8/27/2020
Skagit Speedway
Sportsman Sprints Thrill as Goetz Prevails
Alger, WA - Three different leaders and multiple lead changes punctuated a long but thrilling main event in the Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints on round 11 of Skagit Speedway TV. As the dust settled, it was Chase Goetz rallying to the win with a late race pass.
Bill Rude held the early lead through a lot of the carnage that dominated the early portion of the main event, including an open red period for Cory Swatzina on lap five. Goetz had moved into second right before that red, and tried reeling in Rude with no avail before a lap 11 yellow. On that yellow, Rude exited the track with a flat tire, giving Goetz the lead. On the ensuing restart, Goetz had his hands full with Jesse Schlotfeldt, who had advanced from 12th to challenge for the top spot. On lap 15, Jesse shot by Goetz on the outside to grab the lead, and attempted to put some real estate between him and Chase. A caution at the conclusion of lap 22 bunched the field up for one more run to the checkered flag, and on the restart, Goetz made a monster move to the inside of Schlotfeldt in turn one and pulled even with Jesse at the exit of turn two. With big momentum on his side, Chase pulled a short slide on Jesse entering turn three in what ended up being the race winning pass, giving him a few car lengths advantage as they completed lap 23. Over the final two laps, Goetz kept Schlotfeldt at arms length to take his second straight win at Skagit Speedway, with Schlotfeldt and Brett McGhie rounding out the podium.
Alex Peck and Nick Evans battled for the win in the NW Focus MIdget A Main with Evans coming out on top in the end. Peck led the first 13 laps before Evans found a way past him in slower traffic. Peck would keep Nick close, but Evans made all the right moves the rest of the way to get his first Skagit Speedway win of the season. Peck grabbed his best Skagit Speedway finish of the year with second and Jared Peterson was third.
Cory Sweatman is on a roll in the Pacific NW, riding an eight race winning streak after winning in the Outlaw Tuner division on Thursday night. Sweatman took the lead from Howard Vos on lap eight and ran to his third win in a row at Skagit and eighth overall as he has a five race win streak at Grays Harbor Raceway. Vos held second with Jon Gunderson taking third.
Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints
Fast Time - Chase Goetz 12.372
Heat 1 - Chase Goetz
Heat 2 - Matt Loving
Heat 3 - Eric Turner
Main - Chase Goetz, Jesse Schlotfeldt, Brett McGhie, Kelsey Carpenter, Steve Parker, James Bundy, John Tharp, Bill Rude, Ashleigh Johnson, Eric Turner, Tom Weiss, Daniel Cernich, Corey Summers, Kyle Hanson, Malachi Gemmer, Cory Swatzina, Sean Johnson, Matt Loving
Lap Leaders - Rude 1-11 Goetz 12-14 Schlotfeldt 15-22 Goetz 23-25
NW Focus MIdgets
Heat 1 - Jared Peterson
Heat 2 - Colton Heath
Heat 3 - Nik Larson
Main - Nick Evans, Alex Peck, Jared Peterson, Nik Larson, Colton Heath, JD Dryden, Jake Munn, Michael Hodel, Ashley Thompson, Marty Rosler, Brian Holmkvist, Alden Ostrom, Jesse Munn, Ray Stebbins, Shane Smith
Lap Leaders - Peck 1-13 Evans 14-25
Outlaw Tuners
Heat 1 - Rick Young
Heat 2 - Howard Vos
Main - Cory Sweatman, Howard Vos, Jon Gunderson, Rick Young, Jon Edwards, Colin Sims, Zach Dalrymple, Mike Macpherson, Mike Thomas, Clint Meins, Tricia Michelson
Lap Leaders - Dalrymple 1-2 Vos 3-7 Sweatman 8-17
Article Credit: Kaleb Hart