2017 Speedweek Northwest Dates Announced
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Brian Rose)
Cottage Grove, Oregon- The popular summer 360 Sprint Car tradition of the Pacific Northwest will make its return this July at a track near you. 2017 marks the 20th occasion of Speedweek Northwest and is sure to bring the best drivers around in action. Teams from Oregon, Washington, California, and even Canada are expected to make the journey.
Unlike in the past, this year’s Speedweek will feature no days off and features six races in six night at five different race tracks in Oregon and California. Monday, July 10th will kick things off for the only non-Oregon date at Yreka, California’s Siskiyou Motor Speedway before taking a trip to the coastal venue of Coos Bay Speedway on Tuesday, the 11th. Wednesday, the 12th, will see an appearance at Willamette Speedway, in Lebanon, with the next day making a trip to Banks’ Sunset Speedway Park on Thursday, the 13th. The whole Speedweek will conclude on Friday and Saturday, the 14th and 15th respectively, at Cottage Grove Speedway.
Trey Starks won last year’s Speedweek championship coming down to the final laps of the last main event of the week. Roger Crockett and Steve Kent are tied for the most Speedweek titles, at four, while Brent Kaeding is the only other multi-Speedweek champion, with two. Single Speedweek champions include Bud Kaeding, Brad Furr, Shane Stewart, Jesse Hockett, Kyle Larson, Mitch Olson, Kyle Hirst, Colby Copeland, and the aforementioned Starks.
A total of 104 Speedweek Northwest races have been ran over the years since 1998 and has produced thirty-five different feature winners. Roger Crockett has managed to win the most, with twenty-one. Brad Furr, in 1999, is the only driver to win every single race during a Speedweek. In 2006, with Steve Kent, and in 2012, with Mitch Olson, would be the only two Speedweeks where the eventual champion would not win a feature.
Be sure and stay tuned for more information by visiting sprints.nwextremeseries.com. Also, updates will be made available on social media at the Western Sprint Tour Facebook page.
2017 Speedweek Northwest Schedule
Monday, July 10th-Siskiyou Motor Speedway-Yreka, California
Tuesday, July 11th-Coos Bay Speedway-Coos Bay, Oregon
Wednesday, July 12th-Willamette Speedway-Lebanon, Oregon
Thursday, July 13th-Sunset Speedway Park-Banks, Oregon
Friday, July 14th-Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon
Saturday, July 15th-Cottage Grove Speedway-Cottage Grove, Oregon
Past Speedweek Northwest Champions:
2016- Trey Starks
2015- Colby Copeland
2014- Kyle Hirst
2013- Roger Crockett
2012- Mitch Olson
2011- Kyle Larson
2010- Roger Crockett
2009- Jesse Hockett
2008- Roger Crockett
2007- Shane Stewart
2006- Steve Kent
2005- Brent Kaeding
2004- Brent Kaeding
2003- Roger Crockett
2002- Steve Kent
2001- Steve Kent
2000- Steve Kent
1999- Brad Furr
1998- Bud Kaeding
All-Time Speedweek Northwest Win List (1998-Present):
Roger Crockett-21
Steve Kent-13
Brent Kaeding-10
Shane Stewart-6
Brad Furr-5
Travis Rilat
Kyle Hirst-4
Wayne Johnson
Colby Copeland- 3
Jesse Hockett
Justyn Cox-2
Rick Fauver
Danny Horner
Jason Johnson
Shawna Wilskey
Rico Abreu-1
Jonathon Allard
Colin Baker
Jayme Barnes
Seth Bergman
Jay Cole
Cory Eliason
Mitchell Faccinto
Logan Forler
Travis Jacobson
Bud Kaeding
Kasey Kahne
Kyle Larson
Danny Lasoski
Mitch Olson
Jason Sides
Cam Smith
Jason Solwold
Trey Starks
Henry Van Dam