6/11/2015
Cottage Grove Speedway
Craig Cassell Seeking Success During 2015 Wild West Modified Shootout
Craig Cassell Seeking Success During 2015 Wild West Modified Shootout
By Ben Deatherage
(Photo Courtesy of Doc's Photos)
Even though he hasn't won a race yet Albany's Craig Cassell is having a very good year. Cassell, who is the defending IMCA Modified state champion in Oregon, is atop the point standings yet again for the state championship, leads points locally at Sunset Speedway Park in Banks, and is sixth in the points table of the Northwest Modified Cup. In ten 2015 starts he has seven top five finishes including four straight second place finishes at SSP earlier this season.
“It's been a learning process this year,” said Cassell, “we've been running up front but not getting the finishes we deserve.”
Cassell has some rich history of success at two of the tracks apart of this year's Wild West Modified Shootout. Last season Craig was victorious in two features at the “Banks Bullring” and won the Modified portion of Clair Cup at Willamette Speedway.
Willamette has been a strong track for the “Two-Five Express” in the last couple of years by finishing second in points in the last two consecutive seasons and winning five features including the 2013 Modified Tribute To Clair. The Ester Lee Motel of Lincoln City/Corvallis Seed & Feed/Dr. Mary Harada Breast Cancer Specialist/Debra Herndon Family Nurse Practitioner/Mid Valley Farms/Trevor Glaser Motorsports/American Hero Carpet Cleaning/Arco AM/PM of Stayton/CRD Race Bodies and Fabrication/Beakbuilt Race Cars/Driving Force Graphics/Frank's Fab & Auto of Brownsville #25 Rocket by Ruhlman entry plans to make the entire Shootout.
“At the beginning of the year we set aside a budget to try and do the whole thing,” continued Cassell, “I'll be doing it all by myself so we will take it one race at a time. "I'm just fortunate to have the support of great people and sponsors that help make my program what it is. Thankfully I didn't have to dip into my speedweek fund leading up to it, so we have a chance to go and try to do it all. ”
The 2015 Wild West Modified Shootout kicks off at Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday June 13th. The tour will wrap things up at Willamette Speedway on the 19th and 20th to close the speedweek out for the second straight year. Teams from Oregon, Washington, California, North Dakota, Montana, and British Columbia Canada are expected to make the journey.
All races will be broadcasted through Speed Shift TV and you can either purchase each race for $19.95 or buy the whole week for $99.95. Orders can be made onhttp://www.speedshifttv.com. Be sure and don't miss out on these great races featuring the best Modified drivers in the Pacific Northwest region.
2015 Wild West Modified Shootout Schedule:
Saturday June 13th Southern Oregon Speedway White City, OR
Sunday June 14th Siskiyou Motor Speedway Yreka, CA
Monday June 15th Coos Bay Speedway Coos Bay, OR
Tuesday June 16th Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR
Wednesday June 17th Sunset Speedway Park Banks, OR
Thursday June 18th Travel Day
Friday June 19th Willamette Speedway Lebanon, OR
Saturday June 20th Willamette Speedway Lebanon, OR
Former Wild West Modified Shootout Champions:
2014- Alex Stanford
2013- Jesse Williamson
2012- Jesse Williamson
2011- Brian Poppa
Wild West Modified Shootout All-Time Win List (2011-14):
Jesse Williamson- 6
Alex Stanford- 5
Brian Poppa- 4
Ken Schrader- 2
Mark Carrell- 1
Braedon Hand
Scott Lenz
Travis Peery
Nick Trenchard
Mark Wauge
Submitted By: Ben Deatherage