5/4/2026
Willamette Speedway
Willamette Speedway Fans Prove Why They’re the Best in Dirt Track Racing
LEBANON, OR – Saturday night at Willamette Speedway proved that it takes more than a little rain to dampen the spirits of the best fans in the Pacific Northwest. Hosting the third race of the 2026 season under the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts, the track faced its toughest challenge of the year so far: Mother Nature.
As an unforecasted shower moved over the speedway, track promoter Cory Penfold and the team in the Moxie Media & Promotions tower monitored six different radar apps, determined to get the program in. Fans bundled up and held tight as officials utilized every available safety vehicle and tow truck to roll in the surface. Just as the track was ready for race cars, a second shower threatened to end the night.
Penfold took to the P.A. system, promising the crowd that the show would go on. "I was fully confident we would get the show in for our drivers and, most importantly, our fans," Penfold said. "We knew we were on the outer edge of the front. I wasn’t going down without a fight. Fortunately, Mother Nature cooperated, and the moisture and cool temps actually blessed us with an incredibly fast racing surface."
The gamble paid off. Following an opening invocation by track Chaplain Michael Prowell and the National Anthem, the program roared to life with heat race action across five classes. The tacky, fast track led to the quickest lap times of the year, with Late Models nearly dipping into the 13-second range during a night of hard-nosed feature racing.
Saturday Night Victory Lane:
Hornets: Jesse Shanklin (First win of the season)
Limited Late Models: Clay Debban (Three-for three)
Street Stocks: Tyler Pagel (Back-to-back wins)
Late Models: Joey Tanner (Three-for-three)
Willamette Speedway returns to action this Saturday night for Mother’s Day Madness. The event will feature the Albany Toyota Late Models, J&K Auto Body & Collision Street Stocks, and the Moxie Media & Promotions Modifieds, along with the highly anticipated season debut of the Micro Sprints.
Event Details:
Gates Open: 4:00 PM
Qualifying: 4:30 PM
Racing: 6:00 PM
Tickets: Available now at www.willamettespeedway.com
Live Stream: Can’t make it to the track? Catch every lap live on Speed Union TV.
Submitted By: Larry Adams