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Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial Finale
A Race 4 Life / Port City Raceway Special Release by Cody Morris
Port City Raceway / Tulsa, Oklahoma
Saturday, September 1, 2012 / Night 3 Finale
A legendary event reached it’s climax as Tulsa’s Port City Raceway showcased Saturday night’s Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial grand finale.
Two C Feature events were completed in the afternoon session, leaving five B Feature events as a prelude to the six Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial main events in the event finale showcase. The contribution efforts to the DRC Scholarship Fund redoubled while the track received a makeover before a 7pm pre-race ceremony.
A new Race 4 Life event record of 208 competitors from 7 states joined Port City Raceway promoter Aaron Lemmons, Race 4 Life event organizer Wade Huisman, and the Crawford family on the front straightaway in honor and remembrance of the legendary Donnie Ray Crawford.
In an extremely heavy hearted, yet positively profound pre-race gathering, the sun met the horizon as Pastor Kenneth Hagin gave the invocation to the patrons gathered for the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford at the famed 1/8th mile high banks of Port City Raceway.
Ten drivers had taken Sixth Annual Race 4 Life honors at the Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial prior to Saturday‘s finale. By nights’ end, four drivers could lay claim to fame as the official main event winners, with another reaching the stratosphere of prestige by winning two. Race fans were treated to a whopping sum of 1,290 laps of action in 93 total races over the three day span of the record setting event, while the 208 competitors from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, and Kentucky split up a purse of nearly $43,000.
THE TRIBUTE
A legendary moment that will remain forever with all who were present, both of Donnie Ray Crawford’s no. 55 mini sprints entered the track in tribute of their eternal pilot. Capturing the hearts of all, father Donnie Crawford and grandfather Ray Crawford paced the twin 55’s ahead of the 55 lap Outlaw main event with all in attendance joining in a raucous standing ovation.
OUTLAW - THE 55
Outlaw A Feature (55 laps): 1. 8 Chris Andrews (1); 2. 20 Josh Pickle (3); 3. 10 Zach Alley (5); 4. 17 Harlan Hulsey (6); 5. 52 Blake Hahn (18); 6. 81 Frank Flud (10); 7. 22 Curtis Jones (4); 8. 17x Jonathon Beason (9); 9. 27 Tucker Klaasmeyer (17); 10. 21 Dalton Wisely (19); 11. 13E Steven Shebester (12); 12. 59 Billy Lawhead (16); 13. 99 Chase Rohrbaugh (20); 14. 12s Drew Salisbury (13); 15. 91k Kevin Bayer (8); 16. 92x Jake Rosario (7); 17. 08 Jarrett Crouch (11); 18. 29 Scott Sawyer (2); 19. 17w Harli White (14); 20. 17E Blake Edwards (15)
Lap Leaders: Chris Andrews 1-55
Hard Charger: Blake Hahn +13
Outlaw B Feature (20 laps - top 4 transfer to A Feature): 1. 27 Tucker Klaasmeyer (1); 2. 52 Blake Hahn (3); 3. 21 Dalton Wisely (13); 4. 99 Chase Rohrbaugh (2); 5. 44m Christopher Martin (15); 6. 25J Delaney Jost (4); 7. 22T Frank Taft (11); 8. 23 Hannah Adair (9); 9. 27k Kyle Keeler (10); 10. 21x Tom Calico (14); 11. 96 Randy Crowder (5); 12. 05 Drew Shlueley (12); 13. 32t Tim Ottenbacher (8); 14. 18 Justin Fletcher (7); 15. 39 Brian Nance (6); DNS: Morgan Montgomery, Matt Ward, Jason Lair, Wade Huisman, Shane Fletcher, Danny James
Thursday night Outlaw preliminary winner Chris Andrews paced the pole position with Friday night’s Outlaw victor Scott Sawyer alongside. Andrews made quick declaration in blasting to the cushion and opening up a sizeable early lead.
With the leader on another level, Sawyer became mired in defense of the second spot, with Josh Pickle eventually battling by on the fifteenth circuit with Harlan Hulsey and Zach Alley also in tow. Aside from Andrews’ blistering pact, the most spirited charge of the first half of The 55 came from Sapulpa, Oklahoma’s Blake Hahn as the three time Tulsa Shootout winner and two-time ASCS2 Outlaw Champion drove from his 18th starting spot to fifth by lap 30.
Following the scheduled lap 30 open red in which teams had 4 minutes to do anything to the machines bar changing a tire, Andrews picked up where he left off, pulling away from the field until a Billy Lawhead spin bunched the field up once more.
