Shaw Back in Victory Lane
MARYSVILLE RACEWAY
(July 24, 2021) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Koen Shaw Back in Victory Lane
Fresno’s Koen Shaw made a rare appearance at Marysville Raceway but walked away with the winner’s trophy. Shaw led all 25-laps to secure the winged 360 sprint car win. The race was marred by seven cautions. In fact, it took three attempts to get the first lap completed. Early on Angelo Cornett was running in the second spot. Unfortunately for him, on lap 10, he spun in turn one and stopped. This moved Casey Schmitz into the second spot. Tonight, was Casey’s first start at Marysville and he did not disappoint. Schmitz behind the wheel of the famed Clyde Lamar No. 3c, did an amazing job and held on to a second-place finish. Chasing him near the end was fast time qualifier Brent Bjork. Bjork was caught up in a wreck on the second attempt at a start. Bjork restarted 16th and raced his way back into a third-place finish. Ninth place starting Drake Standley was solid all night. Standley drove up into a fourth-place finish. Fifth spot went to John Clark. Twenty of the 23 drivers earned a main event starting spot.
Championship point leader Billy Wallace was involved in a lap-six crash and could not return. Steel Powell and Nick Larson were also involved. Up front it was all about Koen Shaw. He drove a flawless race. Shaw also had the fastest lap of the race at 13.932.
Kevin Lovell won the 10-lap B main event. Shaw, Cornett and Korey Lovell each won their eight-lap heat race.
Spencer Slocum led most of the Crate Sprint Car 20-lap main event. Yet, in the end, it was Olivehurst’s Jason Ballentine who visited victory lane for the first time in his career. It was an exciting race. Only three cautions slowed down the fast-paced event. Slocum was solid up front for most of the race. Spencer led up until lap 16 when he bobbled through a turn and lost the lead. Ballentine passed both Brett Youngman and Slocum for the lead coming to complete lap 17. Youngman held the second spot while Slocum fell to third. They stayed in the same order at the checkered flag. David Simms moved to fourth on lap four and ended up finishing fourth. Mike Ballentine rounded out the top five. Wyatt Van Lare won the first heat race in honor of his 15th birthday today. Cameron Haney Jr. won the second heat race.
The 20-lap Hobby Stock race had a dramatic ending that didn’t even take place on the track. Two of the top cars were disqualified by a post-race tech inspection. Even though he didn’t see the checkered flag first on the track, Chris Van Roekel received his winning trophy in the pit area. Jerry Bartlett officially finished second. Shannon Collins finished third. Howard Law was the driver to beat all night. Law was almost one-full second faster than any other driver tonight. On lap nine, Jason Clayton got loose and clipped Law. Both cars were too damaged to continue. There was good racing from the front to the back during this 20-lap race. Devin Koranda won the exciting B main event. Joe Gillock won the first eight-lap heat. Kyle Cheney grabbed the win in heat two. Jacob Johnson won heat three. During the main event, Johnson had an issue with his nose piece. Under a red flag condition, a crew member tore some of the loose debris off. Johnson was sent to the back on the restart because he has work done to his car on the track. Zach Lindgren won the fourth heat race. A solid 25 competitors competed.
Full results can be found here https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/1890015
