Douglas County Speedway flagman Josh Klein and NSMS flagman Johnny Miskill with the West Coast Modified Shootout winner Darrin Knight of Kelseyville. (Photo by Angela Pope, HourGlass Photography)

Via Nadine Strauss/NSMS Media

Roseburg, Oregon..... August 24, 2019... The North State Modified Series, presented by Protect the Harvest, made its maiden voyage out of state Saturday night to become part of the A & M Transport West Coast Modified Shootout at Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Oregon. With $2000 to win up for grabs, the field was full of heavy-hitters, but it was three-time NSMS champion Darrin Knight of Kelseyville that was the dominant force who led 60 of the 75 laps to claim his second season victory. Ukiah's Kyle Tellstrom collected $1000 for finishing second, and Scott Winters of Tracy took home $850 for third.

Winters' fast time of 15.713 seconds established the NSMS Hoosier track record for the four-tenth mile paved oval. This, along with his third place finish, was just enough to boost the Ferrari Farms Racing team into the NSMS championship points lead by one point over Cameron Austin. Winters shares driving duties with Robbie Knittel for Ferrari Farms.

The pill draw was for an eight-car invert putting Lakeport's Ian Elliott and Petaluma's Richie Potts in the front row for the main event. Local driver Andrew Koens and Randy Houston shared row two, Cameron Austin and Knight started in row three, and Tellstrom and Winters were next in line in row four.

Elliott and Potts ran side-by-side the first three laps until Elliott pulled ahead. Houston dove under Potts the following round with Knight tight on Houston's bumper leaving Potts to struggle in the slick outside groove. Tellstrom swapped places with Potts just before the yellow flag waved when Darrin Sullivan and Herman Pulyer made contact causing Pulyer to spin in turn two.

The double-file restart saw Elliott back in front with Knight driving under Houston for second. Winters swapped places with Houston on lap 11 as Knight was looking for a way around Elliott. When Elliott drove up the track slightly on lap 15, it was all Knight needed to fill the hole to take the lead. Before Elliott could get back down both Tellstrom and Winters blew by, dropping Elliott to fourth.

For the next 15 circuits the leaders drove gracefully through lapped traffic until the race was slowed again on lap 35 when Sullivan and Rich Cobb came together resulting in enough damage to Sullivan's car to end his night. At this point the race was red-flagged for a fuel stop.

When racing resumed Winters poked his nose under Tellstrom but Tellstrom shut the door to maintain second. At the half way point the running order was Knight, Tellstrom, Winters, Houston, Austin, Keith Bloom, Elliott, Koens, Potts, Cobb, Stuart Campbell, Rick Avila, Jamie Britton and Pete Tyree.

The second half of the race saw Bloom move forward as Knight was putting a healthy distance between himself and the other top-runners. Knight was first across the Sunoco finish line for a $2000 pay day and a three-foot tall hand-carved eagle trophy courtesy of Mort Houston. He also was awarded the Keyser Hard Charger award. Tellstrom finished a strong second in front of Winters, Houston, Austin, Bloom, Elliott, Potts, Cobb, Campbell, Avila, Koens, Britton and Tyree. Non-finishers were Sullivan, Pulyer and Tom Ford.

Earning $100 for winning the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash was Elliott in the newly-prepared Terry Deal #01. Austin finished second for $50. The Naake Shocks certificate was given to Tellstrom. Rick Avila, Houston and Tom Ford got the Frank's Radios cards.

The next outing for the North State Modified Series will be on September 21 for the annual Fall Spectacular at Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka, CA.

The North State Modified Series is presented by: Protect the Harvest, Lucas Oil, Hoosier Tire West, Sunoco Race Fuels, Naake Suspension, Five Star Bodies, Racer Bling, Keyser Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, and Franks Radios.

HOOSIER TIME TRIALS:
Scott Winters 15.713 NTR; Kyle Tellstrom 15.728; Darrin Knight 15.811; Cameron Austin 15.876; Randy Houston 15.937; Andrew Koens 15.937; Richie Potts 15.966; Ian Elliott 16.082; Rich Cobb 16.139; Keith Bloom 16.200; Herman Pulyer 16.326; Tom Ford 16.350; Stuart Campbell 16.412; Rick Avila 16.753; Darrin Sullivan 16.843; Pete Tyree 16.972; Jamie Britton 16.983

LUCAS OIL DASH FOR CASH:
Ian Elliott, Cameron Austin, Randy Houston, Kyle Tellstrom, Richie Potts, Keith Bloom

NSMS/WEST COAST MODIFIED SHOOTOUT:
Darrin Knight, Kyle Tellstrom, Scott Winters, Randy Houston, Cameron Austin, Keith Bloom, Ian Elliott, Richie Potts, Rich Cobb, Stuart Campbell, Rick Avila, Andrew Koens, Jamie Britton, Pete Tyree, Darrin Sullivan, Herman Pulyer, Tom Ford