McLeod Wins in First Ever Open Race at Deming Speedway

4/19/19

Everson, WA – It’s rare to see a driver making his debut in a division take a feature win, but Tyler McLeod did just that in the Speedmart 600 Open class on A-1 Welding and Scrap It Stow It Night at Deming Speedway. Other feature winners included Chance Crum, Blaine Granberg and Levi Kuntz.

With an open track in front of him, McLeod was fast and consistent, opening up a four car length lead on Kyle Johnson in the early stages of the race. That lead would evaporate as the lead pack entered slower traffic, with McLeod easing his way into the back of the field and Johnson closing right up to his rear bumper. With 15 laps complete, Johnson took his shot, diving inside of McLeod and shuffling him back two positions with Jared Peterson following him through. The move was negated however, as a caution before all cars could complete the 16th lap reverted the field to the previous running order, handing the top spot back to Tyler. With ten laps to go, McLeod made no mistakes, going the rest of the way to take the victory. Johnson would settle for second with Peterson in tow for third. McLeod, Keith Wickard and Ryley Mayer won the heats.

Lapped traffic played a major factor in the finish of the Shots 2 Go Espresso 1200 feature. Clennon Holloway held the early advantage before slower traffic helped Chance Crum close the distance and threaten the leader. In the midst of the slower cars, Crum made an inside pass on Holloway on the bottom of turn two on the 13th lap to take the lead and rocketed away to the win, with Holloway settling for second and Steven Hendrickson coming up to third, Heat wins went to Holloway, Nate Vaughn and Tyson Lemley.

Blaine Granberg has kicked off defense of his championship in the Mytrafficman.NET 600 Restricted division with a bang, winning the first two main events of the year and leading every lap of the feature in each win. Numerous challengers would come through the field to try and give Blaine a run, but he was up to the task each time in securing the win. Keira Zylstra was the eventual runner up with Brody Ferguson taking third. Seth Anderlini, Kai Dixon and Jake Trueman were the heat race winners.

For the second straight week, Levi Kuntz made a late race pass to take the win in the Clean Crawls Junior Sprints. With two laps remaining, Kuntz rolled around Drake Hadlock to take the top spot and eventual win. Peyton Drake and Kane Van Sickle also got around in the exchange and filled out the final two podium spots. Drake and Levi HIllier won the heats.

Speedmart 600 Open
Heat 1 – Keith Wickard, Kaitlyn Hammer, Reece Goetz, Dakota Drake, Tyson Lemley, Jason Schapansky, Colin Mackey
Heat 2 – Tyler McLeod, Jared Peterson, Chance Crum, Ryan Van Baal, Rachel Westmoreland, Parker Hadlock, Jesse Schlotfeldt
Heat 3 – Ryley Mayer, Dylan Resch, Kyle Johnson, Ryan Holz, Reese Wickard, Levi Klatt, Austin Edson
Main – Tyler McLeod, Johnson, Peterson, Crum, Mayer, Hammer, Schlotfeldt, Resch, Goetz, Drake, K Wickard, Hadlock, Mackey, R Wickard, Holz, Van Baal, Klatt, Lemley, Westmoreland, Edson
Lap Leaders – McLeod 1-25
Hard Charger – Schlotfeldt +13

Shots 2 Go Espresso 1200
Heat 1 – Clennon Holloway, Steven Hendrickson, Alex Lewis, Dick Williams, Derek Holmwood, Tanner Reid
Heat 2 – Tyson Lemley, Chance Crum, Frosty Metcalfe, Seth Hespe, Alan Lindquist, Tanner Schoonover
Heat 3 – Nate Vaughn, Jared Gundersen, Cal Herdson, Terry Lewis, Bryce Bogardus, Dakota Drake
Main – Chance Crum, Holloway, Hendrickson, Hespe, A Lewis, Holmwood, Herdson, Metcalfe, Drake, T Lewis, Bogardus, Schoonover, Lindquist, Williams, Lemley, Reid, Gundersen
Lap Leaders – Holloway 1-12 Crum 13-25
Hard Charger – Holmwood +9

Mytrafficman.NET 600 Restricted
Heat 1 – Seth Anderlini, Blaine Granberg, Brody Ferguson, Jesson Jacobson, Catherine Fagerlie
Heat 2 – Kai Dixon, Levi Klatt, Malachi Gemmer, Audrey Balmert, Carson Guffie, Allison Johnson
Heat 3 – Jake Trueman, Keira Zylstra, Tank Chorney, Haylee Bloodgood, Rylee Kentch, Diane Knutzen
Main – Blaine Granberg, Zylstra, Ferguson, Jacobson, Chorney, Gemmer, Guffie, Kentch, Knutzen, Bloodgood, Anderlini, Trueman, Balmert, Conley, Fagerlie, Johnson, Klatt
Lap Leaders – Granberg 1-25
Hard Charger – Knutzen +7

Clean Crawls Jr Sprints
Heat 1 – Peyton Drake, Levi Kuntz, Kane Van Sickle, Chase Whitney, Realee Bourdon, Cruz Kentch
Heat 2 – Levi Hillier, Drake Hadlock, Orin Biggs, McKenna Morgan, Jonathan Bright, Carson Van Baal
Main – Levi Kuntz, Drake, Van Sickle, Hillier, Hadlock, Morgan, Biggs, Kentch, Bright, Van Baal, Whitney, Bourdon
Lap Leaders – Hadlock 1-17 Kuntz 18-20
Hard Charger – Kuntz +3