won, giving him his time back and allowing him to start seventh behind the dash cars.
Vaughn, Funk, Cole and Engberg won ten-lap heat races that transferred their top four finishers to the A-Main. Forte’, in the dash for the first time, won that over Barnes, Crockett, J.J. Hickle, Rutz and Borden. Transferring from the B-Main with Olson were Bergman, John Farrell and Nutter.
The next event for the Northwest Sprint Challenge Series is the inaugural Fred Brownfield Memorial Sprint Challenge at Grays Harbor Raceway on July 20 and 21, kicking off the 2007 Northwest Speed Work. The event will pay $10,092 to win on July 21. A week later, as Speed Week wraps up at Skagit Speedway with the Bob’s Burgers & Brew Skagit 360 Nationals on July 27 and 28, the winner will walk away from that event with $10,000 also.
More information on the Northwest Sprint Challenge Series can be found online at www.racenscs.com.
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Northwest Sprint Challenge Series
Grays Harbor Raceway – Elma, WA
June 30, 2007
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
33 cars
Fast qualifier: 98m Mitch Olson, 12.533 seconds
Heat 1 (10 laps): 1. 4r Robbie Vaughn, 2. 8r Travis Rutz, 3. 76 Shawn Rice, 4. 9j J.J. Dishneau, 5. 3N Bill Nutter, 6. 98m Mitch Olson, 7. 23a Seth Bergman, 8. 68 Rob Held, 9. 7d Josh DeWitt. Top four finishers transfer to A-Main.
Heat 2 (10 laps): 1. 8e Evan Funk, 2. 7N Roger Crockett, 3. 24 Jayme Barnes, 6. 65 Brendan Boyce, 5. 99 Randy Van Aagten, 6. 51 John Farrell, 7. 73 Danielle Huson, DNS – 54 Mike Gable. Top four finishers transfer to A-Main.
Heat 3 (10 laps): 1. 0J Jay Cole, 2. 26 Tayler Malsam, 3. 72 Glenn Borden Jr., 4. 26f Shane Forte’, 5. 92 Seth Hespe, 6. 12p Randy Pierce, 7. 5h Brad Holmes, 8. 15 Dan Dunlap. Top four finishers transfer to A-Main.
Heat 4 (10 laps): 1. 4 Nick Engberg, 2. 99e Alex Hantell, 3. 7h J.J. Hickle, 4. 91 Derek Ingalls, 5. 4x Chris Adams, 6. KR14 Tyler Spath, 7. 08 Steve Vague, 8. 4c Charlie Cash. Top four finishers transfer to A-Main.
Dash (6 laps): 1. 26f Shane Forte’, 2. 24 Jayme Barnes, 3. 7N Roger Crockett, 4. J.J. Hickle, 5. 8r Travis Rutz, 6. 72 Glenn Borden Jr. Finish determines first six starting positions for A-Main.
B-Main (15 laps): 1. 98m Mitch Olson, 2. 23a Seth Bergman, 3. 51 John Farrell, 4. 3N Bill Nutter, 5. 08 Steve Vague, 6. 7d Josh DeWitt, 7. 12p Randy Pierce, 8. 92 Seth Hespe, 9. 5h Brad Holmes, 10. 15 Dan Dunlap, 11. 4x Chris Adams, 12. 99 Randy Van Aagten, 13. 54 Mike Gable, 14. 73 Danielle Huson, 15. 68 Rob Held, 16. KR14 Tyler Spath, 17. 4c Charlie Cash. Top four finishers transfer to A-Main.
A-Main (30 laps): 1. 7N Roger Crockett, 2. 26f Shane Forte’, 3. 23a Seth Bergman, 4. 4r Robbie Vaughn, 5. 0J Jay Cole, 6. 98m Mitch Olson, 7. 3N Bill Nutter, 8. 76 Shawn Rice, 9. 99e Alex Hantell, 10. 4 Nick Engberg, 11. 91 Derek Ingalls, 12. 26 Tayler Malsam, 13. 65 Brendan Boyce, 14. 51 John Farrell, 15. 9j J.J. Dishneau, 16. 8r Travis Rutz, 17. 8e Evan Funk, 18. 72 Glenn Borden Jr., 19. 7h J.J. Hickle, 20. 24 Jayme Barnes.
Lap leaders: Shane Forte’ 1-29, Roger Crockett 30
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NSCS: The Northwest Sprint Challenge Series
www.racenscs.com
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