By Kaleb Hart for Skagit Speedway, 8/15/2009
ALGER, Wash — Blazing fast track conditions set the stage for some fantastic racing on round 16 of the Foothills Toyota Tundra Racing Series at Skagit Speedway.
In the Associated Asphalt 410s, the night began with four drivers eclipsing the 6-year old track record of Kasey Kahne, with Travis Rutz topping them all in the Rudeen Racing #26 Maxim.
The track retained its speed all night, with Rutz and Jayme Barnes duking it out at high speeds during the main, with Barnes at one point running at 10.920 second lap in race conditions. It was Barnes taking the point on the start, piloting his LAW Motorsports #33 XXX to the lead with Rutz in tow.
Rutz kept Barnes close, eventually getting him in traffic on lap 10. Rutz would hold off Barnes for the remaining laps to score the victory for the Rudeen team, redemption a for them after coming so close to winning the 360 nationals two weeks ago.
Following Rutz and Barnes to the stripe was Travis Jacobson in the M&S Motorsports #18 Eagle. Heat wins went Jacobson and Jesse Whitney in the precise Machining #88 Eagle.
Rutz plus Barnes, Rick Fauver and Nick Engberg all timed in under the track record.
Mike Melwicks made his return to victory lane at Skagit Speedway, piloting his CSA Transportation #2 Maxim to the checkered flag after leading all 25 laps of the Budweiser 360 Sprint main.
Melwicks was followed by Brian Kirkpatrick in the K&B Racing #5k XXX. Third was points leader Brock Lemley in the Haling Seafood #40 XXX. Heat race wins went to Travis Rutz in the Rutz Family #8 XXX, Kelsey Carpenter in the Dri-Eaz #79k XXX and Mike Harris in the Shark Racing Engines #44 XXX. Kirkpatrick set quick time.
Kelsey Carpenter went wire to wire for the win in the Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints, his astounding eighth win of 2009 in his Dri-Eaz #27c XXX. Bill Rude grabbed another second place finish in the North Cascade Ford #33 Eagle. Third was Michael Bollinger in the Sunworks Tanning #73 Maxim. Heat races went to Curtis Clark in the Curtis C Plumbing #2 Rocket and Carpenter.
Wade Swatzina has been a front running car all year in the Outlaw Hornet class, and further cemented his status as one of the cars to beat each and every week by taking the win over his brother Cory and Freddy Vela. Heat race wins went to Ken Higby and Don Ward, who led the first nine laps of the main before smacking the back stretch wall.
Next weekend is Round 17 of the Foothills Toyota Tundra Racing Series, with all four classes in action. Racing is presented by Janicki Industries and it will also be Scouting Night and Burn Foundation Recovery night. All scouts in uniform will get in free of charge, and we will be raising funds for the burn foundation as well. Gates open at 530 with racing to follow. For all the information on Skagit Speedway, go to www.skagitspeedway.com
Results
Cook Road Shell Sportsman Sprints
Heat 1 – Curtis Clark, Michael Bollinger, Matt Van Der Sys, Paul Burdick, Nick Dunham, Ron Butler, Luke Didiuk
Heat 2 -Kelsey Carpenter, Bill Rude, Marc Schutte, Lyle Woods, Devin Barnes, Glen Reinstra, Cale Brooke, Ray Parker
Main – Kelsey Carpenter, Rude, Bollinger, Van Der Sys, Schutte, Burdick, Clark, Dunham, Brooke, Butler, Barnes, Reinstra, Woods, Parker
Lap Leaders – Carpenter 1-20
Budweiser 360 Sprints
Fast Time – Brian Kirkpatrick 11.663
Heat 1 – Travis Rutz, Alan Munn, Jared Peterson, B.Kirkpatrick, Steve James, Paul Hopkins, Robby Vaughn
Heat 2 – Kelsey Carpenter, Rod Perkins, Mike Melwicks, Danny Kirkpatrick, Clayton Sibley, Bud Ashe
Heat 3 – Mike Harris, Shane Broers, Brock Lemley, Evan Funk, Steve Parker, Steve Tupper
Main – Mike Melwicks, B.Kirkpatrick, Lemley, Rutz, Funk, Harris, James, Broers, Munn, Parker, Sibley, Tupper, Carpenter, Hopkins, Peterson, D.Kirkpatrick, Perkins
Lap Leaders – Melwicks 1-25
Associated Asphalt 410 Sprints
Fast Time – Travis Rutz 11.020 New Track Record
Heat 1 – Jesse Whitney, Barry Martinez, Rutz, Rick Fauver, Brock Lemley, Eric Fisher, Josh Edson, Kelleigh Johnson
Heat 2 – Travis Jacobson, Jayme Barnes, Nick Engberg, Kevin Smith, Colton Heath, Rick Ziehl, Cam Smith, Dj Kosa
Main – Travis Rutz, Barnes, Jacobson, Fauver, Lemley, Engberg, Heath, Fisher, Whitney, Edson, K.Smith, Johnson, Kosa, C.Smith, Ziehl, Martinez
Lap Leaders – Barnes 1-9 Rutz 10-25
Outlaw Hornets
Heat 1 – Ken Higby, Freddy Vela, Howard Vos, Cory Swatzina, James Bundy, Matt Ploeg, Larry Kwik, Jerry Birdsey Jr, Stacy Day, Jim Solver, Kenny Harris
Heat 2 – Don Ward, Ashley Lewellen, Wade Swatzina, Jon Edwards, Ben Gunderson, The Rookie, Vance Hibbard, Dave Erlandson
Main – Wade Swatzina, C.Swatzina, Vela, Lewellen, Bundy, Gunderson, Terry Graul, The Rookie, Day, Kwik, Erlandson, Hibbard, Higby, Vos, Ward, Edwards, Ploeg, Birdsey Jr, Harris, Dopey the Mechanic
Lap Leaders – Ward 1-9 W.Swatzina 10-20
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