Exiting the restart with 9 laps remaining, Andrews did not quite garner the margin of advantage he had enjoyed throughout most of the race as Pickle stayed with a half dozen car lengths. With a few laps remaining, Andrews adjusted his line to the low side, sealing the 55 lap Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Outlaw A Feature victory aboard Adri and Justin Blevins’ Bob Hurley Ford no. 8.
Pickle accepted runner up honors with Claremore, Oklahoma’s Zach Alley completing the podium. Defending Port City Raceway Outlaw Champion Harlan Hulsey crossed the finish line fourth with Blake Hahn completing the Hard Charger performance, moving up 13 spots to finish fifth.
Tucker Klaasmeyer led the first of four transfers out of the sole 20 lap Outlaw B Feature. A total of 37 Outlaws took part in the three-day Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial at Port City Raceway
NON WING
Non Wing A Feature (40 laps): 1. Trey Marcham (5); 2. 7c Chris Cochran (4); 3. 47 Jeffrey Newell (8); 4. 67 Randy Wagnon Jr. (12); 5. 5c Cody Cordell (1); 6. 11 Harlan Hulsey (17); 7. 20R Kyle Harris (9); 8. 21 Ty Hulsey (18); 9. 7s Jason Schuelen (16); 10. 4u Devon Huff (19); 11. 81 Frank Flud (7); 12. 96 Randy Crowder (6); 13. 17w Harli White (13); 14. 7x Cord Dodson (20); 15. 9c Cade Cowles (10); 16. 82 Steven Shebester (2); 17. 17E Blake Edwards (11); 18. 75 Ryan Truitt (15); 19. 77 Chris Andrews (3); 20. 34 Joey Baker (14)
Lap Leaders: Steven Shebester 1-38, Trey Marcham 39-40
Hard Charger: Harlan Hulsey +11
Non Wing B Feature (20 laps - top 4 transfer to A Feature): 1. 11 Harlan Hulsey (1); 2. 21 Ty Hulsey (2); 3. 4u Devon Huff (4); 4. 7x Cord Dodson (5); 5. 82c Christian Kinnison (13); 6. 8 Josh Marcham (6); 7. 2 Ronnie James (16); 8. 25 Jason Tracy (18); 9. 20 Shawn Wicker (16); 10. 21t Jeremy Schuelen (19); 11. 71x Kyle Fellers (11); 12. 22c Chad Koch (10); 13. 29 Ryan Ratliff (3); 14. 92 Jordan Herrman (7); 15. 91k Kevin Bayer (20); 16. 20s Steven Curbow (17); DNS: Trey Lambert, David Baker Jr., Jake Rosario, Karley Kay Dobson
Non Wing C Feature (15 laps - top 4 advance to B Feature): 1. 20s Steven Curbow (1); 2. 25 Jason Tracy (3); 3. 21t Jeremy Schuelen (2); 4. 91k Kevin Bayer (7); 5. 24t Trenton Borchers (11); 6. 71m Cody Meade (8); 7. 54 Will Scribner (6); 8. 31c Jason Collins (15); 9. 05c Eric Cantrell (14); 10. 7 Michael Berry (17); 11. 22 Peyton Williams (13); 12. 7m Kevin Ramey (4); 13. 4 Jared Fell (12); 14. Jeff Frey; 15. 4R Tanner Ridge (10); DNS: Kelly Mahaffey, Jamie MacDonald, Garrett Jennings
Thursday night winner Cody Cordell paced the pole position of the 40 lap Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial Non Wing main event with Friday night winner Steven Shebester alongside.
Shebester blazed into an advantage that went unhindered until the first caution of the event flew for Chris Andrews wounded mount. The stoppage brought Oklahoma City’s Trey Marcham and sixth row starter Blake Edwards to the leader’s tail. Shebester fought off several cautions in the final ten laps, however, the cautions became very intriguing.
Edwards had battled past Marcham for the first right to challenge the leader, but a mechanical woe eliminated Edwards’ excellent charge from the sixth row. With Marcham back in second, Shebester once again split from the field on the lap 38 restart, only for the unthinkable to occur. With the race well in hand, Shebester’s right rear tire broke away from the axle, leaving the Pauls Valley, Oklahoma native at a disheartened standstill atop turn two.
The benefactor of two hands of hard luck, Marcham inherited the point and went unchallenged the final two laps to win the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial Non Wing main event aboard the RD Marcham Energy, Simpson, Le Norman Operating, A&A Cycle, and Pinnacle Energy backed no. 32.
