Celebration became disappointment for Jarrod Soberg after the bomber division’s Madden Cup main event Saturday, held during the Westshore Transmissions Night at the Races at Western Speedway.
One of just four drivers who lasted the entire 75 laps – the longest bomber car race of the season at the track – Soberg won going away after the field was depleted. But he was disqualified after a post-race technical inspection ruled his car illegal, a ruling that gave the Madden Cup to second-place finisher Dylan Ross.
For Ross, the 17-year-old racing “veteran,” it was his first-ever main event win and came in one of the biggest races of the season.
For the first time in weeks at Western, rain was not in the forecast, and the entire night was completed with a dry race track.
Stuart Campbell and Mike Whitley led the field of 15 cars to the green in the bomber feature main, with Campbell getting the early jump off the start.
The first caution came out on lap 1 for Terry Leerholm, who hit the turn three wall, putting an early end to his night. On the restart, Campbell would pull away for the next 10 laps, before being passed by Soberg for the lead.
Soberg had a brief battle with Cam Stanfield for top spot, before Stanfield dropped back with overheating issues. The red flag came out on lap 41 for a four-car incident involving Ron Noulette, Brian Wakelin, Campbell and Tony Kambo, with all four drivers walking away. Noulette’s engine expired, leaving Wakelin, Campbell, and Kambo to spin in the oil slick and hit the wall.
When the depleted field restarted, Soberg and Bill Gallacher were the only cars left on the lead lap. After Gallacher dropped out with overheating issues, Soberg cruised to an uncontested win, with only four cars finishing the main event.
Following Soberg and Ross to the line were Ron Benham and Brian Calderwood with non-finishers Gallacher and Stanfield rounding out the top five.
The next race at Western Speedway, May 20, features the WILROC non-winged sprint cars, the Galaxy Motors stock cars, the Sooke Disposal mini stocks and the Old Time Racers Association. Grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m., qualifying at 5:30, Fan Fest at 6 (time permitting) and racing at 6:30.
Complete winners list for May 13:
Bombers
Main event (75 laps) – Dylan Ross; dash – Sean Whitely; A heat – Bill Gallacher; B heat – Stuart Campbell
Demo cars
Main event (15 laps) – Cody Young; dash – Shawn Young; A heat – Jim Young; B heat – Patch Knopf
Claimers
Main event (20 laps), dash – Nolan Perry; A heat – Trevor Cannon; B heat – Caleb Tims
Mini figure 8s
Main event (40 laps) – Kail Beck; dash – Kyle Ridley; A heat – Rhett Szevics; B heat – Riley Noyce
– Submitted by Cole Sorenson
