ALGER, Wash. — The largest field of the year was on hand for week six of Skagit Speedway TV as 65 cars signed into the pit area for the Independence Open.
Originally scheduled for July 2, the $2,100 to prize in the Budweiser 360 Sprint Cars ended up going to Trey Starks, while the $1,300 winner’s check for the Skagit Aggregate Modifieds went home to Oregon with Bricen James.
Adam Holtrop became the first repeat winner of the year in the Outlaw Tuners.
Starks came from third on the opening lap to take the lead, as the bottom groove opened up through the middle of the first turns, giving him a lane to drive into the top spot on the back straight despite a close call with Jason Solwold.
While the battle raged behind him for second, Starks was dominant all race long, only seeing his lead shrink to under eight car lengths while in the heaviest of traffic. He went on to lead all 25 laps, ahead of Solwold and Greg Hamilton, who filled out the podium.
Plagued with caution flags, the main event for the modifieds was entertaining in bursts, as Devan West and, Tyson Blood, Bricen James and Zach Simpson all warred in the top four.
West led the first nine laps before James made the top side work for him, taking the lead on lap ten. James managed to keep a decent distance between himself and the field despite 10 yellow flags during the main, while Blood and Simpson ended up in second and third.
A mid-race yellow flag helped Adam Holtrop become the second repeat winner of the year in the Outlaw Tuners. After challenging for the race lead early, Holtrop dropped back after a lap six yellow and was running third, before a lap nine yellow gave him a chance to regroup.
On the ensuing restart, Holtrop found room to run under Jon Gunderson and would pass him for the lead in turn two, then led the rest of the way for the win. Gunderson ran a comfortable second with Kyle Hanson coming in third.