BY: Chris Santos
9/16/22…Cottage Grove Oregon: Friday Night, Tyler Thompson would pair back up with Cook Motorsports to run the final two races of the 2022 Western Sprint Tour schedule. 13 Winged 360 Sprint Cars would pack the pit area ready to roll for the final Sprint Car race of the season at Cottage Grove Speedway.
The night would start off with qualifying. Tyler would struggle on both laps and lay down a lap that would put him 8th quick out of the 13 Winged 360 Sprint Cars. His qualifying effort would put him behind the 8 ball to start the night off.
In the heat race, he would start towards the front of the heat race in the 1st position. Tyler would find speed in his heat race would come away with the heat race win. With the heat race win, Tyler would put himself into a solid spot for the Friday Night feature event.
For the feature event, Tyler would roll off from the outside of the second row in the 4th position. Early on, Tyler would fall back to the 5th spot. However he would get better as the race went on. When the checkered flag fell, Tyler would bring home a podium and come home in the 3rd position.
Saturday Night, Tyler would return to the Cottage Grove Speedway with the Cook Motorsports team looking for a better night. Another solid field of 12 Winged 360 Sprint Cars would pack the pit area ready to roll and end the 2022 season on a high note.
Qualifying would be up first for Tyler & the Cook Motorsports team. He would improve from his Friday Night efforts and go 3rd quick this time. That would put him in a better spot for the rest of the night as he looked to find speed.
The heat race would see him roll off from the 4th position outside of row 2. He would have a very tough battle with Tanner Holmes trading the 4th spot. However when the checkered flag fell on the heat race, Tyler would get the spot & finish in the 4th position.
Tyler would once again start 4th in the feature on the outside of row two. He would struggle early falling as far back as the 8th position. However he would eventually get rolling and fight back through the field. The feature would come to an end with Tyler in the 4th finishing position.
It was a very good weekend for Tyler & the Cook Motorsports team. He would show some solid speed all weekend in an unfamiliar ride & was able to bring home a pair of top-5 finishes and even a podium finishes on Friday.
Tyler would like to thank his sponsors; J&K Auto Repair (Main Sponsor), Northwest Race Solvents, Ed Glazier Auto Chlor Systems, Burke Logging, Button Plumbing LLC, IBEW Local 280, James Gang Pizza, iiiBC Motorsports, Bunce Equipment, Rocket Designs, and Double R Powder Coating.
Next Race: TBA