LEBANON, Ore -- Yogi Berra once had a famous quote “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” That phrase is a perfect example of how the main event played out in the USRA Modified feature on Saturday October 6th. The race saw more twists and turns in the main events than a country back road.

The end result would see Craig Hanson emerge the victor in the 2012 edition of the Fall Classic. The race marked the first time since 2009 in which there has been a Fall Classic. Since then weather has forced the cancellation of the event with the arrival of the traditional cold and wet October climate.

The thirty-lap feature started off with Springfield’s Mike Miller seizing the lead in his X-Factor Race Cars #1X entry. Miller would be the trailblazer in the early goings before the 2012 USRA Modified champion at Willamette Speedway, Kyle Yeack, would overtake him for the top spot.

Yeack, of nearby Crawfordsville, looked to earn his fourteenth victory of the year adding to his five Modified triumphs and eight Classic Sportsman wins. The Mountain View Woodworking Inc./Cascade Outdoor Power Equipment #47 Pro would show the way until Mark Wauge came into the mixture.

Mark Wauge, the 2012 Southern Oregon Speedway USRA Modified titlist, had a remarkable campaign in his own right earning victories at the Shipwreck Beads Northwest Modified Nationals at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington as well as the Dancin Bare Topless 100 at Sunset Speedway Park in Banks. Earning the Willamette Speedway season opener to his impressive résumé Wauge looked to find victory lane after a tough DNF at the Modified Tribute To Clair in August.

The driver of the Skinner Autoplex/Meineke Car Care Center #1M Loose Gruff would pass Yeack for the lead on the twelfth circuit as the leaders were in lapped traffic. Yeack would regain the lead on lap eighteen after mastering a slide job in turns one and two just laps after having made significant contact with the outside retaining wall.

Wauge kept Yeack under pressure and kept the youngster on his toes the rest of the way. Wauge would pass Yeack for the lead on lap twenty-five to reclaim the lead. Yeack mounted a counteroffensive and made a move on the inside of turn two on lap twenty-seven when the power plant would give was and go up in smoke. Initial reports from the team believe that a valve had stuck rendered the engine inoperable.

On the ensuing restart the leader Wauge would have problems. The leader’s machine had run out of fuel and rolled to a halt despite smoking which was a result from a small oil leak. With Wauge and Yeack out of commission and only three laps to go it opened the race up to a free-for-all.

Craig Hanson, second generation driver from Albany, inherited the lead and had put on a great race for third with Dustin Dittman as Wauge and Yeack contested for the lead. Hanson would keep back all challengers for the rest of the distance to put his Virgil Hanson Automotive Machine/BSB Manufacturing #33C Shaw in victory lane.

The Susan River Reality/Mid-Valley Farms #7 Shaw of Albany’s Dustin Dittman would finish the night out in a respectable second place after a hard fought battle. The driver he battled hard with was Trevor Glaser from Tangent driving Brett James’ James Gang Pizza/Lebanon Auto Body #26 GRT which in the end result would cross the line in third.

Jesse Williamson of Coburg drove his uncle Ron Wilson’s Furniture Options/Elite Cabinets Plus #W4 TRE to fourth after contesting with Craig Cassell of Albany for the majority of the feature. Cassell respectfully would cross the line in fifth to complete the top five finishers.

The Bailey Trucking/C-Bar-C Truck Sales #68 Rayburn of Jesse Bailey of Central Point was quickest amongst all of the drivers in qualifying at a time of 16.604 seconds. Winners in heat race action were Mike Miller, Kyle Yeack, Craig Cassell, and Mark Wauge. The victor of the evening’s trophy dash would be Cassell. To keep up to date on all the latest news and information regarding the historic 1/3-mile oval log on to www.trophymotorsports.com.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Willamette Speedway, Lebanon, Ore.
Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012

USRA MODIFIEDS

Fast Time: Jesse Bailey, 16.604 seconds.

Heat Race Winners: Mike Miller (1), Kyle Yeack (2), Craig Cassell (3), Mark Wauge (4).

Trophy Dash Winner: Craig Cassell.

B-Feature: 1. Nick Trenchard, 2. Brett McCutcheon, 3. Rod McCombs, 4. Tom Yeack, 5. Dan Gilder, 6. Steven Strudevant, 7. Ken Gummas, 8. Brian Bowman,9. Andy Freeman, DNS Sandy Sanders.

A-Feature: 1. Craig Hanson, 2. Dustin Dittman, 3. Trevor Glaser, 4. Jesse Williamson, 5. Craig Cassell, 6. Gus Cooper, 7. Mike Miller, 8. Dustin Knight, 9. Jesse Bailey, 10. Nick Trenchard, 11. Tom Yeack, 12. Rod McCombs, 13. Brett McCutcheon, 14. Collen Winebarger, 15. Mark Wauge, 16. Kyle Yeack, 17. Travis Peery, 18. Matt Mitchell, 19. Austin Bloom, DNS Brody Pompe.