5/30/2024
Southern Oregon Speedway
Braaten Scores 2024 R. Charles Snyder Salute Victory; Pearce And Godard Also Triumphant
Braaten Scores 2024 R. Charles Snyder Salute Victory; Pearce And Godard Also Triumphant
By Ben Deatherage
White City, Oregon—The R. Charles Snyder Classic, a highly anticipated event, saw over seventy cars from all over the Western United States and Iowa return to Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday, May 26th. This was the concluding round of the Classic, with big money at stake for all three divisions, including the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern Sport Mods, and Iron Giant Street Stocks.
For the $7007 to win Friesen Performance IMCA Northern Sport Mod finale, Ethan Killingsworth beat out Susanville, California youngster Cole Olexiewicz for the lead when the action started. The Yreka, California sensation of Killingsworth had to deal with three restarts within the first dozen laps and was flawless in reestablishing a big lead.
On the fourteenth circuit, Central Point's Jorddan Braaten battled Matt Sanders from Brookings in a sensational second-place battle, with Braaten eventually gaining the advantage.
Around the midway point, Braaten set his sights on Killingsworth, and things got very interesting on the twenty-sixth circuit when the both of them got into some heavy-lapped traffic, a common challenge in a forty-lap race. A couple of laps later, the two would fight it out for first place, navigating through the traffic with precision and skill.
Braaten's patience paid off in turn four on the thirty-second trip to the wire when he slipped underneath Killingsworth to obtain the top spot. His strategic move was a key part of his victory, as he was able to create some space between himself and Killingsworth by making a key pass around a slower car.
Killingsworth had his hands full trying to hold off Sanders for second, with Sanders getting around him on lap thirty-three. Two late-race cautions kept the field close and allowed Sanders to challenge Braaten.
In the closing moments of the contest, Sanders showed some speed and got close to Braaten but could not overtake him. Braaten, with his unwavering determination and skill, held on to win his second race of 2024 and took home the lucrative big money.
Sanders scored second, while Killingsworth placed third. Coburg's Jesse Williamson was fourth, followed by defending state champion Trevor Points from Salem.
The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds had $3007 on the line for their feature and turned out to be a great race. Things started with Yreka, California veteran Travis Peery seizing first place early.
While Peery tried to walk away from the rest of the competition, Klamath Fall's Nick Trenchard battled hard for the runner-up position with Andrew Pearce of Oakley, California.
Trenchard would secure second and charged to the front and, by lap four, was dueling with Peery for first. Utilizing the high side of the racing surface, Trenchard and Peery briefly got together, allowing Pearce to perform a double overtake on lap four.
The only stoppage of the race occurred on the sixth circuit. On the restart, Peery tried to thread the needle past Pearce, but again, Pearce stayed in front of him.
On lap seventeen, Trenchard renewed his pursuit for second, which allowed Pearce to construct a large lead. However, he would get bottled up in heavy lapped traffic, allowing some challengers to come to call. With just a couple of circuits remaining, Peery gave it his all to navigate around the leader. Still, Pearce successfully kept him in check to score the big payday in one of the biggest paying events in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region.
Peery was the runner-up, followed by Trenchard in third. Prescott Valley, Arizona's Timothy Allerdings wound up fourth, with fifth going to defending state champion Carter Patterson from Albany.
In the opening of the Iron Giant Street Stock feature, Jared Simmons, from Cottage Grove, faced intense pressure from his competitors. Jasper's Andrew Langan, racing for car owner Josh Linville, and Taunton Swaim of Dexter were relentless in their pursuit. However, Simmons, with his unwavering determination, managed to keep them at bay and continued to lead the race.
Things would slow down for a couple of lap four cautions, but things would get back to intense racing with the waving of the green flag. Once green flag action resumed, Simmons powered ahead of the rest of the pack but then started to feel the heat around the tenth circuit when Monmouth's Sam Potter got alongside him briefly.
Simmons would receive a new challenger with the likes of Dakota Godard around the twentieth lap. Godard, out of Albany, was in a position to perform a pass around the leader, but a yellow flag would hit the pause button on the battle with eleven laps remaining.
With the green flag dropped, Simmons, Godard, and Potter battled for the lead in a three-car race. On lap twenty, Godard won the race by a whisker over Potter to become the new race leader. Godard pulled away from the rest as the green flag run developed. He looked to be on his way to victory when a stoppage on lap twenty-four slowed the field down.
Potter tried his best to keep up with Godard, but Godard was the first to score the $1,500.00 top prize! Potter was second, followed by Simmons in third. Langan and Swaim were fourth and fifth in the Top Five.
Southern Oregon Speedway returns to racing on Saturday, June 8th, for Diamond Home Improvement Night. Classes in action include the Dave's Home Supply Iron Head Sprint Series, Outlaw Pro Stocks, Rapp Racing Super 4's, Stone Heating & Air Dwarf Cars, and Sport Compacts. For more information, visit www.southernoregonmotorsports.com.
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage