Grays Harbor Raceway was once again in action on Saturday night with the Chase Goetz, Lane Zerbin, Corey Estaban and Cory Sweatman all taking the checkered flag. The weather was cooler than normal going from low 90s on Friday to high 60s on Saturday but that didn’t stop the action from being hot on the race track.
360 Sprints
Snohomish driver Chase Goetz began in the front for the 360 sprint feature and led wire-to-wire.
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 try and make a 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.
On the restart, Chase Goetz quickly 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 Cole. After a caution on lap 24, Chase Goetz had to time his restart perfectly as his brother Reece was right 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 Goetz quickly pulled 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.
Modifieds
A last-lap pass allowed Lane Zerbin of Campell River, British Columbia to win the Shipwreck Beads Modifieds A Main feature race.
Zack Simpson of Aberdeen led the field to the green flag and took the early lead over Lane Zerbin. Tom Sweatman of Cosmopolis looked to try and make a pass on Zerbin for second, but settled in the third position. Simpson slowly 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 sliced and diced his way through the lapped cars, expanding his lead on Zerbin. Sweatman looked for any mistake by Zerbin to try and take over 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 he 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.
Dwarf Cars
Corey Estaban of Gaston, Oregon, took advantage of an opportunity on lap 2 to roll to victory in the PHRA Dwarf Car A main event.
Scappoose, Ore driver Jake VanOrtwick set the pole for the 25 lap feature race, right next to him was Chance Damron of Las Vegas. Damron jumped out to the early lead as VanOrtwick had Estaban race side by side with him for second. Estaban moved into the second spot and set his sights on Damron for the lead. Estaban took the lead in turn two of lap 2. Damron looked to the inside in turn three, but couldn’t make the pass. The battle for the fourth position between Ryan Martinez of Portland, Oregon, and Brandon Ross of Kelso was one of the many battles to watch. Damron got by Estaban for the lead in turn two of lap 6. Both drivers raced side by side for position with Estaban getting the lead back a few laps later.
Estaban had VanOrtwick and Martinez right on his back bumper on the restart after a caution on lap 10. Estaban jumped out to the lead and slowly 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. On lap 19 Martinez spun 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 battled 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.
Outlaw Tuners
Cory Sweatman of Aberdeen has been on fire in the Outlaw Tuners class and made it four wins in a row. Sweatman and Wishkah’s George Lovell set the front row of the 15 lap A-Main. Sweatman quickly 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. Montesano driver Brittany Diggle spun in turn one of lap 6, but continued on. Sundstrom and Lovell battled for the third position as Sweatman extended his lead over Briggs Sr. At the end of the caution free race, Cory Sweatman made his fourth straight trip to victory lane. Briggs Sr., Sundstrom, Lovell and Zach Darlymple of Olympia rounded out the top five.
Racing will resume at Grays Harbor Raceway next Sunday and Monday night, as Sunday will be the Summer Thunder Sprint Series and Shipwreck Beads Modifieds in action. Monday will be the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars in action along with the Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks for the Luck Eagle Casino Grays Harbor Grudge Match presented by NAPA Auto Parts.