McLoud, Oklahoma’s Chris Cochran finished in the runner up spot with Jeffrey Newell moving up five spots to earn the show position. Randy Wagnon Jr. battled past 8 drivers to finish fourth, with Thursday’s Non Wing preliminary A Main winner Cody Cordell completing the top five finishing order.
HometownTulsa native Steven Curbow snared the first of four transfers from the 12 lap C Feature, with fellow Tulsa native Harlan Hulsey taking the winning transfer in the 20 lap Non Wing B Feature. 50 Non Wing entries competed in the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial at Port City Raceway.
“A” CLASS
“A” Class A Feature (30 laps): 1. 32 Trey Marcham (1); 2. 92 Jordan Herrman (2); 3. 92x Jake Rosario (3); 4. 11 Harlan Hulsey (6); 5. 77 Chris Andrews (4); 6. 7c Chris Cochran (8); 7. 21 Ty Hulsey (9); 8. 5c Cody Cordell (12); 9. 25 Jason Tracy (18); 10. 5 Kris Carroll (13); 11. 52 Raymond Moore (11); 12. 44 Christopher Martin (19); 13. 28x Chris Wilson (17); 14. 83 Shane Weeks (15); 15. 11J Garrett Jennings (16); 16. 47 Austin Helt (20); 17. 20 Colton Wisely (7); 18. 29 Ryan Ratliff (14); 19. 73m Jason McDougal (10); 20. 81 Frank Flud (5)
Lap Leaders: Trey Marcham 1-17, 29-30; Jordan Herrman 18-28
Hard Charger: Jason Tracy +9
“A” Class B Feature (20 laps - top 4 transfer to A Feature): 1. 28x Chris Wilson (1); 2. 25 Jason Tracy (3); 3. 44 Christopher Martin (4); 4. 47 Austin Helt (6); 5. 20s Steven Curbow (10); 6. 34 Joey Baker (7); 7. 15 Jeff Frey (11); 8. 24t Trenton Borchers (20); 9. 25R Chad Bell (14); 10. 8 Josh Marcham (12); 11. 28 Karley Kay Dobson (13); 12. 51B Bailey Felkins (17); 13. 13b Brittany Yarwood (15); 14. 46 Kelly Mahaffey (18); 15. 31c Jason Collins (19); 16. 93 Trey Lambert (9); 17. 10 David Baker Jr. (2); 18. 99 Chase Rohrbaugh (8); 19. 82c Christian Kinnison (5); DNS: Harli White
“A” Class C Feature (15 laps - top 4 transfer to B Feature): 1. 51b Bailey Felkins (1); 2. 46 Kelly Mahaffey (2); 3. 31c Jason Collins (3); 4. 24t Trenton Borchers (19); 5. 54 Will Scribner (5); 6. 151 Morgan Roan (14); 7. 76 Zane Lawrence (10); 8. 22 Peyton Williams (13); 9. 88 Brett Adams (7); 10. 57g Larry Martinez (6); 11. 71x Kyle Fellers (4); 12. 9c Cade Cowles (17); 13. 66 Edmund Bishop (12); 14. 129 Chris Scott (8); 15. 05c Eric Cantrell (9); 16. 05m Jamie McDonald (11); DNS: Brad Campbell
Thursday night “A” Class prelim winner Trey Marcham joined Friday’s prelim victor Jordan Herrman to begin the 30 lap Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial “A” Class feature event. Marcham took an extremely narrow edge in the opening stages before a lap 11 caution waved for a Frank Flud/Cody Cordell dust up.
Herrman immediately began an assault for the point exiting the restart. The two diced in heavy lapped traffic in classic Port City fashion with Herrman officially battling by on the 18th round. Herrman added to his advantage each lap and appeared in control of the contest, but Marcham began redeeming his effort in each turn, catching the leader as the leader entered heavy lapped traffic with five laps remaining.
The two again showcased a classic battle in each turn until the final yellow flew with two laps remaining, setting up an exciting green-white-checkered finish. With viewers in delight of the unfolding classic, Marcham began the final chapter by again pulling alongside Herrman, but this time there would be no back and forth, with Marcham’s momentum on the high side propelling the young asphalt Late Model racer into the lead in sight of the white flag.
Marcham maintained an exceptionally slight advantage in the final four turns to win the Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial “A” Class main event and emphatically sweep the stock 600 action aboard the RD Marcham Energy, Simpson, Le Norman Operatring, A&A Cycle, and Pinnacle Energy supported no. 32.
Herrman held on to the runner up spot with Port City Raceway’s 2010 “A” Class Champion and Guthrie, Oklahoma native Jake Rosario rounding out the podium. Harlan Hulsey crossed the finish line fourth. A in testament to the exceptionally high quality of the field, decorated PCR veteran Chris Andrews surprisingly lost a spot to complete the top five finishing order.
Bailey Felkins nabbed the victory in the afternoon’s winged stock 600 C Feature with Chris Wilson taking the first of four main event transfers from the 20 lap B Feature. 49 winged stock 600cc (“A” Class) teams competed in the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial at Port City Raceway.
RESTRICTED
Restricted A Feature (30 laps): 1. 00 Grady Chandler (5); 2. 2 Mickey Walker (3); 3. 73 Jason McDougal (1); 4. 91 Cole Lambert (2); 5. 25 Taylor Reimer (8); 6. 98 Nathan Weida (10); 7. 777 Bailey Hughes (15); 8. 17 Hunter Fischer (13); 9. 8x Austin Shores (6); 10. R1 Rayce Bowen (18); 11. 98x Austin Crowder (12); 12. 15 Jase Randolph (11); 13. 11 Blake Hulland (9); 14. 79 Wes Little (20); 15. 60 Kent Miller Jr. (17); 16. Kenzie Ramey (16); 17. 93t Tyler Vandiver (14); 18. 11B Kaylee Bryson (19); 19. 7T Tristan Oakes (7); 20. 92 Austin Lambert (4)
Lap Leaders: Jason McDougal 1-2, Mickey Walker 3-28, Grady Chandler 29,30
Hard Charger: Bailey Hughes, Rayce Bowen +8
Restricted B Feature (15 laps - top 4 transfer to A Feature): 1. 60 Kent Miller Jr. (2); 2. R1 Rayce Bowen (9); 3. 11B Kaylee Bryson (1); 4. 79 Wes Little (13); 5. 18 Mason McGuire (12); 6. 21 Brendon Wisely (5); 7. 97B Bailey Stringer (7); 8. 41 Kaitlyn Martin (3); 9. 2F James Fell (10); 10. 95 Quinton Standlee (4); 11. 3s Stephen Smith (11); 12. 65g Taylor Garrison (8); 13. 49 Trenton Jackson (6); 14. 01 Garrett Olson (14)
Thursday night Restricted prelim winner Jason McDougal looked to continue his season of success in the 30 lap Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural Donnie Ray Crawford Memorial main event finale with Friday night’s prelim victor Cole Lambert alongside. McDougal led first round before a Tyler Vandiver spin provided the right opportunity for second row starter and Sapulpa, Oklahoma native Mickey Walker.
Walker took command on the third lap and settled into a proper flow of caution free racing, catching lapped traffic at the halfway point. McDougal held on to second, but could not offer challenge for the point, but Piedmont, Oklahoma’s Grady Chandler could and fought past McDougal for second with ten laps remaining.
Catching the leader a few laps later, the top three entered a heavy flow of lapped traffic with 4 laps remaining. Chandler haunted the leader in each turn, but Walker shut the door each time. That changed on the final lap as Chandler seized an opportunity to get underneath Walker’s lath on the low line.
Walker attempted to shut the door once more as the pair entered the final two turns, but Chandler kept the course he earned. Vying for the ultra-prestigious victory, neither driver budged - resulting in contact with the checkered flag in sight. Chandler made the better of the recovery, earning the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial Restricted main event victory aboard the Melmark Pipe Supply, KMK Entrerprises, Ruston Racing Development, and Bishop sponsored no. 00.
Visibly frustrated with the result, Walker accepted the runner up spot with McDougal completing the podium finish. Cole Lambert crossed the finish line fourth with Taylor Reimer advancing three spots to complete the top five finishing order.
Overland Park, Kansas native Kent Miller Jr. earned the first of four main event transfers with a victory in the 15 lap Restricted B Feature. 30 Restricted teams competed in the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial at Port City Raceway.
SPORTSMAN
Sportsman A Feature (30 laps): 1. 71 Danny Clum (6); 2. 79 Matt Taylor (3); 3. 15R John Stowe (5); 4. 6 Randy Myers (1); 5. 33 Craig Carroll (9); 6. 7 Ryan Cody (10); 7. 12 Chris Doss (7); 8. 2 Jeromy Bowers (15); 9. 17 Cody Cole (11); 10. 75 Ryan Truitt (16); 11. 32 Ricky Glover Sr. (12). 12. 14x Curt Reimer (17); 13. 14 Ken Simmons (8); 14. 84 Dave Nicholson (2); 15. 21w Jeremy Wickham (4); 16. 89D Andy Duncan (18); 17. 16 Darrius Myers (19); 18. 24 Jonathon Forsythe (20); 19. 82 David Doss (13); 20. 14b Brandon Henson (14)
Lap Leaders: Randy Myers 1-4, John Stowe 5-17, 19, Danny Clum 18, 20-30
Hard Charger: Jeromy Bowers +7
Sportsman B Feature (15 laps - top 4 transfer to A Feature): 1. 14x Curt Reimer (1); 2. 89d Andy Duncan (3); 3. 16 Darrius Myers (2); 4. 24 Jonathon Forsythe (7); 5. 413 Charles Corte (5); 6. 2B Rodney Bippus (6); 7. 11A Andrew Carter (4); 8. 15 Rob Donnelly (9); 9. 7t Luke Tipton (8)
Completing their prelim competition in Thursday’s opening night of the three day Race 4 Life / DRC Memorial, Thursday’s prelim winner Randy Myers paced the pole position of the 30 lap Race 4 Life / DRC Memorial main event with Dave Nicholson alongside.
Myers maintained the edge early, but Bixby’s John Stowe thundered by on the fifth round. Stowe remained the leader as Tulsa’s Danny Clum began an ascent to the front of the field. Clum caught the leader just past the halfway mark and thus began an appealing dogfight for the point.
Clum battled by to lead the 18th round, but Stowe remained committed and battled by a lap later. The stalemate was finally broken in Clum’s favor as Stowe’s machine loosened just enough to allow Clum to gain a more comfortable advantage.
A pair of cautions with 8 laps remaining presented challengers with a chance at the leader, but Clum had found the proper formula, pulling away from the pack after both slowdowns.
The crafty Tulsa veteran ultimately took a near straightaway advantage to the finish line in earning the coveted Inaugural DRC Memorial Sportsman victory aboard the Drywall Systems, Cancersucks.com, PassItOn, 3D’s Videos, and Skips Performace Center supported no. 71.
Easily the most popular victory of the night, the majority of the crowd roared in approval as Clum also made Race4Life history in the first ever Sportsman contest in the six year history of the Race 4 Life.
Matt Taylor advanced a spot to nab runner up honors with early leader John Stowe completing the podium finish. Randy Myers and Craig Carroll completed the top five finishing order. Tulsa’s Curt Reimer took the first of four transfer spots out of the 12 lap Sportsman B Feature. 25 Sportsman entries competed in the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial at Port City Raceway.
JUNIOR SPRINTS
Junior Sprint A Feature (25 laps): 1. 08 Cannon McIntosh (2); 2. 95 Ryan Hunt (4); 3. 1H Hank Davis (3); 4. 14R Jacob Nail (15); 5. 25 Noah Gass (6); 6. 7m Dylan Ramey (5); 7. 65g Montana Garrison (7); 8. 13 Dylan Short (9); 9. 99 Nathan Rainey (17); 10. 17 Connor Lee (8); 11. 29 Blake Scott (11); 12. 8 Dylan Paul (13); 13. 22 Chase Hubbard (14); 14. 14 Blake Battles (1); 15. 15E Dakota Earls (12); 16. 42 Grady Mercer (10); 17. 77D Kale Drake (16)
Lap Leaders: Blake Battles 1-23, Cannon McIntosh 24-25
Hard Charger: Jacob Nail +11
Completing their preliminary night of qualifying racing on Friday, Collinsville, Oklahoma’s prelim winner Blake Battles led the 30 lap Junior Sprint A Feature with Broken Arrow’s Cannon McIntosh alongside.
Battles settled into the early lead over McIntosh, with the duo quickly reaching lapped traffic by the fifth circuit of what was fast becoming a two car showdown.
McIntosh used lapped traffic to his advantage, pulling alongside the leader multiple times, but Battles remained entrenched in the point just as much as he was in Friday’s prelim.
Battles had the race in hand when his mount lost power with two laps remaining. Adding to a victory earlier season at the 11th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals in Oklahoma City, Cannon McIntosh claimed the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial Junior Sprint title aboard the D&N Fabrication, Coalition CB Club, Sagebrush Pipleline, Honda of Tulsa, Sandors & Associates, and Best Lighting backed no. 08.
Ryan Hunt moved up a couple of spots to earn runner up honors with Sand Springs, Oklahoma native Hank Davis completed the podium finish. Muskogee’s Jacob Nail advanced 11 spots to finish fourth with Mounds, Oklahoma native Noah Gass completing the top five finishing order.
17 Junior Sprints competed in the Sixth Annual Race 4 Life / Inaugural DRC Memorial at Port City Raceway.
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