Crockett Three-Peats inASCS Northwest Speedweek with Banks Win
Craig Murphy, BANKS, Ore. (July 17, 2008) – Another ASCS Northwest Speedweek night, another battle between Roger Crockett and Danny Lasoski.
A night after the two star drivers collided while going for the lead three laps from the end in Lebanon, Crockett and Lasoski battled again Thursday night at the ¼-mile Sunset Speedway Park.
This time there was no contact as Crockett wrapped up the Oregon portion of the ASCS (American Sprint Car Series) Northwest Region Speed Week 2008 with his third straight win as the tour visited Banks for the first time. Finishing behind Crockett and Lasoski were Jay Cole, Seth Bergman and Kyle Hirst.
Thanks to the pill draw, Crockett started the 30-lap feature from the pole alongside Hirst, with Lasoski starting third. Crockett immediately jumped to the lead, while Lasoski took second on the opening lap. The two drivers were expected to battle for a third consecutive night, especially when they lined up at the front.
Instead, it was everyone Crockett beat once again, something Lasoski
feared could happen after the pill draw.
Lasoski gave a challenge on a lap 8 restart, but couldn’t make the low groove work. While the leaders faced lapped traffic, the impact was somewhat impacted by a few yellows and a red. The red was for a lap 21 accident between Jayme Barnes and Rob Held, and happened in front of Crockett. The turn 3 accident led Crockett to take a shortcut through the infield.
With yellows giving leaders a break from having to work lapped traffic, that was fine by Crockett. “The yellows didn’t hurt my feelings any,” Crockett said.
Lasoski, on the other hand, wanted the race to stay green. “Lapped traffic was our only shot to do anything,” Lasoski said. “I went low on that one restart, but I didn’t have enough to clear him.”
Behind the front two, Cole rumbled from his eighth starting position to claim third. On the final restart Cole was able to keep up with Lasoski, but couldn’t make a move. “I used the top a little bit when it was good up there, then I went back to the bottom,” Cole said. “These guys on this team gave me something I could drive.”
Cole struggled at the start of Speed Week, but now has momentum heading to Friday and Saturday’s Evergreen State Sprint Challenge at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash. Cole won the event in 2006 over NASCAR star Kasey Kahne and Jason Sides, a World of Outlaw driver who was piloting the Doyle’s ride for that year’s Speed Week.
Crockett is now tied for Brent Kaeding for second in career Northwest Speed Week wins with 10.
This win came on a track that was something of an unknown for everyone.
After the drivers were introduced at the start of the evening, Lasoski and Crockett engaged in a rather heated conversation along the frontstretch. Lasoski slapped Crockett on the back side of the head at one point, in a conversation that took place less than 24 hours after Crockett squeezed Lasoski into the wall.
Afterwards, Crockett declined to say what Lasoski said to him.
Lasoski flashed a quick grin when asked what he told Crockett.
Thursday’s race was the fourth of six straight nights of racing for the annual Northwest Speed Week, and concluded the Oregon portion of the week. Crockett took home $1,500 for his win.
The three heat races were won by Chad Groves, Lasoski, and Cole. The top 16 in points after the heat races transferred to the 20-car feature. With 27 cars on hand, just one B-Main was run. The top four of Dan Dunlap, Jeffery Rivers, Shane Forte and Ryan Gomes transferred to the A-Main.
Northwest Speed Week ends in Washington with the two-day Evergreen State Sprint Challenge at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma. Hot laps on both Friday and Saturday will be at approximately 6 p.m., with racing at 7.
ASCS Northwest Speedweek Round Three Results from Sunset Speedway:
For more information: www.ascsracing.com or www.ascsnorthwest.com |