7/16/22

Everson, WA – The 2022 Clay Cup Nationals presented by IBEW / NECA at Deming Speedway is in the books and the huge crowd saw four drivers take home the coveted Clay Cup Nationals wins. Jared Peterson became the only three time winner in the 600 Open division, while Derek Holmwood went back to back in the 1200 class. Levi Hillier fulfilled his destiny with a win in the 600 Restricted class and Chase Whitney made history with a win in the JR Sprints. 

Peterson drew the driving duties for the Farrell Frameworks, Gatewood Powersports house car owned by Jon Farrell for the weekend and after two quality prelim nights, earned the pole position for the main event. Jared would jump out to the early lead with Jake Hagopian and Cody Key trailing him. All three cars would swap lines over the rapidly slicking off Deming Speedway surface, with cautions at lap 10 and 22 keeping Peterson out of slower traffic. When the race resumed, Hagopian and Key continued searching high and low to find room around Jared, but Peterson found the low side of the track starting to get abrasive and moved down into the fastest line with about ten laps left. Catching traffic at the very end of the race, Peterson kept his car perfectly in the groove to score the victory, his third in Clay Cup action, making him the only three time winner in the 600 Open class. Hagopian got out of the line on the last lap to try and make something happen in the high groove, but ended up dropping second to Key at the stripe. Caden Stoll was the John Heerspink Memorial Hard Charger, earning $1175 for his nine positions gained. The win paid Peterson $10,000. 

Derek Holmwood defended his crown in the 1200 division, making it back to back wins and three overall. Nate Vaughn sat in control of the main event, with Brock Lemley and Holmwood trying to chase him into slower traffic. Brock would work primarily on the high side of the track, but with the cushion in turn two pushed nearly up against the wall, a small mistake ended up flattening his tire, ending his bid for the top spot on lap 22. Vaughn would enjoy clean air again with Holmwood now trying to run him down, and the race looked to be well in hand for Vaughn before disaster struck on the 36 lap as mechanical issues slowed his car on the back straightaway, ending his race. With four laps to finish off, Holmwood drove away to pick up the $3,000 top prize, with Steven Hendrickson driving from 17th to 2nd and picking up the hard charger and Seth Hespe rounding out the podium. 

Levi Hillier has been so close to winning Clay Cup in previous years, suffering heartbreak multiple times as he strived to collect the biggest race win of his young life. On Saturday night, destiny was fulfilled as Hillier led all 30 laps of the main event and a $3,500 payday to boot in the 600 Restricted division. Corbin Ramsey ended up second, closing on Hillier in slower traffic once, but not able to make the move that would have given him the lead. Peyton Drake showed well all weekend, taking home third place for his effort. Zoey Tupper was the hard charger. 

History was made in the JR Sprint main event, as Chase Whitney led all 25 laps of the feature and wrote his name in the record books as Clay Cup champion. Whitney’s win was dominant, as went unchallenged all race long. The victory, coupled with his brother Jayden winning in the JR Sprint class in 2017, made Chase and Jayden the only biological brothers to both win Clay Cup in any division. Vito Cancilla ran a strong second with Cooper Anderson taking third. Hard charger honors went to Jackson Tardiff. 

Clean Crawls JR Sprints

B Main – Jackson Tardiff, Maya Mauldin, Jaxon Burnett, Kellen Vonthenen, James Hayashi, Kamaren Koroshes, Douglas Fraser, Kole Campbell, Hayden Cook, Nathan Fernandez, Aiden Stone, Kinley Askvig, Oliver Baxter

A Main – Chase Whitney, Vito Cancilla, Cooper Anderson, McKenna Morgan, Heston Stepps, Brycen Roush, Colton Knapp, Jayce Medcalf, Madi Hoppe, Jackson Tardiff, Quentin Hagopian, Maya Mauldin, Kellen Vonthenen, Jaxon Burnett, Briggs Davis, Hudson Johnson, Kaden Riese, Sawyer Baxter

Lap Leaders – Whitney 1-25

John Heerspink Hard Charger – Tardiff +5

Mytrafficman.NET 600 Restricted

B Main -Vito Cancilla, Kyle Fernandez, Zoey Tupper, Rylee Kentch, Grace Matier, Brooklyn Constance, David Greene, Karma Fagerlie, Brody Rubio, Samantha Fraser, Hunter Cook, Elijah Elder, Jeff Woollsey, Cruz Kentch, Ryan Cowden, Jailynn Serrano, Stacey Cook, Josiah Vega

A Main – Levi Hillier, Corbin Ramsey, Peyton Drake, Lucas Mauldin, Carson Guffie, Mallory Fisher, Colton Key, Dustin Ramsey, Brody Ferguson, Avery Askvig, Caleb Gately, Vito Cancilla, Clayton Jalakas, Rylee Kentch, Hayden Stepps, Fairah Lee, Zoey Tupper, Adrianna DeMartini, Kyle Fernandez, Avery Touchette

Lap Leaders – Hillier 1-30

John Heerspink Hard Charger – Tupper +5

Shots 2 Go Espresso 1200 

A Main – Derek Holmwood, Steven Hendrickson, Seth Hespe, Terry Lewis, Tyson Cross, Tyson Lemley, Tanner Holm, Jason Schapansky, Dakota Drake, Dick Williams, Clennon Holloway, Jeremiah Franklin, Dale Orcutt, Nate Vaughn, Brock Lemley, Bryce Bogardus, Harlee Aguilera, Jaden Thomas, Jared Gundersen, Alex Lewis, Shane Sexton, Jacob Buckenmeyer

Lap Leaders – Vaughn 1-35 Holmwood 36-40

John Heerspink Hard Charger – Hendrickson +15

Speedmart 600 Open

D Main – Jared Alseth, Ben Ferrera, Jake Trueman, Tyson Brownlee, Cierra Wullenwaber, Nick Van Atta, Jake Helsel, Tank Chorney, Kris Fraser, Layne Stevens, Brody Ferguson

C Main – Ron Singh, Rachel Westmoreland, Kyle Mitchell, Jayden Huppert, Cole Schroeder, Tyler Conley, Dominic Carter, Haley Constance, Jared Alseth, Colin Kirby, Andy Pellham, Ben Ferrera, Jake Trueman, Jake Helsel, Spencer Constance, Tyson Brownlee, Cierra Wullenwaber, Tony Alosi, Nick Van Atta, Travis Hart, Reece Goetz, Teagan Moles

B Main – Colin Mackey, Jayden Whitney, TJ Smith, Caden Sarale, Caden Stoll, Levi Kuntz, Parker Hadlock, Dylan Resch, Isabel Barnes, Mattix Salmon, Tyler Mcleod, Levi Klatt, Blaine Granberg, Macie Logsdon, Kyle Mitchell, Ron Singh, Jayden Huppert, Jake Galusha, Tyler Conley, Rachel Westmoreland, Alex Gouy, Cole Schroeder

A Main – Jared Peterson, Cody Key, Jake Hagopian, Dominic Gordon, Cody Christensen, Dominic White, Tanner Holm, KJ Snow, Ryley Mayer, Kaitlyn Hammer, Colin Mackey, Caden Stoll, Jayden Whitney, TJ Smith, Kaden Holm, Derek Torkelson, Caden Sarale, Levi Kuntz, Austin Wood, Evan Margeson, Jesse Schlotfeldt, Dalton Parreira

Lap Leaders – Peterson 1-40

John Heerspink Hard Charger – Stoll +9