Dwarf Car Nationals Report Southern Oregon Speedway

Medford, Oregon...August 6...Shawn Jones was unstoppable in winning his third consecutive WCDCA Pro Division Dwarf Car Nationals event at Southern Oregon Speedway Saturday night. Jones took the lead from Southern California star John Isabella on a lap ten restart and pulled away from there to the impressive victory in the 30 lap race. Jones also won the Preliminary Feature on Friday. Two time reigning SODCA champion Josh King borrowed the Ryan Winter car and came from deep in the pack for an impressive second place finish. Tim Fitzpatrick held off the challenges of Antioch Speedway point leader Kevin Miraglio to win the 20 lap Veteran Division Dwarf Car feature. In the Sportsman Dwarf Car class, Ben Wiesz repelled the advances of local SODCA competitor Cody Peters to win their 20 lap race.


The Top 10 finishers in the Friday night Pro Division Preliminary Main were locked into the show, and they ran a 10 lap Fast Dash to determine the first five rows of the Main Event. SBDCA point leader David Teves made a last lap pass to win that race ahead of John Isabella and Gene "Punky" Pires. Joe Frock won the first of three 10 lap heat races ahead of Jessica Clark. The heat races set the lineup for the 20 lap B Main. Michael "Spanky" Grenert won the second heat ahead of Matt Hagerman, and local ace Camden Robustelli won his heat ahead of Southern California hard charger Ronnie Williams. After flipping his car in the Fast Dash hot laps, Josh King was given the ride in the Ryan Winter car for the B Main. Frock led from start to finish to win that race. Robustelli spun from the Top 3 just before taking the white flag as Matt Sargent finished second ahead of Grenert, King and Hagerman.


Teves brought the 24 car Pro Division down for the green flag and set the early Main Event pace ahead of Isabella and Jones. An outside move on the back stretch of the fourth lap gained Isabella the lead, and Jones made an inside pass in Turn 1 a lap later to gain second. Pires was third on lap six, and John Chrisman and Willians got together in Turn 4 for a lap ten caution flag. Jones charged into the lead on the restart as two time Antioch champion Danny Wagner settled into third. Sargent and Frock tangled in Turn 3 for a lap 14 yellow flag. King was up to 4th from 14th starting by then, and he pulled even with Isabella in a good battle for second as Jones continued to lead the restart. A low move in Turn 4 of the 16th lap gained King second. Isabella regained second on lap 18 as five cars battled closely for that position. Grenert spun for a lap 18 caution flag, and another yellow flag botched the first restart attempt. Jones continued to lead the final restart, and he pulled away to a straightaway advantage over the second place battle. A low move in Turn 4 of the 22nd lap put King back into second, and Pires made a similar move two laps later to grab third. Jones capped his dominant weekend performance with an impressive win. King salvaged something from a bad night as he finished second ahead of Pires, Wagner, Isabella, Teves, Henry Corbin III, Guy Tow Jr., James Bringster and Sargent.


Buddy Olschowka went flag to flag to win the 10 lap Veteran Division Fast Dash. Dan Geil made a last lap pass on Kevin Miraglio to finish second. Mark Biscardi won the heat race as Scott Dahlgren made a last lap pass on Dan Zuger to finish second in the ten lapper. Olschowka led the opening lap of the Main Event before surrendering the lead to Dan Geil on a lap two restart. Clay Goben spun, but he got going and was lapped on lap four as Kevin Bender ran third. Miraglio took third on lap six before Mike Miller, Guy Tow Sr. and Zuger tangled in Turn 1 for a lap seven yellow flag. Geil led Olschowka on the restart as Bender reclaimed third. A low move in Turn 4 of the ninth lap gained Tim Fitzpatrick second from Olschowka. Don Gifford and Glenn Sciarani got together on the back stretch with Sciarani flipping for a lap nine red flag. He was not injured. Fitzpatrick, Olschowka and Miraglio raced into the Top 3 on the restart, and Miraglio gained second two laps later. Fitzpatrick and Miraglio pulled away just a bit as Biscardi gained third from Olchowka on lap 13 in a close three car battle. Scott Dahlgren raced by Biscardi for third on lap 17. Miraglio ran closely behind Fitzpatrick and gathered some momentum for a pass attempt as they exited Turn 2 working lap 18. Unfortunately. Miraglio brushed the back wall and lost that momentum. That was all Fitzpatrick needed as he brought it home to victory ahead of Miraglio, Dahlgren, Bicardi, Bender, Geil, Eric Weisler, Tow, Tommy Brown and Zuger.


Friday night Preliminary Feature winner Cody Peters won the Sportsman Division Fast Dash ahead of Ben Wiesz and Bud Lorenz. Kyle Jones took the checkered flag ahead of Ryan Klein and Brett Olney to win the ten lap heat race. Peters led the opening lap of the Main Event, but Wiesz found himself in the lead a lap later as Peters stalled on the back stretch with a flat tire. Ken Radabaugh took the lead on the restart, but Wiesz reclaimed the lead a lap later. An outside move on the front stretch of the sixth lap gained the flying Peters third from Tim Reeder, and he made a similar move two laps later to take second from Radabaugh. Peters quickly moved in to battle Wiesz for the lead as Radabaugh had his hands full battling Jones for third. Jones took third from Radabaugh on lap 15 just before a yellow flag flew for Klein. Wiesz maintained the lead on the restart as Peters searched high and low for a way around. However, Wiesz kept his cool and collected a well earned victory ahead of Peters, Jones, Radabaugh, Reeder, Olney, Randy Slater, Lorenz, Klein and Joe Sanders.


