7/19/25

Everson, WA – The 42nd annual Clay Cup Nationals is in the books and at the end of a fantastic night, Jared Peterson, Nate Vaughn, Colton Knapp and Lucas Fisher were crowned champions. 

The Speedmart 600 division was the nightcap of the night and went for $10,000 to win. Former three time winner Jared Peterson led from the get go and was chased by Colin Mackey and Jett Yantis. Peterson kept a comfortable lead until getting into traffic around the lap 12 mark. Mackey and Yantis closed on Peterson and it was a big slidejob from Mackey that secured him the lead coming to the line on lap 19. In the same corner where Mackey slid Peterson, Yantis also got by Jared with a massive move and was second at the line as the group raced into turn one. Disaster struck for Colin and Jett going into the first turn as the pair made contact and rolled to a stop at the top of the corner, resulting in the pair going to the back of the field and Peterson picking the lead back up. With the field reverting to its lap 18 lineup, Peterson now led 2017 champion Jake Hagopian and defending champion Levi Hillier to the restart. Jared again built a comfortable lead and caught a couple of caution flags that would keep him out of slower traffic en route to his fourth career Clay Cup win, the only 600 driver with more than two. Peterson also holds the distinction of winning Clay Cup for four different team owners, securing titles for himself, Steve Forler, Jon Farrell and now Andy & Breanna Pellham. Hagopian and Hillier would take second and third. Spencer Constance was the John & Sylvia Heerspink Hard Charger, picking up 12 spots and $1,115 for his efforts. 

Nate Vaughn achieved a dream that he’s chased for 20 years at Deming Speedway by winning the 40 lap feature for the Shots 2 Go Espresso 1200 division. Kyle Mitchell got the drop on the initial start but it was called back due to a wreck with Seth Hespe and Derek Holmwood. On the next start, Vaughn carried the high groove with more speed and took the lead coming to the line on the first lap. From there, Vaughn would throw the right rear up on the cushion for the next 39 laps and cruised to the Clay Cup win, a race he’s been dreaming about since starting at Deming Speedway as a JR Sprint in the early 2000s. Chance Crum and Kyle Mitchell battled for second for the final 15 laps with Crum coming out on top. Parker Hadlock passed seven cars to earn the John & Sylvia Heerspink Hard Charger award. 

Colton Knapp had been oh so close to Clay Cup wins in previous years – this year was his year to finally shine, as he led all 30 laps of the Doyle Guffie’s Rallye Auto Sales 600 restricted main event for his first Clay Cup win. Knapp kept a comfortable race lead the whole way in taking the $3,500 win. McKenna Morgan ran second the entire way, with Aubri Hucklberry coming from 10th to third. Chase Whitney was the John & Sylvia Heerspink Hard Charger, racing from 19th to 4th. 

Heartbreak and Joy showed itself over the final three laps of the Capstone Plastering JR Sprint main event. Kayson Sargent had led from the initial green flag and led the first 22 laps but was fighting a racecar that wasn’t handling the same as it was early. Sargent over cooked the corner a little bit in turn two on lap 23, opening the door for Lucas Fisher to drive arond the outside and take the lead with just two laps to go. Fisher would cut a clean final two laps to drive into victory lane as the 2025 Champion, while Luke Coates finished off his hard charger run, going from eighth to second. Sargent recovered to finsih third. 

Clay Cup Night 3

Capstone Plastering JR Sprints 

B Main – Indy Price, Kane Bishop, Mary Jane Merrill, Emerson Askvig, Thor Lupardus, Dalton Ellis

A Main -Lucas Fisher, Luke Coates, Kayson Sargent, Savanna Hillier, Kole Campbell, Delilah Stermer, Lennen Peeters, Cole Dishneau, Samantha Dozier, Jace Coates, Hayden Cook, Emerson Askvig, Teegan O’Neil, Austin Harris, Mary Jane Merrill, Indy Price, Kane Bishop, Titus Daigan

Lap Leaders – Sargent 1-22 Fisher 23-25

Hard Charger – L Coates +6

Doyle Guffie’s Rallye Auto Sales 600 Restricted 

B Main 1 – Brayden Danielson, Chase Whitney, Owen Hill, Hudson Johnson, Autumn Holden, Kaden Riese, Mallory Holmkvist, Maya MAuldin, Brodie Wade, Casey Quatsoe

B Main 2 –  Hudson Little, James Drury, Hunter Cook, Cory McLeod, Dean Skrifvars, Hayden Adams, Jordan Devries, Jet Gentron, Nicholas Wade

A Main – Colton Knapp, McKenna Morgan, Aubri Huckleberry, Chase Whitney, Brooklyn Bracy, Madi Hoppe, Hudson Little, Zack Hilder, Bryson Sozinho, Clayton Jalakas, Ethan McFarland, Brayden Danielson, Ryan Cannon, Dayton Empey, Bailey Bundy, Chloe Danielson, Kourtney Baker, James Drury, Jonathan Olson, Drake Wiersma

Lap Leaders – Knapp 1-25

Hard Charger – Whitney +15

Shots 2 Go Espresso 1200

Main – Nate Vaughn, Chance Crum, Kyle Mitchell, Terry Lewis, Jaden Thomas, Parker Hadlock, Alex Lewis, Jared Alseth, Clennon Holloway, Jesse Branham, Tyson Cross, Haylee Bloodgood, Dakota Drake, Seth Hespe, Derek Holmwood

Lap Leaders – Vaughn 1-40

Hard Charger – Hadlock +7

Speedmart 600 

B Main 1 – Mattix Salmon, Spencer Constance, Evan Dixon, Austin Held, Tank Chorney, Kaden Holm, Ceil Howe, Tyler McLeod, Raio Salmon, Jarrett Heimlich, Jailynn Serrano, Bryson Sozinho, Bree Arnold, Dash Duinkerken, Travis Hart, Jake Trueman, Corbin Ramsey

B Main 2 – David Greene, Dominic Carter, Caden Stoll, Keith Bloom Jr, Cole Curry, Derek Torkelson, Sawyer Baxter, Dustin Ramsey, Mickelina Monico, Emma Chorney, Lucas Mauldin, Carson Guffie, Elijah Elder, Reese Wickard, Keaton Martella, Tristin Thomas, Cooper Anderson

A Main – Jared Peterson, Jake Hagopian, Levi Hillier, Austin Torgerson, Colton Key, TJ Smith, Spencer Constance, Dalton Parreira, Cash Lovenburg, Tanner Holm, Mattix Salmon, David Greene, Cole Frerichs, Nicholas Howard, Austin Held, Caden Stoll, Jett Yantis, Colin Mackey, Dominic Carter, Cody Key, Kyle MItchell, Keith Bloom Jr, Evan Dixon, Chase Jensen

Lap Leaders – Peterson 1-40

Hard Charger – Constance +12