Arnie Case Wins Jim’s 100 Street Stock Race; Melton, Broadwell, Taylor, And Brinster Also Get SSP Wins
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Nikki Gamell)
Banks, Oregon- Sunset Speedway Park would host its biggest Bridgeport Logistics Street Stock race of 2016 on Saturday July 2nd. The Jim’s Thriftway Open Street Stock National 100 would be ran for the eighteenth time in its prestigious history and is still one of the crown jewels of Street Stock racing in the Pacific Northwest. Also on the card were IMCA Sport Mods, Micro Sprints, and Dwarf Cars.
Don Jenner of Vancouver, Washington would pace the field early until he would lose the lead on lap seventeen. Don Briggs would take over the coveted position and held it until Forest Grove’s Joey Tardio would get around him on lap fifty-two.
Tardio would stay in front for quite some time but got passed on lap eighty-nine. Arnie Case, out of Vancouver, Washington, maintain the top place position the rest of the way to win the Jim’s 100. For Case it marked his fifth triumph of 2016 at SSP and his fourth consecutive win.
Joey Tardio was second followed by Don Briggs in third. Jasper’s Andrew Langan finished fourth while Portland native Donald Schott got fifth.
Vancouver, Washington’s Michael Melton was dominant for much of the IMCA Sport Mod feature. Melton would lead from the opening and actually lost the position to Doug Lockwood, of Aloha, with just a few laps to go. Melton managed to get it back and scored his third win of the season and his second in a row.
Gresham gasser Cody Jones finished his night in second while Pam Graham, of Portland, was third. Springfield’s Daniel Ray got fourth and Woodland, Washington’s Archie Somers placed fifth.
Jeff Broadwell would be the man to beat in the Micro Sprint ranks. Broadwell, who lives in Springfield, would blaze the trail the entire distance of the main event. Broadwell would get the win and marked the first time he has done so this season.
McKenna, Washington’s Lane Taylor was second with Casey Starr, of Newberg, in third. Mason Dineen and David Ward would respectively finish fourth and fifth. Lane Taylor was the highest finishing Restricted Micro.
Last but not least was the Dwarf Cars. Marty Holmason, out of St. Helens, got out in front on the opening start. Holmason would remain there until lap ten. The driver to get around him was Jimmy Brinster, who is also from St. Helens. Brinster would stay there the rest of the way to win his first race of the current campaign.
Guy Tow Sr. from Rainier was the runner-up and Tigard’s Shane Youngren got third. Scappoose chauffeur Dennis Liebig finished fourth and Guy Tow Jr. , from Castle Rock, Washington, was fifth.
SSP is back in action on Sunday July 3rd for the opening leg of Speedweek Northwest. Sunday will be the first time since 2012 that Sunset Speedway Park has been a part of Speedweek Northwest. 360 Sprint Car drivers from all over the United States, along with Canada and possibly New Zealand, will converge on Banks. Support classes are IMCA Sport Mods and Dwarf Cars.
Tickets for Sunday night are Adults $15.00, Seniors/Juniors (13-17)/Military $13.00, Youths (6-12) $8.00, while Kids (5 and Under) are FREE. A Family Pass (2 Adults and up to 4 Youths) will be $55.00 while Premium Seating is $35.00 per seat.
Pit Gates open at 2:00 PM, Front Gates 4:00, and Racing begins around 6:30. For more information, log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.