Miller, Cole, Parshall, Briggs Sr. Winners At Grays Harbor Raceway’s Mid-Season Championship

ELMA — The sun shone bright on a huge crowd as Grays Harbor Raceway hit the halfway point of its season with the Mid Season Championship on Saturday.

The 360 Sprint Cars, Shipwreck Beads Modifieds, Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks and Outlaw Tuners took to the 3/8 banked clay oval on the raceway’s Fan Appreciation Night.

Outlaw Tuners

Kicking off the evening was the 15 lap Outlaw Tuner feature event.

Wishkah’s Jeremy Jones took the early lead over Devon Harper of Olympia. The yellow flag quickly flew as Belfair’s Donny Andrews made contact with the turn-four wall on the start.

Harper looked to the inside on the restart but couldn’t make the pass on Jones. Harper was sideways in turn four, Tyler Sundstrom of Aberdeen made contact, causing Harper to spin, bringing out the caution once again.

Jones looked to have everything under control until late in the feature Don Briggs Sr. of Wishkah made a battle for the lead on a late race restart, Briggs went on to pick up the win. Jones, Harper, Sundstrom and Shelton’s Joseph Palmer rounded out the top five, with Jones winning the Scramble race earlier in the evening.

Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks

Hoquiam’s Jack Parshall took the lead on the start with Spanway’s Tom Hecker sitting in second.

Aberdeen driver Cory Sweatman looked to the low side off turn four to take second from Hecker, but couldn’t make the pass.

Ryen Haney of Elma moved into the second position looking to track down Parshall for the lead. The battle for third between Hecker, Sweatman and Scott Fritts of Montesano was the race to watch for a handful of laps.

Sweatman’s race car had issues later in the feature, ending his night.

On a mid-race restart, Parshall slowly pulled away from Haney and the rest of the field until the caution flag flew for Jeff Daniel of Ocean Shores and Aberdeen’s Matt White on lap 19, setting up a green-white-checkered finish.

On the restart, Haney made his move to the outside, staying right with Parshall.

Coming to the white flag, Haney took the lead. Parshall then dove to the inside and it was a drag race down the backstretch. Haney slid up, allowing Parshall to the inside and another drag race ensued to the checkered flag.

Parshall picked up the win over Haney, Hecker, Shelton’s Mike Mann, and White. Parshall also won the scramble earlier in the evening with White picking up quick time.

360 Sprint Cars

Jay Cole of Shelton took the early lead but the caution flag quickly flew after contact between Cole and Lance Sargent of Spanway saw Sargent get into the turn-two wall.

Sargent saw heavy damage to his car, ending his night.

Devon Borden of Raymond took the early lead over Cole on the start.

Lap 2 saw Jason Reed of Elma have mechanical problems and pull to the infield.

Borden quickly pulled away from Cole until lap 10 saw Borden spin to a stop. Borden ended up having mechanical issues, giving up the lead to Cole.

John Keller of Yakima ran in the second spot as Cole quickly pulled away and went on to win the 25-lap feature.

Keller, Borden, Reed, and Sargent rounded out the top five. Cole also won the Scramble earlier in the evening.

Shipwreck Beads Modifieds

Tom Sweatman of Cosmopolis took the early lead in the 25-lap Shipwreck Beads Modifieds Feature, but the caution flag flew, setting up a complete restart.

This time it was Scott Miller of Shelton that jumped to the early lead, but a third restart would be needed as Devan West of Shelton spun in turn one.

On the third start of the race, Sweatman took the lead with Miller looking to chase him down.

The battle for third between Zack Simpson of Aberdeen and Shelton’s Brenton Schnitzer was one of the races to watch until a lap two caution for Olympia’s Tyson Blood brought out the yellow flag.

Sweatman and Miller battled for the lead for a handful of laps. Miller took the lead on a pass in turn two on lap 6 and slowly pulled away from Sweatman.

Miller would hold on and take home the win over Sweatman, Simpson, Elma’s Tyler Walker, and Brian Izzi of Olympia. Sweatman picked up the Scramble win earlier in the evening.

Racing will resume Saturday night as the Sportsman Sprint Cars make another appearance at Grays Harbor Raceway along with the Cut Rate Auto Parts Street Stocks and Outlaw Tuners. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing beginning at 7 p.m.

Kirk McGinnis (00) races against Tanner Bridges during a street stock class race at Grays Harbor Raceway on Saturday. (Photo by AR Racing Videos)

Sprint car winner Jay Cole, right, signs autographs for fans during Grays Harbor Raceway’s Fan Appreciation festivities on Saturday. (Photo by AR Racing Videos)