COOS BAY, Ore. — Colby Copeland started from the pole and dominated the main event en route to his fourth career SCCT victory on Tuesday night at Coos Bay Speedway.
In doing so, the driver of the Van Lare Steering Repair No. 5v machine also took over the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour Speedweek point lead with two rounds complete.
“We had a great car tonight and it’s awesome to be up here in victory lane at another Speedweek race,” Copeland said. “I want to thank Jim and Annette Van Lare, the entire 5v team and all you fans for coming out to support tonight’s race.”
Race teams and fans battled through a couple of rain delays early on, before Mother Nature cooperated and allowed things to get underway.
Copeland jumped into the lead at the waving of the green flag in the 35-lapper after claiming the dash and was never seriously challenged. Seth Standley was on the move early as he took over third on lap five.
The 18-year-old then proceeded to slice his way into second with 11 circuits complete.
Another youngster, however, in the form of Arizona racer Corbin Rueschenberg found a nice line a little higher than most and fought his way into second on lap 21.
Shortly after that, Standley encountered unfortunate issues that left him parked in turn four.
Copeland easily pulled away from the field over the remaining distance and crossed the stripe for victory. Rueschenberg came home in second to score his best career SCCT finish.
Andy Forsberg rounded out the podium to snag his second straight top-three result to begin Speedweek. Shane Hopkins put together another fine run in fourth after starting from the outside of row six.
Monday night winner Tyler Thompson completed the top five.
The Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour will continue Western Sprint Speedweek at The Douglas County Dirt Track in Roseburg, Ore., on Wednesday July 17.
All Western Sprint Week races are broadcast by SPEED SPORT affiliate CaliDirt.tv.
The finish:
Feature (35 laps): 1. 5V-Colby Copeland[1]; 2. 94-Corbin Rueschenberg[2]; 3. 92-Andy Forsberg[3]; 4. 21-Shane Hopkins[12]; 5. 35KM-Tyler Thompson[6]; 6. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[7]; 7. 94TH-Braden Chiaramonte[11]; 8. 77-Levi Klatt[9]; 9. 5R-Ryan Rocha[15]; 10. 87-Ashlyn Rodriguez[5]; 11. 5P-RJ McGahuey[13]; 12. 33-Kyle Alberding[8]; 13. 14-Mariah Ede[10]; 14. 75-Brian Boswell[16]; 15. 25S-Seth Standley[4]; 16. 26F-Shane Forte[14]; 17. 54-Drake Standley[17]; 18. 34-TJ Richman[18]