Thirty-two dirt late models, most from the I-5 series home track of Willamette Speedway, made the trek to Elmira, Wash. for the Bud I-5 Challenge Series at Grays Harbor Raceway last weekend.

Rob Mayea bided his time and then rode the high way around leader John Duty to take the win.

Polesitter Lisa Stroup took the initial lead for the 50-lap A-Main and paced the first three laps until Albany driver Todd Shandy went around her on the outside of turn two and took over the lead. The fast cars made their way through traffic and Mayea moved into the top five on lap seven.

Duty, running No. 2 and collecting points for three-time defending series champion Trevor Glaser - who was attending his sister's wedding - made a daring move on lap 19, going from fourth to first in one lap.

Mayea calmly went by Mike Miller for third and Shandy for second by lap 23 and set sail for Duty. Mayea caught a break when Russ Sell's car went dead after spinning in turn two on lap 26. On the restart, Mayea went to the high side, but checked back when Duty got high coming out of turn two. On lap 28, Mayea made the winning move.

Miller and Greg Walters battled for third place with Walters finally gaining the spot with six laps left in the 50-lap main event.

On the 50th lap Jayme Van spun and the caution flew, but the race was declared completed under caution. Brett McCutcheon was fifth and Todd Shandy finished sixth. Sell finished seventh with Jimmy Schram eighth, Don Piefer ninth and Jeff Biffle - older brother of NASCAR Sprint Cup star Greg Biffle - rounding out the top 10 and gaining a $200 bonus for being the highest finishing crate engine late model.

Casey Vitale of Lebanon destroyed the track record in qualifying with a lap of 14.310 seconds with Walters - a crate engine master running an open competition engine for the event - in second at 14.666.

Of the four fastest cars, only Mayea and Duty were in line in time to run the trophy dash. The cars of Walters and Mayea were on jack stands in the pits under repair and Schram volunteered to tag onto the field. Mayea led all four laps to win the trophy dash with Duty in second and Schram in third.

The series' next race is July 26 back home at Willamette Speedway.