Northwest Indoor Series Round #3

What a weekend we had! Just like that NIS Round #3 is in the books.
​ It was an awesome weekend filled some of the closest racing yet. There were lots of close battles and well deserved wins. Thank you to everyone who came out and raced. We wouldn't be here without you guys! Apologies for the delay, but here are your podium photos and a race report of the triple A mains.

2WD Modified Buggy 40+
1. Jon Sterling
2. Jack Leighan
3. Mike Shirk
During A1, it was an extremely close race between Jon Sterling, Donny Schaff, and Jack Leighan. Schaff and Sterling were battling it out almost the entirety of the race until both Sterling and Leighan were able to get around him. Leighan and Sterling were right there together until the last lap when Leighan went in on the inside and made the pass. Leighan took the win in A1.
In A2, everyone wanted the win. Sterling jumped out in the lead early. Leighan and Mike Shirk were both battling it out behind him hoping for Sterling to make a mistake. Sterling kept his wheels on the ground and took the win in A2.
With this class being undecided going into A3, every driver had their game face on. Sterling and Shirk broke away early. They were neck and neck, Shirk putting pressure on Sterling. Sterling had a little bobble coming across the crossover which gave Shirk the lead. Now all Shirk had to do was hold off Sterling and Leighan, and that he did. Shirk took the win in A3.

Rookie
1. Cooper Wood
2. Jase Switzer
3. Hayden Hoage
In A1, Cooper Wood took off like a shot and couldn’t be caught. Wood did his best to stay clean while there was a battle for the second position happening right behind him. Wood crossed the finish line first and took the win in A1.
During the beginning of A2, Wood dropped down to the back of the pack early on, but was able to fight his way back up to battle with Jase Switzer who was in that #1 position. Switzer was able to hold off both Wood and Hayden Hoage to take the win in A2.
Wood knew that all he needed was a win in A3 to take the win overall and he did just that. He was driving the wheels off his car and couldn’t be caught. Wood took the win in A3 and the win overall.

4X4 Truggy
1. Jon Sterling
2. Zak McIsaac
3. Rich Miskho
Early on in A1, Jon Sterling and Zak McIsaac were battling hard for the lead position. McIsaac snagged the lead and did his best to hold off Sterling and Rich Miskho. McIsaac checked out a little bit and now it was a fight for the #2 position. McIsaac took the win with Sterling right behind him who won the battle with Miskho.
In the second lap of A2, Sterling went down and had to fight his way back up to the top. McIsaac, in the lead, was feeling a little bit of pressure from Sterling. Sterling waited patiently for McIsaac to make a mistake which he did. Sterling jumped out into the lead and held on until the end. Sterling took the win in A2.
A3 ultimately came down to who wanted it more because it was undecided. Sterling had a flawless run until the end. While sterling had a comfortable lead, Makaylee Chase, McIsaac, and Miskho were all battling it out for the second place position. Sterling took the win in A3 and took the win overall.

4WD Modified Buggy
1. Austin Cracknell
2. Harley Yoshii
3. Andrew Beauchamp
In A1, Austin Cracknell took off in the top position on the grid and was able to hold off Harley Yoshii for about half the race. Cracknell made a mistake coming off the crossover and Yoshii was able to make the pass. On the same lap behind them was Andrew Beauchamp and Mat Ortiz battling for that 3rd position. Cracknell was waiting for Yoshii to make a mistake and that exactly happened. Cracknell got around him and took the win in A1.
In A2, Cracknell was able to pull away with a comfortable lead. Behind him was a battle for the 2nd position between Yoshii and Beauchamp. Beauchamp was putting pressure on Yoshii in hopes to find a way around him. Beauchamp got around Yoshii, but that didn’t last for long. A mistake by Beauchamp provided Yoshii with a way around and held onto it until the end. Cracknell took the win in A2 and the win overall.
In A3, Cracknell got to sit this one out so now it was a battle for position overall. Beauchamp was right on Yoshii’s back bumper for most of the race. Yoshii pulled away as a battle between Beauchamp and Ortiz broke out. Ortiz was laying it down. Beauchamp made a mistake which let Ortiz make the pass. On the last lap, Beauchamp squeezed by Ortiz on the inside coming off the straight away. Beauchamp held off Ortiz for the last lap and that battle. Yoshii took the win in A2 and placed 2nd overall.

4WD Buggy 13.5
1. Devin King
2. Chris Bellanca
3. Garrett Rekdahl
At the start of A1, Devin King couldn’t quite hold off the pack behind him dropping down to that third position. Chris Bellanca and Garrett Rekdahl jump out front. King got around Rekdahl and started to put pressure on Bellanca. Bellanca then makes a mistake and puts King back to the point. King held onto the lead until the finish. King took the win in A1.
King took off in A2 with Bellanca right on his tail and an entire freight train right behind them. Bellanca had a tragic mistake that dropped him all the way down to the back. There was now a battle between Jon Sterling and Rekdahl for that 2nd spot. Rekdahl was able to hold off Sterling, but not for long. On the last few laps, Rekdahl had a bobble coming off the straight and Sterling was able to get around and lock in that 2nd position. King was checked out and took the win in A2 giving him the win overall.
In A3, Bellanca and Rekdahl were fighting hard for the win. On the first lap, Rehdahl got around Bellanca and was able to hold him off for quite some time. Bellanca was putting pressure on Rekdahl hoping for a way around. Rekdahl went a little wide going through the sweeper and that gave Bellanca the pass. Bellanca kept his wheels on the ground and took the win in A3.

