Kirkpatrick records first feature win at Skagit Speedway

Published 3:01 am Sunday, June 29, 2008

ALGER, Wash. — You’re never too old to get your first feature race victory.

Danny Kirkpatrick scored the first main event win of his seven year career at the age of 52 in the Budweiser 360 class on Saturday, June 28, on Learned Commercial Little League Night at Skagit Speedway.

Kirkpatrick started on the pole and led the initial lap with Cory Chamberlain in pursuit. Chamberlain found room inside of Kirkpatrick on the subsequent lap in turn 2 and moved past Kirkpatrick for the lead.

Kirkpatrick battled back, finding good grip on the bottom of the raceway as the handle went away on Chamberlain’s car. Kirkpatrick drove hard underneath Chamberlain going into turn 3 on the eighth lap and Chamberlain couldn’t get enough forward bite to hold him off.

Although Chamberlain, and later Shane Broers, tried to challenge him, Kirkpatrick held on for the victory. Chamberlain was second, Broers finished third, Brian Kirkpatrick was fourth and Mike Melwicks rounded out the top five.

Steve Kilcup was the quick time with a lap of 12.284 seconds and Mack Brown, Alan Munn and Broers won the heat races.

In the Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints, Kyle Oman took the lead — and then the checkered flag — after Devin Barnes and Kelsey Carpenter wrecked on lap 11 while trying to get around a lapped car.

Marc Schutte finished second, Matt Van Der Sys was third, Bill Rude came in fourth and Ryan Ringhouse was fifth.

The Sportsman Sprints timed in for the first time in 2008 and Carpenter set a new track record with a timed lap of 13.705 seconds. Heat race wins went to Devin Madonia and Rude.

The Wilson Auto Brokers Outlaw Hornets ran dual mains with a couple veterans scoring wins. Ken Higby won the first main event, passing Travis Meins on the second lap. The second main event went to Greg Hibma who led wire to wire. Both main event winners ended up finishing almost a half lap ahead of the second place finishers. Heat race winners were Marshall Corbell and Rick Young. Young took third in the first main and second in the second main. Karl Dahl took second in the first main. Travis Meins was third in the second main.

Saturday, June 28 at Alger, Wash.

Budweiser 360 Sprints

Fast Time – Steve Kilcup 12.284

Heat 1 – Alan Munn, Danny Kirkpatrick, Jason Cocking, Steve Kilcup, Eddie Evans, Bud Ashe

Heat 2 – Shane Broers, Derek Holmwood, Brian Kirkpatrick, Mike Melwicks, Chuck Ashe, Blake Cook

Heat 3 – Mack Brown, Robby Vaughn, Cory Chamberlain, Eddie Isackson, Randy Dubois, Steve Parker

Main – Danny Kirkpatrick, Chamberlain, Broers, B.Kirkpatrick, Melwicks, Munn, Holmwood, Brown, C.Ashe, Isackson, Cook, Cocking, Evans, B.Ashe, Kilcup, Vaughn

Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints

Fast Time – Kelsey Carpenter NTR 13.705

Heat 1 – Devin Madonia, Kelsey Carpenter, Devin Barnes, Glen Reinstra, Steve James, Jarrid Zimmerman, Dave Mead, Mark Richmond

Heat 2 – Bill Rude, Kyle Oman, Ryan Nootenboom, Marc Schutte, Ryan Ringhouse, Matt Van Der Sys, Cale Brooke

Main – Kyle Oman, Schutte, Van Der Sys, Rude, Ringhouse, Carpenter, Zimmerman, Richmond, Brooke, Madonia, Barnes, Reinstra, Mead, James, Nootenboom

Wilson Auto Broker Outlaw Hornets

Heat 1 – Marshall Corbell

Heat 2 – Rick Young

Main 1 – Ken Higby, Karl Dahl, Rick Young, Greg Hibma, Wendy Johnson, Travis Meins, Wade Swatzina, Jessie Eldridge, Clayton Sibly, Freddy Vela, James Sims, Scott Naylor, Marshall Corbell, Jon Edwards, Howard Vos, Stacy Day, Ronda Eszlinger, Adam Holtrop, Glen Rankin, Gary Rice, Bobby Collins, Tyler Ketchum, David Hoag

Main 2 – Greg Hibma, Rick Young, Travis Meins. Further results on hornet main two available at www.skagitspeedway.com.