6/25/2023
Skagit Speedway
JUSTIN SANDERS WINS THE 51st ANNUAL JIM RAPER MEMORIAL SUPER DIRT CUP
Alger, WA (6/24/23) – The 51st Annual Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup is in the books, and it was one to remember for a long time, and for race winner Justin Sanders it will be one that he will remember for a lifetime.
Winning any race is exciting, but when you win $62,000 plus an added $20,000 for leading every lap ($500 for each lap lead) in a 40-lap A-Main the excitement and emotion rise even more. Leading from the drop of the green flag Sanders looked like he had the car to beat. Staring outside Dominic Scelzi, Sanders got the initial jump and cruised up to the high side like there was no tomorrow.
Even though Sanders lead every lap in the feature he did not do it without challenge. Once the race entered lap traffic Scelzi was the first to take a run at Sanders, but despite his best efforts, he was not able to get the pass completed. After a couple of cautions and restarts, Scelzi’s car seemed to go away.
While Scelzi fell back, Zeb Wise who started outside row two moved into second place and started doing everything he could to get by Sanders but it was to no avail, as the California native was able to hold Wise off to claim a crown jewel event on the Westcoast.
“I didn’t even think about it,” Sanders said about fighting Zeb Wise in traffic. “Once I saw his nose down there in one and two, I had to go no matter what It took to get by those lap cars, I just had to throttle down as hard as I could. Run the middle, run the bottom whatever I had to do.”
In the Northwest Focus Midget, A-Main, Ross Rankine was in another zip code as he pulled out to a dominant lead off the initial start and never looked back, leading all 25 laps in a race that went green to checkered. Jared Peterson was able to move up a spot to second, but stalled out after that. Moving up with him was Jeff Westergard who had a very strong Dirt Cup with podiums all three nights.
Full Results:
410s
B-Main: Greg Hamilton, Chase Johnson, Justin Youngquist, Colby Thornhill, Justyn Cox, Jessie Attard, Joel Myers Jr., Bud Kaeding, Andy Caruana, Cam Smith, Eric Fisher, Kelly Miller, Bailey Jean, Sean MacDonell, Ashleigh Anstensen, Mike Brown, James Bundy, Corey Summers, Dana Glenn, Austen Wheatley, Luke Didiuk
A-Main: Justin Sanders, Zeb Wise, Corey Day, Dominic Scelzi, Tanner Holmes, Cole Macedo, Jason Solwold, Shane Golobic, Colby Copeland, D.J. Netto, Jesse Schlotfeldt, Dylan Bloomfield, Justyn Cox, Aaron Reutzel, Willie Croft, Chase Johnson, Logan Forler, Greg Hamilton, Tyler Thompson, Justin Youngquist, Nick Parker, Joel Myers Jr., Jessie Attard, Colby Thornhill, Trey Starks, Andy Caruana.
Lap Leaders: Justin Sanders 1-40
Northwest Focus Midget:
B-Main: Chris Foster, Randy Schaaf, Mike Roberts, Tyler Luce, Roger Burt, Duane Swanson, Ayuka Carlson, Stuart Milner, Dale Creager, Joe Shawley, JD Lewis, Brian Hayes, Austin Carey, Shawn Wallenfelsz Jr., Derek Amundson, Gary Wegener, Ben Beck
A-Main: Ross Rankine, Jared Peterson, Jeff Westergard, Shane Smith, Alex Peck, Nick Evans Levi Klatt, Jonathan Jorgenson, Michael Hodel, Ashley Thompson, Jake Munn, Stewart Lee, Kyle Hanson, Brian Holmkvist, Tyler Ketchum, Chuck Pierce, Randy Shaaf, Chris Foster, Brian Rose, Tyler Luce, Jason Thomas, Mike Roberts, Bryan Murphy, David Mills.
Lap Leader: Ross Rankine 1-25