2WD Stock Buggy
1. Brandon Weller
2. Alli Brown
3. Rob Dodge
In A1, Zak McIsaac did his best to hold off the pack, but he was unsuccessful. Alli Brown got around and took the lead early on. Brandon Weller, who was a bump from the B main, was charging hard in that 2nd position. Brown had a comfortable lead and checked out. All she had to do was keep it clean until the finish. That she did. Brown took the win in A1 with Weller finishing 2nd.
Zak McIsaac took off in the lead and was able to hold it for the majority of the race. Brown got into some trouble and fell down to the back of the pack early on. Rob Dodge was in that 2nd position putting pressure on McIsaac. McIsaac went down coming on the straight away and Dodge was able to make the pass. Brown and Weller get by McIsaac putting them on Dodge’s tail. Brown tried making the pass on Dodge but made a mistake letting Weller by. Dodge took the win in A2 with Weller in that 2nd position.
Going into A3, everybody wanted to win. Early on mistakes were made left and right. Dodge takes the lead with Weller and McIsaac right behind him. Dodge makes a mistake putting Weller into that #1 position. Weller kept it clean and didn’t let the pressure get to him. Weller held on until the end and took the win in A3. Because of that win, Weller took the win overall.

2WD Racing Truck
1. Jonny Deck
2. Jack Leighan
3. Mike Shirk
On the first lap of A1, Jonny Deck makes a mistake dropping him down to the #3 and putting Jack Leighan into the lead. Deck made his way back up to battle with Leighan. It was a tight race between these two for the lead. All Deck had to do was stay patient and wait for a mistake. Leighan went a little wide coming off the straight away which gave Deck the opportunity for the pass. Behind them was a battle for the 3rd position between Mike Shirk and Nicolas Burgess. Deck Held off Leighan until the end and took the win in A1.
Early on in A2 Leighan took it to the point and had to do his best to hold off Deck and Chris Bellanca. Leighan and Deck got into each other and Bellanca made his way into the lead. On the last few laps, both Deck and Leighan got around Bellanca putting Deck into the lead. Deck held on until the finish and took the win in A2 giving him the win overall.
Deck got to sit out A3, giving the rest of them the chance to battle it out for position. Mike Shirk and Ben Jones got by Bellanca, Jones taking it to the point. Shirk got by Jones, but couldn’t hold off Jones for long. Jones takes it to the point yet again and takes the win overall with Shirk on his tail in the 2nd position.

2WD Pro Stock Buggy
1. Devin King
2. Chris Bellanca
3. Garrett Rekdahl
In A1, Donny Schaff made his way up to the #2 spot and started to put some pressure on Devin King. King made a mistake in the switch backs and Schaff takes over the lead. Schaff tried to hold on, but King got by after a mistake by Schaff. In the last few laps, there was a heated battle for that third position between Jason Berg, Chris Bellanca, and Ryan McGlothern. King takes the win in A1.
Devin King checked out early in A2. Garrett Rekdahl also checked out in that #2 position while everyone else was battling for the #3 spot. King drove clean and held on to the lead. King took the win in A2 giving him the win overall.
In A3, King got to sit out and watch the battle for positions overall. Early on there was freight train lead by Garrett Rekdahl. Bellanca started to put pressure on Rekdahl. They were neck and neck until Rekdahl made a few bobbles and lost the lead to Bellanca. Bellanca kept it clean and held on to the lead until the finish. Bellanca takes the win in A3.

2WD Modified Short Course
1. Matt Ortiz
2. Jason King
3. Spencer Kidd
In A1, there was quite the battle between Matt Ortiz and Matthew Layman. Ortiz took off in the lead with Layman right on their tail. As they were trying to get through some traffic, Layman took the lead from Ortiz. Ortiz was putting pressure on Layman and it worked to his advantage. Ortiz got by Layman and held onto the lead until the end. Ortiz takes the win in A1.
All Ortiz needed was a win in A2 to lock in the overall win and that he did. Ortiz took off with a battle between Jason King and Dewayne Billings happening behind him for the #2 position. King pulled away and started to put pressure on Ortiz, but there was never an opportunity for a pass. Ortiz held on until the end and took the win in A2. Overall, Ortiz takes the win in 2WD Modified Short Course.
In A3, Ortiz had to sit out and watch them all battle for position. Jason King took off in the lead and did everything he could to keep it clean and hold off Spencer Kidd. King held on until the end and took the win in A3 with Kidd a few seconds behind him.

2WD Modified Buggy
1. Austin Cracknell
2. Harley Yoshii
3. Andrew Beauchamp
Early on in A1, Austin Cracknell drops down and loses a couple spots. Yoshii takes off into the lead while Cracknell does his best to make his way back up to battle with Yoshii. Cracknell reels in Yoshii and they are neck and neck until the end. Cracknell was putting on as much pressure as he could, but it didn’t work. Yoshii held on and took the win in A1.
Cracknell took off into the lead during A2 with Yoshii in tow. Yoshii followed behind Cracknell hoping for a chance, but there never was one. After a long fought battle between the two, Craknell takes the win in A2.
In A3, as Cracknell and Yoshii were battling it out for the win, there was a battle for the #3 happening behind them. Andrew Beauchamp got caught up in traffic coming off the straight away and that put Matt Ortiz in the #3 spot. Ortiz drove hard and kept it clean until the end. Cracknell was trying to hold onto for the win and that he did. Cracknell took the win in A3 and takes the win overall.

Dates to remember!
NIS Round #4: March 4th-5th
NIS Round #5 (finale!): April 15th-16th