Ferrando banks $5,000 at Yreka’s Biehn Memorial

Feature, Modified, Northern SportMod, Stock Car

Always a challenger for the checkers, Grey Ferrando was the $5,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified winner at Yreka Speedway’s Biehn Memorial. (Photo by Blissful Moments Photography)

By Ben Deatherage

YREKA, Calif. (June 14, 2024) – A threat to win wherever he tows, Grey Ferrando’s latest Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory was good for $5,000 when Yreka Speedway hosted the inaugural Rich and Nicky Biehn Memorial Friday night.

From Stayton, Ore., and newly eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, led from the end of lap seven to the checkers in the headline race at the event dedicated to honoring the legacy of two beloved racing enthusiasts and car owners. 

Kellen Chadwick initially took the lead and had a moment where he could have some breathing room as Ferrando was occupied with keeping back Collen Winebarger and Tyler Blankenship. Ferrando kept both in check, then went back on the offensive and poured more pressure on Chadwick.

Ferrando overtook Chadwick at the wire as the seventh circuit was scored and led the rest of the distance in the caution-free main event to score his first win of the season at Yreka and his fourth victory in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region.

It was also the fourth facility where he has accomplished a victory in the current campaign.

A great battle for second came between Winebarger and Chadwick late in the main event. Still, Chadwick beat Winebarger to the line for second. Blankenship wound up fourth, while Eston Whisler placed fifth.

Hometown driver Ryan Peery and Kevin Roberts battled it out for the lead in the first lap of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Peery grabbed the lead and the two front runners created a bit of separation from the main body of the rest of the field.

Lapped traffic made things interesting in the second half of the race, with Peery having to try to dive to the bottom to navigate around a slower car. It allowed for Roberts to try and make a pass, but just as things were heating up, a caution came out.

Second place would be in question on the restart as Roberts had to deal with B.J. Wild. Roberts stayed ahead of Wild, and when another caution came out on the 22nd circuit, he’d also have to deal with Fred Ryland. On each occasion, Roberts remained in second and Peery took off from the rest of the pack.

Peery went on to cruise to victory for his first Stock Car win in 2024, good for $1,000. Unfortunately for Roberts, he spun in turn two on the final lap, which created a maelstrom for second. Ryland prevailed in the race for the runner-up spot, while Chase Berkeley was third. The rest of the top five consisted of Chester Kniss and Craig Nieman.

Peery did double duty in winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature and $1,500.

Peery jetted out to the lead at the drop of the green flag while behind him was plenty of action in the form of Ethan Killingsworth, Jesse Williamson and another double-duty runner, Ryland.  Just as Killingsworth secured third, second-place driver Matt Sanders started to challenge Peery for the lead.

Sanders tried but each time, he was unable to overtake the pacesetter. Unfortunately, he would get sideways between turns three and four on lap seven. When things got back to green flag action, Killingsworth and Ryland fought hard for second, with Killingsworth getting the spot. He then went to challenge Peery for the lead, but his momentum was stunted due to a caution on the 10th circuit.

Killingsworth worked the bottom to try to get beside and around Peery, but Peery was so dominant on the top shelf of the track that there was no change in position. The contest would be slowed down again, with the third and final stoppage just before the halfway mark.

When things returned to green, Killingsworth tried an approach on the high side as Peery subscribed to the inside line.  The challenger could not quite get the necessary run to overtake Peery and as the two fought over the coveted top spot, Ryland started to come into the mix to make it a three-car race for the lead.

Peery’s was tested as he faced not one but two challengers.. In the last five laps, Peery had to deal with some traffic. The leader made all the necessary moves, weaving in and out of the slower cars all the way to the checkers.

Killingsworth held on to second over third finisher Ryland. Braxton Possinger was fourth at the line while Jorddon Braaten ended the race fifth. 

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