Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

    If you're looking for a great family outing or a fun date night, try a sport that gets down and dirty with the thunder of engines, the smell of high octane fuel and the fast action of dirt track racing. Willamette Speedway  is just the place for exciting Saturday night racing. The speedway was built in 1963 by Clair Arnold and is owned and operated by Clair's wife and son, Evelyn and Bill Arnold. Willamette Speedway is a 1/3rd mile clay dirt track located in Lebanon, Oregon at 36606 Airport Drive.

   Willamette Speedway opened for the season on April 10 to a large crowd of spectators, some of which have been dedicated fans of the speedway for years like local resident Ryan Comstock who has only missed 3 races in the past ten years and always sits in the same place in the grandstand for his viewing pleasure.

                                   Ryan Comstock looks over Willamette 
                                              Speedway form his seats at the top of the grandstand.

    Doug Mott in the number 16 car makes a few laps during practice at Willamette Speedway

    Auto racing has gown from it's grass roots as a family sport that brings parents and children together as car owners and drivers like father and son teams like Chris and Doug Mott of Salem or the past champion father and son team of Nick and Tory Swayngim. 

   Doug Mott went to his first race at the age of five months. Chris and Doug Mott are co-drivers of the number 16 car and have been racing at Willamette Speedway for eight years.

Tory Swayngim gets strapped in and reaches for his neck brace during the race practice Friday April 9.

Father and son, Nike and Tory Swayngim head for the car during practice.

Flagman Gary Moore keeps a watchfull eye on the track during the practice session Friday night.

2009 Super Sport Division champion and local businessman Russ Sell is gearing up for another championship. Russ Sell is the owner of Pacific Auto Sales and Left Coast Motorsports and has been in business since 1989 and has been racing since the late 70's. Left Coast Motorsports sells racing parts, race car and racing gear all over the West Coast.

Russ Sell and the Left Coast Motorsports number 50 just after the car was unloaded for the practice season at Willamette Speedway on April 9.

Willamette Speedway is host to several division race events that are sure to excite even the novice of race fans. Check out the 2010 race event schedule online at http://www.trophymotorsports.com/ and we'll see you at the races.

http://www.southpacificautosales.com/
http://www.leftcoastmotorsports.com/