Joey Tardio Wins Second Straight Street Stock Race At Banks
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Dryden Racing Media)
Banks, Oregon- In addition to the Western Sprint Tour being on hand at Sunset Speedway Park on Thursday, July 11th for their Speedweek Northwest event so too were the Street Stocks. The class played the role of the support division and had nine cars make the rare weekday event with drivers from Oregon and Washington in the field.
Portland’s Frank Elwess started the main event with the race lead and was dominant for most the race. However, shortly after a lap eleven restart Joey Tardio powered his way to the front. The Forest Grove chauffeur went on to lead the final eight laps and dominate the rest of the feature. Tardio was the first driver to pass the flag stand when the checkered flag dropped and is his second straight win at SSP.
Frank Elwess managed to hold on to a runner-up finish while Vancouver, Washington’s Craig Loomis ended his evening in third. The rest of the top five consisted of Yacolt, Washington driver Chuck Andrus Jr., picking up fourth, and Earl Claypool Jr., of Hillsboro, in fifth. Cornelius native Rod Lowe won the heat race and Joey Tardio was victorious in the trophy dash.
Sunset Speedway Park will take this coming weekend off and return to racing on Saturday, July 20th. The “Banks Bullring” hosts the 4-Bee Bonanza which is a sixty-lap affair with thirty laps being races in the regular direction and thirty laps raced the opposite way. It will also count as a 4-Cylinder Shootout event. Also on the card will be the Outlaw Late Models, IMCA Sport Mods, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks/IMCA Hobby Stocks, and New Bees.
Ticket prices are $13.00 for Adults and Seniors/Military/Juniors (13-17) $10.00, Youths (6-12) $5.00, and Kids (5 & Under) are FREE. A Family Pass (Two Adults and up to four Youths(6-12)) is offered for $35.00 while Premium Seats are available for $25.00 each. Pit Gates open at 2:00 PM, Front Gates 4:00, with Racing kicking off at 6:00. For more information log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.
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