Winebarger sails to Modified Nationals checkers at Grays Harbor

Feature, Modified

Collen Winebarger was a perfect 4-for-4 on the track, wrapping up his Grays Harbor Raceway weekend with a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-best $7,500 payday. (Photo by CWhite Media)

By Ben Deatherage

ELMA, Wash. (July 13, 2024) – Four wins in four races led to the biggest payday of Collen Winebarger’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career.

Winebarger topped both his heat races and the $500-to-win race of champions on Friday, then followed with the $7,500 checkers in Saturday’s 25th annual Modified Nationals main event at Grays Harbor Raceway.

“The weekend was really good, Winebarger said after leading the caution-free, 40-lap finale start to finish, racing the last 19 times around the track with a broken right front upper control arm.

“It was rough. I couldn’t feel my arms afterwards. The last few laps, holding onto the steering wheel, was tough,” he added. “We were still OK, we just slowed down a fair amount. Fortunately it didn’t break all the way off and end our race.”

Grey Ferrando ended in second with Nick Trenchard, Brenton Schnitzler and Craig Moore completing the top five.

Lapped traffic came into play starting on lap eight but didn’t slow Winebarger’s methodical run on the inside line.

Ferrando made his move to second in heavy traffic with 15 laps complete. Trenchard settled into third for good with 15 laps left to run.

With the lap count dwindling, Winebarger left just eight drivers on the lead lap in the non-stop main event. The standout pilot conquered all 40 circuits to score his second Modified Nationals victory in three seasons, and his third of his career, after winning in 2019 and 2022.

“I’ve raced at Grays Harbor once, maybe twice a year for about the last eight years. We always enjoy going up there. It’s hit or miss for us sometimes,” said Winebarger, already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and among the first drivers to register for the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s on Monday morning. “But they’ve been doing a lot of dirt work, and I would say that was probably the best surface we’ve had to race on there maybe ever. It was pretty racy, they’re doing a good job.”

Related Articles

Results

Ferrando does it again at Grays Harbor

By Stephanie Deatherage  ELMA, Wash. (May 1) – Grey Ferrando collected his second feature win in as many 2021 starts at Grays Harbor Raceway, topping the 24-car field of IMCA Modifieds Saturday night.  Tom Sweatman was the first car to lead the field at the start-finish line. Sweatman held onto the position until lap five when Brenton Schnitzer made the pass. Schnitzer  set a rapid pace but had an unfortunate stroke of bad luck when he had a flat left front tire and came to a halt on lap nine. This gave the first place position back to Sweatman.  Sweatman was challenged by Ferrando and Blair Shoemaker before slowing and then coming to a halt on lap 12. New leader Ferrando was not out of the woods yet as he had to deal with several restarts and cautions.  With all the stop-and-go action, Shoemaker tried to challenge Grey but was unable to overtake him. Ferrando, who started in twelfth, held on to win his second straight main event at GHR and in KMJ Performance Washington State competition.   Shoemaker was [Read More]

Results

IMCA Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks new at Grays Harbor in 2022

ELMA, Wash. – Two more IMCA divisions debut on the dirt in Washington in 2022, with Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks joining select Saturday night programs at Grays Harbor Raceway.  Northern SportMod race dates are May 14, June 25 during the third annual West Coast Modified Clash and July 22 and 23, as part of the 23rd annual Shipwreck Beads Nationals. Ten dates, from opening night April 16 to championship night Sept. 17, are on the tentative schedule for Hobby Stocks.  “We brought the IMCA Modifieds back this year and the 2021 season was thrilling,” said Grays Harbor General Manager Bert Johnson, expecting even bigger and better things next season. “What we like best about these two new divisions is that they’re economical and come with their own sets of established rules.”  “The point is, we want to allow people to build a car that is safe to race, have fun, and then move onto another division if they want.”  The Modified Clash date at Elma doubles as the final night for [Read More]

Events

IMCA Modifieds race for bragging rights and $2,500 at Grays Harbor Shipwreck Bead Nationals

ELMA, Wash. – Bragging rights are at stake on opening night of Grays Harbor Raceway’s July 23 and 24 Shipwreck Beads IMCA Modified Nationals. Bragging rights, $2,500 and a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational are on the line on night two. Previous Nationals winners and track champions comprise Friday’s $500 to win race of champions field. They’ll be among the contenders for Saturday’s big check at Elma’s 22nd annual special. “We hope to pull drivers from as far away as California and Arizona,” said promoter Bert Johnson. “There are a lot of bragging rights involved but this is really a fun event. We went back to the original two-day race format in 2015 and it’s worked very well for us.” The sanctioned special is the first held in Washington State since Grays Harbor returned to IMCA sanctioning this season. All drivers will run two qualifying heats on Friday, with the starting order reversed for the second heat. Last-chance races precede Saturday’s main event. Entry fee is $80 and pit passes are $35. Pit gates [Read More]

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply