By BZ ZELLER
Cleatus Roberts III won the Jobe’s Hot Rod Shop Eve of Destruction III Trailer Race Saturday night at the Douglas County Speedway.
Roberts, his passenger Keith Roberts, pickup and trailer survived the
full-contact, endurance race that challenged drivers to dislodge and destroy
their competitors trailers. Brad McMaster, Bob Vancil, Tim Thorp and Clint
Hatfield made the final laps, but Roberts was deemed victorious by a majority
spectator ovation.
The annual Jobe Destruction night was also highlighted by brothers John
and Nick Cornilsen who executed separate daredevil stunts on the speedway front
stretch. John ‘the destroyer’ crashed his J-Car through a steel wall of cars
that were propped up with their front bumpers facing the sky. Nick ‘DaneJer’
drove his car through the Jump of Doom, a stunt that sent the Oregon State
student flying off metal ramps, through a four-high stack of cars and into a
group of parked cars.
In racing action, Oakland High’s Daniel Jobe defeated the largest field
of the evening. Jobe started 21st of 23 Hornet entries and passed his
way to the checkered flag. Cody Rassmussen, Monte Cox Jr., Andy Nelson and Danny
Saunders finished second through fifth respectively.
David Beals won the Fast Hornet Heat.20Michael Beals won the B and Robert
Jarvis won the C Heat. Jobe won both the Trophy Dash and the time trial with a
best lap of 20.042 seconds. Cox leads all Hornet drivers in the season points
race. David Beals is second (166 points behind) and Saunders (187) is
third.
Bailey Lane, a 12-year-old, Jo Lane Middle School student, won the
Junior Stinger Main. Ricky Perry was second. Lane also won the Heat with Sean
Yarbrough placing second. Perry leads the Juniors in season points.
In the Lady Stinger Main, Molly Jobe and daughter Jessy Jobe finished
first and second respectively. Jessy Jobe won the Heat with Jesse Herbert
placing second. Jessy Jobe maintained her points lead.
Rob Mueller added another Mini Stock Main win to his season-long streak.
Dena James recorded her highest ever Main finish crossing the finish line in
second with Dale Roth third and James’ father Dale Yarbrough fourth. Jason Gotz
was fifth in the 17-car, 25-Lap race.
Mueller, Israel Curdy and Karl Smith each won their respective Heats.
Dale Yarbrough won the Dash and Mueller was the fast timer. Mueller has a
288-point advantage over Jason Gotz in the season standings. Yarbrough is just
22 points behind Gotz for third.
Benjer Herbert won the Super Stock Main with Jim Smith and Don Moore
officially second and third. Andy Schmelzer won the Dash and was the fast timer.
Moore won the Heat. Moore has=2 0narrow a one-point advantage over Herbert in
the points race. Don Livermore is third.
Rick Jump and Jeff Solberg were the first finishers in the Street Stock
Main. Nick Cornilsen won the Dash and the Heat. Jump was the fast qualifier.
Jump leads Solberg by 40 points in the standings. Last season champ, Amos Rhodes
is third.
Racing resumes July 10 featuring the Big 5 Late Model 75, Mini Stocks,
Super Stocks, Street Stocks, Old Timers, Hornets and Junk Yard Dogs. The only
Friday race of the season will also have a Graffitti show and shine. Gates open
at 4 p.m.
*You can reach writer/announcer BZ Zeller at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(Photo by BZ Zeller: Benjer Herbert, a 16-year-old Oakland High student, spins during the Super Stock
Heat Saturday night at the Douglas County Speedway. Herbert later won is Main
Event.)