ISCS Speedweek Recap

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Tanner Holmes Runner-Up In ISCS Speedweek Points (Photo Courtesy of Ray Hull) Jacksonville, Oregon- Tanner Holmes got a huge dose of racing over the past week when he partook in the inaugural Interstate Sprint Car Series Speedweek. The week consisted of six races in six nights at five different race tracks between the states of Oregon and Washington.

But before the ISCS Speedweek kicked off the Jacksonville teenager competed in the Iron Head Nationals just up the road from team headquarters at Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday, August 11th. The evening began with Holmes winning the heat race as well as the scramble to earn the inside pole starting position. In the main event he paced the field for the first eight laps. Eventually Tanner faded back to third but recovered to finish as the runner-up.

After taking Sunday off the ISCS Speedweek started at Coos Bay Speedway on Monday night. Setting fast time in his group Holmes made the redraw and started seventh in the feature. At the drop of the checkered flag he posted a ninth-place result and would be his worst finish of the week.

“The track was pretty narrow,” commented Tanner Holmes, “but getting ninth was a great start to Speedweek.”

Things improved dramatically at Cottage Grove Speedway on Tuesday. Holmes finished sixth, but it was after bouncing back from a seventeenth starting position, in heavy traffic filled race. By passing so many cars Tanner earned the Travis Rutz Hardcharger Award.

“Even though we didn’t have the best start to the night we bounced back pretty good. I have to thank Brian Crockett for such a great job on the track prep.”

Wednesday was spent at Willamette Speedway. After setting the second fastest time in his respective group Holmes unfortunately would not make the redraw. Starting the main event ninth he did manage to claw his way up to a fifth-place result.

“The bottom of the track at Willamette was definitely the preferred line. I managed to get up to fourth but the mount on the right front shock broke off and I fell back to fifth.”

At Banks’ Sunset Speedway Park Tanner had an incredible night for himself. In fact, come feature time he showed the way for the first eighteen circuits. Holmes did manage to retain a podium finish by coming across the wire third.

“I really wanted to win that race, but I felt like a sitting duck all by myself.”

The momentum continued to swing in favor of the team as they entered the final two legs of racing at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington. In night one, after starting ninth, Holmes finished third for the second consecutive night. The Saturday finale witnessed Tanner starting deep in thirteenth despite being quickest in his group in qualifying. But as had been the case all week long he would rise to the occasion and rebound. At the drop of the checkered flag the #18 mount made it onto the podium with his third straight third place finish.

“Friday the track was one of the best of the entire week and the car was really fast to where I was really able to maneuver in traffic. Saturday we were fast timing in but didn’t go anywhere in the heat race. In the main I managed to pick off cars early before the track took rubber. Once I found the rubber I adjusted my wing and got it up to third.”

Tanner Holmes ended the week second in ISCS Speedweek points and was the only driving during the week to finish in the top ten in every race. His overall performance of seven races in eight nights included seven top tens, five top fives, and four podiums along with one hard charger award.

The team will take the rest of the month off before racing at the Cycleland Speedway, in Chico, California, for the Outlaw Showcase. It is one of the, if not the largest, Kage Kart race in the entire country. Tentatively Tanner Holmes will return to his Sprint Car in September before returning to the Indoor Kart scene. For updates check out “TC Racing” on Facebook, www.tannerholmes.com, or his Vlog at “Tanner Holmes” on YouTube.

2018 Sponsors: LaFarge North America Modern Machinery Durango RV Future Farms of Roseburg Commercial Collision ABC Powdercoating Sundance Signs Johnny Cat Inc.

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