COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Kyle Hirst became the third different driver in four Western Sprint Tour Speedweek features on Friday night at Cottage Grove Speedway.
Making his first start in the Tiner-Hirst Enterprises No. 94, Hirst replaced Steven Tiner and led all 30 laps after starting from the pole. Tiner had driven the same car to a runner up finish Thursday at Sunset Speedway in Banks, Ore.
Ryan Robinson scored his first podium finish in second while Mitchell Faccinto, a two-time winner this week, finished third. Faccinto would also retake the points lead going into the Speedweeks’ finale when they return to Cottage Grove to crown the champion Saturday night.
Hirst and Jesse Love brought the 20-car field down for the green flag as Hirst quickly jumped into the lead. Colby Copeland would follow closely behind Hirst and was joined shortly by Justyn Cox. Those three drivers would pull away from the field, leaving Faccinto and the points leader coming into the race, Justin Sanders, to battle their way through the field. Faccinto had started 14th while Sanders had started 16th.
The race would go green until a caution flag waved for Chelesa Blevins, who suffered an engine failure and didn’t make it completely off the track. Once restarted the race stayed green again until Seth Bergman would stop high on the track in turn two. He had just passed Robinson for the fourth spot.
With 11 laps to go, Faccinto would move into the fourth spot following Hirst, Copeland and Robinson. With the track slicking over, Hirst began to show signs of right rear tire smoke. Within sight of the finish with three laps remaining, second place Copeland would blow a right rear tire sending him over the fourth turn banking while running second.
The race’s final caution moved the field within striking distance of Hirst, but the California veteran took advantage of a clear track and brought the car to the checkered flag.
Robinson would finish second ahead of Faccinto, Cox, Tanner Holmes, Tony Gualda, Tyler Thompson and Sanders.
Speedweeks concludes back at Cottage Grove on Saturday night, where the feature winner will pick up $3,500 and this year’s champion will be determined.
John Stewart was the only car to get upside down when he flipped in the third heat. He was was uninjured and was able to walk back to the pit area, but his night was over.