Race Results

Pro Dwarf Cars

Heat 1-Joe Frock, Jessica Clark, James Bringster. Heat 2-Michael Grenert, Matt Hagerman, Ryan Martinez. Heat 3-Camden Robustelli, Ronnie Williams, Matt Sargent. Fast Dash-David Teves, John Isabella, Gene Pires. B Main-Joe Frock, Sargent, Grenert, Josh King, Hagerman. Main Event-Shawn Jones, King, Pires, Danny Wagner, Isabella, Teves, Henry Corbin III, Guy Tow Jr., Bringster, Sargent, Chad Cardoza, Hagerman, Brock Peters, Williams, Kalvin Morton, Grenert, Robustelli, Jeremy Blackhere, Jessica Clark, Rob Gergel, Jeff Fitch, Dylan Chrisman, Martinez, Frock, John Chrisman.


Veteran Dwarf Car

Heat-Mark Biscardi, Scott Dahlgren, Dan Zuger. Fast Dash-Buddy Olschowka, Dan Geil, Kevin Miraglio. Main Event-Tim Fitzpatrick, Miraglio, Dahlgren, Biscardi, Kevin Bender, Geil, Eric Weisler, Guy Tow Sr., Tommy Brown, Zuger, Mike Miller, Olschowka, Clay Goben, Glenn Sciarani, Bill Van Praag, Jerry Hauck, Don Gifford.


Sportsman Dwarf Car

Heat-Kyle Jones, Ryan Klein, Brett Olney. Fast Dash-Cody Peters, Ben Wiesz, Bud Lorenz. Main Event-Wiesz, Peters, Jones, Ken Radabaugh, Tim Reeder, Olney, Randy Slater, Lorenz, Klein, Joe Sanders, Dennis Hiveley.





White City, Oregon...August 6...Subbing for Bill Trotter, Mark Minter won the 15 lap OTRO Hardtop Main Event Saturday night at Southern Oregon Speedway. Minter claimed the four lap Trophy Dash victory earlier in the evening, and his win snapped a three race win streak for Trevor Thomason. Jimmy Del Castille finished a season best second.


Minter started the evening off by winning the four lap Trophy Dash ahead of Del Castille. Thomason ended up with the six lap heat race win ahead of Del Castille after Minter's car caught fire while leading. Del Castille led the opening lap of the Main Event before Minter drove Bill Trotter's red #46 car past him into the lead. Thomason pitted off the back stretch as Dean Cass settled into third. Cass was making his first start of the season. Wylie Powell pitted the Dusty Trotter car on lap five, and Minter had a straightaway lead by lap seven. Minter lapped both Chris Mehrer and Brian Crouch by lap 12. Minter collected the victory ahead of Del Castille. Cass was lapped on the final lap as Mehrer, Crouch, Powell and Thomason completed the finishing order.


Race Results

OTRO Hardtops

Heat-Trevor Thomason, Jimmy Del Castille, Dean Cass. Trophy Dash-Mark Minter, Del Castille, Wylie Powell. Main Event-Minter, Del Castille, Cass, Chris Mehrer, Brian Crouch, Powell, Thomason.





White City, Oregon...August 5...Taking full advantage of his front row start, Shawn Jones led from start to finish to win the Pro Dwarf Car Preliminary Main Event in the Friday night opener for the WCDCA Dwarf Car Nationals at Southern Oregon Speedway. A regular with the NCDCA and SBDCA groups in California, Jones is the defending race champion, and he held off SBDCA Dwarf Car point leader David Teves for the victory. Taking the lead late from NCDCA regular Kevin Bender, SBDCA regular Eric Weisler won the 20 lap Sportsman Main Event. Bender spun late, allowing NCDCA star Buddy Olschowka to finish second. Rising young SODCA star Cody Peters won a mid race duel with Brett Olney to get his first Main Event win in the Sportsman class 20 lapper. Ben Wiesz benefited from an Olney spin to finish second. The Top 10 finishers in each race were locked into Saturday's Main Events.


