ALGER, Wash. — With just five short days remaining before the 52nd annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, Trey Starks collected another feature win and more momentum heading into the biggest week of the year. Joining Trey in victory lane were Levi Hillier and Rick Smith.Â
The 30-lap 360 Sprint Car Main Event led off with Jason Solwold leading lap No. 1 and Colby Thornhill chasing him. Thornhill snagged the lead from Solwold on lap 3 and began putting distance between himself and the three-car battle for second place between Solwold, Jesse Schlotfeldt and Trey Starks. Those three drivers diced and sliced around until Starks ended up in second place right before a yellow flag fell to gather the field up on lap 24.
On the ensuing restart, Thornhill did not get the takeoff he was looking for and Starks took advantage, driving underneath him for the pass out of turn four on lap 25. From there, Trey motored away to score the win and important momentum before Dirt Cup begins on Thursday. Thornhill and Solwold rounded out the podium.Â
14-year-old Levi Hillier won his first feature at Skagit Speedway on Saturday night. Racing in the Sportsman Sprints, Hillier picked his way forward from a fourth-pace starting spot to sneak the lead away from Kai Dixon on lap 18 en route to his first victory at Skagit. Levi’s win made for the fifth different driver winning in five feature events in the class this year. Dixon raced to second with Jesson Jacobson finishing third.Â
Rick Smith took home top honors in the Skagit Aggregates IMCA Modifieds. Smith became the fourth different race leader on lap 13 and held off Tyson Blood’s late-race surge for the win. Blood ended up second from 11th while Adam Holtrop survived a wild mid-pack battle to take third.Â