JIM RAPER MEMORIAL DIRT CUP: Barnes wins A Main race

JOE SUNNEN

E-Mail

Text Size:

tool goes here

ALGER — Jayme Barnes has spent the last few years at Skagit Valley Speedway racing away from the competition. On Saturday he did it on the biggest stage of his young career.

Barnes raced to his first Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup championship late Saturday night, taking the lead in the 40-lap A Main event on the first turn of the 12th lap then holding off the competition through several red flag restarts and yellow caution flags.

Barnes, from Everett, became just one of a handful of area racers to win the event and the first to drive a local car to the title since 1992. Enumclaw’s Kasey Kahne won the event in 2002 and 2003 using an out-of-state car.

Barnes showed that he was a contender for the title on Thursday, winning the A Main event during the first day of Dirt Cup. He finished sixth on Friday. Barnes took home $25,000 for his efforts.

“We had a great start on Thursday and did well on Friday and just wanted to keep it going,” Barnes said after the race.

Oregon-based racer Roger Crockett was second and Tim Kaeding from California was third. Kaeding started the race 16th out of 24 cars before working his way up to the top three. Bellingham’s Brock Lemley placed fifth, one spot behind Travis Rutz.

“I’m really happy for Jayme,” Kaeding said after the race.

Several accidents slowed the race and forced several restarts as the field was narrowed from 24 cars to 18. One racer, Mike Henry was taken from the track in an ambulance.

The accidents did nothing to dampen Barnes’ title, as the racer celebrated with friends and family after the race. He also got several large cheers from the crowd of close to 6,000 on hand for the event.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]