The Pro class had 32 cars and ran four ten lap heat races. Teves beat CDCA star John Isabella by a good margin to win the first heat race. Jones won his heat ahead of SODCA star Kalvin Morton. SODCA point leader Brock Peters won his heat ahead of club rival Chad Cardoza, and reigning SBDCA champion Gene "Punky" Pires won his heat ahead of Camden Robustelli. Drivers who didn't make the cut battled in the 15 lap B Main to earn the remaining starting spots in the 24 car Preliminary Feature. Sin City Dwarf Car veteran Matt Sargent won that race ahead of Guy Tow Jr., Jeff Fitch and Jeremy Blackshere. Teves drew the pill for the Main Event and a #2 came up to put him on the outside front row next to Jones. Jones raced into the lead at the start with Teves not far behind in second. B. Peters settled into third with Pires and Isabella in close pursuit. A low move in Turn 4 of the tenth lap gained Pires third, and John Chrisman spun on the back stretch for the only yellow flag on lap 11. Jones continued to lead Teves and Pires as Isabella raced past Peters for fourth. Jones and Teves pulled away from the pack with Jones leading by about four car lengths when the checkered flag flew. Pires punched his ticket into Saturday's race with a third place finish as Isabella, Peters, Justin Yanez, two time Antioch Speedway champion Danny Wagner, Morton, Cardoza and two time reigning SODCA champion Josh King followed him into that race with their Top 10 finishes.


The Veteran Dwarf Car group ran three ten lap heat races and Antioch Speedway point leader Kevin Miraglio won his race ahead of Sin City racer Bill Van Praag. NCDCA regular Scott Dahlgren won his heat ahead of past SBDCA champion Mark Biscadi, and Kevin Bender won the last heat ahead of Buddy Olschowka. All 16 competitors ran the 20 lap Main Event, which had to be restarted after Biscardi spun exiting Turn 2, triggering a multi car pileup. Miraglio led the restart ahead of Bender and Van Praag. A low move in Turn 4 of the third lap gained Bender the lead from Miraglio as Olschowka and Weisler both raced by Van Praag for third and fourth. A low move in Turn 3 of the fourth lap gained the flying Weisler second from Miraglio as Olschowka followed closely in third. The lead three cars staged a good battle up front, and Olschowka made a low pass in Turn 4 of the ninth lap to take second from Weisler. Weisler came back strong on the outside to reclaim the position a lap later. Bender and Weisler began to pull away in slower traffic, and the battle heated up on lap 17 as Weisler made an inside pass in Turn 2 to take the lead from Bender. On lap 19, Bender spun in Turn 2 trying to regain the lead, and Weisler cruised to victory from there. Olschowka finished second ahead of Tim Fitzpatrick, Dan Geil, Miraglio, Bender, Van Praag, Jerry Hauck, Zuger and Tommy Brown.


Cody Peters won the first ten lap Sportsman heat race ahead of NCDCA competitor Ken Radabaugh. Kyle Jones won the second heat ahead of Ben Wiesz. All 13 cars started the Main Event, and Wiesz raced into the early lead ahead of Brett Olney. A lap one caution flag flew when Joe Sanders stalled on the back stretch. Olney led Peters on the restart. Tim Reeder did a complete 360 on the back stretch on lap three and kept going. Ryan Klein spun in Turn 2 for a lap four caution flag. Peters presented a serious challenge to Olney on the restart as the two battled side by side at times. A low move in Turn 4 of the tenth lap gained Peters the lead. Olney spun off of Turn 2 and into the infield on lap 12, losing a lap in the process. Peters lost a straightaway lead when a lap 16 caution flag flew for a multi car crash in Turn 2. Peters led Wiesz and Bud Lorenz on the restart, and the lead trio ran in order to the checkered flag. Tim Reeder salvaged a fourth place finish ahead of Josh Fuller, David Braun, Dennis Hively, Wiesz, Olney and Klein..


Race Results

Pro Dwarf Car

Heat 1-David Teves, John Isabella, Josh King. Heat 2-Shawn Jones, Kalvin Morton, Danny Wagner. Heat 3-Brock Peters, Chad Cardoza, Ryan Smith. Heat 4-Gene Pires, Camden Robustelli, Justin Yanez. B Main-Matt Sargent, Guy Tow Jr., Jeff Fitch, Jeremy Blackshere, Jimmy Bringster. A Main Event-Jones, Teves, Pires, Isabella, Peters, Yanez, Wagner, Morton, Cardoza, King, Sargent, Joe Frock, Mike Martinez, Blackshere, Robustelli, Fitch, Michael Grenert, Tow, Ryan Smith, Ronnie Williams, Colby Wiesz, Bringster, Matt Hagerman, John Chrisman.


Veteran Dwarf Car

Heat 1-Kevin Miraglio, Bill Van Praag, Guy Tow Sr. Heat 2-Scott Dahlgren, Mark Biscardi, Dan Geil. Heat 3-Kevin Bender, Buddy Olschowka, Dan Zuger. Main Event-Eric Weisler, Olschowka, Tim Fitzpatrick, Geil, Miraglio, Bender, Bill Van Praag, Jerry Hauck, Zuger, Tommy Brown, Don Gifford, Tow, Glenn Sciarani, Dahlgren, Biscardi, Mike Miller.


Sportsman Dwarf Car

Heat 1-Cody Peters, Ken Radabaugh, Tim Reeder. Heat 2-Kyle Jones, Ben Wiesz, Ryan Klein. Main Event-Peters, B. Wiesz, Jesse Lorenz, Reeder, Sean Fuller, David Braun, Dennis Hively, Josh Wiesz, Brett Olney, Klein, Joe Sanders, Jones, Radabaugh.