Travels take James to victory lane at Southern Oregon’s Rayburn Classic

Feature

Bricen James drove a borrowed car to victory lane after winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event and $5,500 at Southern Oregon Speedway’s Bruce Rayburn Classic. (Photo by Carole Bryan)

MEDFORD, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2022) – His latest finish in a self-described “pretty dang good year” also turned out to be a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-best payday for Bricen James.

The much-traveled James banked $5,500 for his win at Southern Oregon Speedway’s 55-lap Bruce Rayburn Classic.

The checkers were his 10th of the season, with those wins coming at seven different tracks in three states. 

“We kind of went everywhere this year. We’ve chased the big races around here and have won a lot of them,” said James, who piloted a Jerry Schram-owned ride with his own Rage Chassis on the trailer and ready for the next-week tow to Iowa. “It’s been a pretty dang good year for us.”

He’d started the main event from the 11th spot and was running in the top five when lap 10 was scored. 

After a fuel-only stop at midway, James caught Collen Winebarger for third and then Nick Trenchard for the runner-up spot.

He chased down Jesse Williamson for the lead around lap 40 and stayed in front to the finish, earning the big check along with some redemption following a fourth place finish in the July 3 R. Charles Snyder Salute at Medford.

“We actually led a lot of the race the first time we were here this season and got beat at the end of it,” James said. “We were in pretty heavy lapped traffic this time so they were pretty much able to reel me in but I didn’t let anybody get by.” 

Williamson, Trenchard, Winebarger and Ryan McDaniel rounded out the top five. 

James’ previous top payday was $2,600 and came at Cottage Grove Speedway’s Mark Howard Memorial just two weeks prior.

Ethan Killingsworth took the $1,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod checkers, ahead of Fred Ryland and Matt Sanders.

Ethan Killingsworth topped the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature to earn a $1,000 Bruce Rayburn Classic payday. (Photo by Carole Bryan)

Related Articles

Events

IMCA Modified winner takes home $7,007 from Southern Oregon Speedway’s Snyder Salute

MEDFORD, Ore. (June 27, 2022) – Southern Oregon Speedway pays tribute to late track announcer and James Bond fan R. Charles Snyder with a $7,007 to win special for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds July 2 and 3. The fifth annual R. Charles Snyder Salute sees Modifieds run two heats and race for $1,500 to win and a minimum of $150 to start their Saturday night qualifying feature. Ten cars advance from that race; last-chance races and the main event are on Sunday. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region and KMJ Performance Oregon State points will be awarded on day two. Pit gates at Medford open at 1 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5 p.m., hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing is at 7 p.m. both days. Pit passes are $40 or $20 for kids 12 and under. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, veterans and kids ages 7-12, and free for six and under. More information about the R. Charles Snyder Salute is available [Read More]

Feature

Southern Oregon win to Winebarger on night two of Wild West Modified Shootout

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 22) – Another defending race winner was first to the checkers, on night two of the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout Collen Winebarger topped Saturday’s main event at Southern Oregon Speedway, gaining a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth with the $1,000 victory, his series second in a row at White City.  Kellen Chadwick took full advantage of his pole starting spot, taking the lead early and remaining there much of the race. Chadwick cruised until the culminating laps when he was briefly barri­caded by traffic. Winebarger managed to cut down Chadwick’s lead and for the first time in the feature put signifi­cant pressure on the leader. The two battled briefly until lap 33 when Winebarger edged out in front. Winebarger went on to win the main event, his career fourth Wild West Shootout triumph. Chad­wick, Jesse Williamson and Zach Fettinger were next across the stripe, while Jerry Flippo posted a fifth in his series first career feature start.  Nick Trenchard had repeated his winning ways on opening [Read More]

Results

Fettinger wins again at Southern Oregon 

By Don Martin II WHITE CITY, Ore. (July 21) – Racing into the lead from the start, Zach Fettinger scored his third IMCA Modified main event win of the season Saturday at Southern Oregon Speedway. In the process, Fettinger became the first driver to win more than two features in one season in the division since 2015. After taking the lead from Jimmy Lipke following a lap four restart, Tyler Rodgers went on to win the 20 Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. He is the sixth different winner in six races. This was the first appearance at White City by the Chico, Calif., visitor.