Skagit Speedway Roundup: Corey Day wins 52nd annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup
Corey Day wrote his name into Skagit Speedway history with a win at the 52nd Annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup. Day became part of the first father/son duo to win the Dirt Cup, with his father Ronnie winning in 2000. The win paid Day a total of $79,600 in finish position and laps led money.
Zeb Wise led the opening 11 laps before Day marched into the top spot, using the high groove to whip around Wise for the lead on lap 12. Corey quickly put distance between himself and the field, with Wise falling into a furious battle with Cole Macedo and Jason Solwold for the runner up spot. The group fought for a few laps while Corey built his advantage, with Wise eventually re-securing second. By then, it was far too late as Day had enough track space and slower traffic between the two to drive comfortably to the win. Wise would claim runner up for the second straight year, with Macedo picking up third. Wise was the winner of the pole shuffle. Hunter Schuerenberg won the B Main and Levi Kuntz won the C. Four heat races were run to determine the back half of the pole shuffle starters. Those heat wins went to Jason Solwold, Justyn Cox, Cole Macedo and Colby Copeland.
The duel between Jared Peterson and Shane Smith at the front of the field in the NW Focus Midget series A Main lived up to the billing at the end. Peterson got the jump and set the pace, but as he rolled into traffic, Smith rolled right up to his rear bumper and spent the back half of the main bird dogging him all around the track. Peterson was up to the task, never leaving a large enough gap for Smith to drive under or around him to take the win. Smith was second and Alex Peck was third.
Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup - 41 Entries
Heat 1 - Jason Solwold
Heat 2 - Justyn Cox
Heat 3 - Cole Macedo
Heat 4 - Colby Copeland
C Main - Levi Kuntz, Axel Oudman, Brett McGhie, Mike Brown, Dustin Gehring
B Main - Hunter Schuerenberg, Chase Johnson, Max Mittry, Cam Smith, Ryan Bernal, Tyler Thompson, Bud Kaeding, Evan Margeson, Nick Parker, Skylar Gee, Luke Didiuk, Shane Golobic, Greg Otis, Tanner Carrick, Axel Oudman, Lane Taylor, Kinzer Cox, Levi Kuntz
A Main - Corey Day, Zeb Wise, Cole Macedo, Justin Sanders, Justyn Cox, Jason Solwold, Colby Thornhill, Dominic Gordon, Colby Copeland, Jesse Schlotfeldt, Trey Starks, Shane Golobic, Chase Johnson, Devon Borden, Robbie Price, Tanner Holmes, DJ Netto, Eric Fisher, Willie Croft, Max Mittry, Greg Hamilton, Tanner Carrick, Justin Youngquist, Hunter Schuerenberg, Caeden Steele, Cam Smith
Lap Leaders - Wise 1-11 Day 12-40
NW Focus Midgets - 30 Entries
B Main - Brad Pritchard, Matt Loving, Tyler Luce, Kaden Holm, Mike Roberts, Ayuka Carlson, Morgan Benson, David Mills, Bryanna Peterson, JD Lewis
A Main - Jared Peterson, Shane Smith, Alex Peck, Hannah Lindquist, Nick Evans, Levi Klatt, Tanner Holm, Levi Harless, Ashley Thompson, Chuck Pierce, Stewart Lee, Jayme Barnes, Bryan Murphy, Eric Turner, Ryan Orchard, Stuart MIlner, Brian Holmkvist, Kaden Holm, Matt Loving, Todd Hartmann, Brad Pritchard, Tyler Luce, Kyle Hanson, Chad Kincaid
Lap Leaders - Peterson 1-25
Gordon wins Prelim Night 2
Night two of the 2024 Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway saw Clovis, CA driver Dominic Gordon win his first career 410 feature in a thrilling display of talent. The top four in points who are locked into the pole shuffle for Saturday’s final are Zeb Wise, Justin Sanders, Tanner Holmes and Jason Solwold.
The battle up front began with Tanner Carrick in the lead running the high side and Chase Johnson coming after him down low. Roughly ten laps into that battle, Dominic Gordon entered the conversation by blasting around the top of the racetrack to pass Johnson and began his work on Carrick. Gordon and Carrick went wheel to wheel and nose to tail multiple times in their battle for the top spot, with Dominic sneaking it away briefly on lap 16 before Carrick snagged it back on lap 17. On the 20th time around Gordon would take the lead for good, using the momentum from the high side to roll past Carrick and add some pad to his advantage. With slower traffic looming, Gordon’s commitment to the high side paid off as he led the rest of the way en route to his first 410 win. Behind him, Justin Sanders raced from 10th up into second and Corey Day rolled from last after an opening lap restart all the way up to third. Jason Solwold logged the fast time. Heat winners were Shane Golobic, Bud Kaeding, Dylan Bloomfield and Hunter Schuerenberg. Skylar Gee won the C Feature and Colby Thornhill came out on top of the B.
Shane Smith was dominant in the NW Focus Midgets Series Main Event as he won for the first time in 2024 at Skagit Speedway. Smith led every lap of the main, enjoying a nearly seven second lead before a late caution brought the pack back to him. Nick Evans took second with Ashley Thompson rounding out the podium. Bryan Murphy and Evans won the heats.
Wise wins Prelim Night 1
Preliminary nights for the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup have traditionally been a bit wild. With points on the line all through the format, racers tend to bring all the intensity of a caged bull to Skagit Speedway and on Thursday night, they put on a show that was nothing short of crazy. When the dust settled in Victory Lane, Zeb Wise brought Rudeen Racing a win and the high point score of the evening in a thrilling affair.
Five different drivers led laps of the course of the 30 lap main event which paid $5,000 to win and massive points toward the Saturday A Main starting lineup. Colby Thornhill led the first ten laps before Willie Croft took the top spot on lap 11. Croft held serve through lap 19 before reigning champion Justin Sanders grabbed the lead on lap 20. His lead was short lived, as Corey Day ripped around the high groove and stole the top spot on lap 22, but gave it right back to Sanders on lap 23 as his tire started coming apart after repeatedly smashing the cushion and wall on his march forward. Sanders held control through lap 24 when Zeb Wise completed his methodical march up the field, using the middle of the racetrack to come from deep to take the lead and eventual win on lap 25. Sanders and Tanner Holmes rounded out the podium. Trey Starks was quick time. Heat wins went to DJ Netto, Day, Tyler Thompson and Greg Hamilton.. Chase Johnson won the C Feature while Dominc Gordon won the B Main.
As wild and rowdy as the sprint car night was, the NW Focus Midgets went without a yellow or red flag all night during their race action. In the 25 lap A Feature, Jared Peterson led wire to wire with little challenge in taking the win ahead of Alex Peck and Hannah Lindquist. Peterson won his heat race, as did Stewart Lee.
Next event
Saturday, June 29: Armed Forces Night — 410 Sprint Cars; Sportsman Sprint Cars; Hornets. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7.
This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Skagit Speedway Roundup: Corey Day wins 52nd annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup."