5/2/2026
South Sound Speedway
Riley Watson Wins USA Late Model Main
Riley Watson Wins USA Late Model Main
Story by Nancy Schmidt
South Sound Speedway roared to life Saturday, May 2, 2026, with six divisions in action: D & S Light Truck and Auto USA Late Models (12 cars, 33 laps), Crown Stocks (8 cars, 20 laps), Legends (11 cars, 30 laps), Legends/Young Lions (5 cars, 15 laps), NW Focus Midgets (10 cars, 30 laps), CSM Heating Cooling, Roofing & Solar South Sound Modifieds (6 cars, 30 laps), and Bandoleros (10 cars, 15 laps).
D & S Light Truck and Auto USA Late Model Main Event began with Kyle Kinzebach on the pole and Dave Cline alongside. Cline grabbed the lead on lap 1, but a series of incidents slowed the 33-lapper: lap 2 (front stretch) Ralph Ramirez and Mike Brooks tangled and spun for caution 1; the lap-2 restart saw Chase Pittman and Tom Sweatman spin in turn 2 for caution 2; Randy Garcia spun in turn 4 on lap 20 (caution 3). Sweatman moved to the front on lap 21, then Garcia spun again in turn 4 on lap 28 (caution 4). Kinzebach had a flat in turn 1 on lap 29 (caution 5), and the lap-29 restart ended with Brooks, Matt Foley, and Pittman spinning in turns 3–4 (caution 6). The race ended on lap 33 when Dan Walker and Sweatman tangled and spun in turn 4, bringing out the caution and the checkered. Riley Watson won, with Cline second, followed by Garcia, Pittman, and Kinzebach to complete the top five.
Mike Brooks had a fast time of 14.350.
Crown Stock Main Event opened with Zach Howell on the pole and Alex Kieff outside. Kieff led lap 1, but Donnie Steele took over on lap 12 and drove to a caution-free win in the 20-lap feature. Kieff finished second, followed by Doug Wilde, John Owenby, and Travis McGregor.
Donnie Steele had a fast time of 18.199 (new record).
Jake Haider won heat race #1, and Donnie Steele won heat race #2.
CSM Heating Cooling, Roofing & Solar South Sound Modifieds Main Event started with Pete Tyree on the pole and Gage Sharp outside. Marshall Hallett led lap 1 before Kalob Watson took the top spot on lap 8. A spin by Riley Watson in turn 4 on lap 17 brought out caution 1, but Kalob Watson held on to win the 30-lap main. Riley Watson was second, followed by Sharp, Hallett, and Royce Iverson.
Riley Watson had a fast time of 14.870.
Gage Sharp won the heat race.
Legend Main Event featured Davis Jacobson on the pole with Roland McPeake outside. Jacobson led lap 1 before Andrew Riehl took over on lap 3. Matt Barrett moved ahead on lap 5, then Riehl regained the lead on lap 7. The 30-lapper included multiple cautions: Jacobson spun on the front stretch on lap 7 (caution 1); the lap-7 restart saw Ryley Hamness and Madi Weber spin on the front stretch, with Weber contacting the wall (caution 2). Taylor Shumaker spun in turn 4 on lap 15 (caution 3), Alexis Markham spun in turn 4 on lap 21 (caution 4), and Shumaker spun again in turn 2 on lap 22 (caution 5). On the lap-22 restart, Barrett hit Josh Wharton in turns 3–4 for caution 6. Riehl went on to win, followed by Grayson Miller, Hunter Gates, McPeake, and Hamness.
Andrew Riehl had a fast time of 15.655.
William Evans won heat race #1, and Matt Barrett won heat race #2.
Young Lions¬ Main Event began with Leilani Langston on the pole and Caleb Canfield outside. Canfield led lap 1, then Madi Weber took the lead on lap 2 and stayed there to win the 15-lap feature. Two cautions came on lap 8: Carter Sweatman and Mason Weinheimer spun on the front stretch (caution 1), then on the restart Weinheimer and Langston spun in turn 2 (caution 2). At the finish, Canfield was second, followed by Sweatman, Langston, and Weinheimer.
Madi Weber had a fast time of 15.775.
Madi Weber won the heat race.
Bandolero Main Event rolled off with Thatcher Olsen on the pole. TJ Schlund spun in turn 4 right after the green for caution 1, and Olsen led lap 1. Schlund spun again in turn 4 on lap 3 for caution 2 and was black-flagged (Bandos are limited to two spins). On lap 6, Olsen and Kelzyn Watson got together in turn 2; Watson flipped and landed back on all four tires as Rylan Presley, Ryder Jones, and Mason Heidrick were collected, triggering caution 3 and a red flag. Karsen Schlund took the lead on lap 7 and went on to win the 15-lap main. Olsen finished second, followed by Chase Hormann, Presley, and Chase Johnson.
Thatcher Olsen had a fast time of 18.011.
TJ Schlund won heat race #1, and Rylan Presley won heat race #2.
NW Focus Midget Main Event started with Riley Deaver on the pole and Curt Boyle outside. Deaver led from lap 1, with the only caution coming on lap 4 when Corey Boyle slowed in turn 4. Deaver captured the 30-lap win, followed by Jason Thomas, Curt Boyle, DeDe Shawley, and Brian Hayes.
Jason Thomas had a fast time of 14.185.
DeDe Shawley won heat race #1, and Corey Boyle won heat race #2.
Article Credit: Nancy Schmidt