dsc_081410b.jpgBy BZ ZELLER  

By Dale Roth’s own acclaim, he fell into good fortune more than once Saturday night at the Douglas County Speedway. The Late Model veteran captured the Snapware Glasslock Main Event having not led a single lap until the checkered flag.  

Roth, Roseburg, qualified second fastest to Coquille’s David Miller and started in the rear of the 14-car field. Alan Cress moved into the race lead midway through the race and led the event through the white flag. But shadowing Cress was Miller who tried lap after lap to pass the leader, trying both the low and high sides of the track. As the leaders entered Turn 1 for the final time, Miller bumped the rear of Cress, temporarily sending both cars out of control. Before they could return to speed, Roth cruised by the pair to snatch the win.  

“I was at the right place at the right time,” Roth said. “The same thing happened in the Trophy Dash too. It was just my night.”  

Riley Watson finished second and Miller and Cress crossed the finish line third and fourth respectively. Miller’s finish was later disqualified by track officials because he did not go directly through technical inspection immediately following the race. Brad Watson was awarded fourth place and Mike George fifth.   dsc_081410a.jpg

In the A Heat, Brad and Riley Watson, father and son, finished first and second. Benjer Herbert and Wade Koens were the top two racers in the B Heat. Roth won the Dash.  

Bobby Wright won the Jobe’s Hot Rod Shop Eve of Destruction Trailer Race. Wright outlasted 12 entries in the full-contact event designed to destroy trailers being towed by various vehicles that included pickups, vans and even a hearse. Rob Nielsen was second and Clint Hatfield earned third place.  

Rob Mueller claimed a superfecta in the Super Stock class. The former Mini Stock champion won the Main, the Heat, the Dash and the Time Trial. Daniel Jobe and Monte Cox Jr., finished second and third respectively in the Main, Heat and Trial.  

Adam Stafford topped the largest field on the race card as he won the Hornet Main. Jeff Solburg was second and Kevin Ballard finished third. There were 23 cars that too the green flag. Early in the race, ‘Grandpa’ Bob Miller was pushed high off Turn 2 sending his card into a flip after he scaled the fence. Safety crew members extricated the 68-year-old Miller from the wreckage and he was transported to a local hospital.   

dsc_081410c.jpg“Grandpa Bob was treated and released for a broken neck, but he came back to the track and visited for a bit,” Douglas County Speedway’s Rick Perry said.  

Ballard won the A Heat, Cody Rasmussen captured the B Heat and Jennifer Taylor won the C Heat. Solburg won the Dash.  

Melody Stutzman won the Lady Stinger Main following her fast time win. Crysta Sasser won the Heat.  

Ricky Perry, JJ Quintana, Bailey Lane and Tyland Carroll were the Junior Stinger competitors. Perry won the Main.  

Bob Vancil won the Hornet paint-to-pass race and David Beals won the 4-cylinder Demolition Derby.