Car Club Racing at Pacific Raceways

31 May 2019 Kent, WA – The types of cars that run in the Car Club Series is the basic “Big 3”. Every now and then one comes along that is not in the 3, this night an American Motors Rambler was running out of the Ford lanes but he is powered by a Chevy motor.

Not quite sure how the Ford lane was chosen but the car made it to the semi finals only to fall to the event winner Larry DeCamp who padded his lead in the Car Club Series at Pacific Raceways.

Good luck to those chasing Larry to the end of the season as I have signed off from the Car Club Series and will not see the end.

Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

Swift Tools ET Series #4 at Pacific Raceways

18 May 2019 Kent, WA – It may say race number four, but it is really, number two as mother nature took away the first two. Many of the racers are still fresh off the first race that filled the grounds as normal for the Swift Tool E.T. Series.

The weather was a touch chilly but fine for racing and way better than the rain that plagued the previous nights event. One mishap delay for an oil clean up stopped action for a short time but the quick work by the drag crew got things back on track quickly and still finish before curfew.

The slow down though it was a good one caused the run order to be altered as Gordon Rust was in the finals in Sportsman and Pro and is afforded cool down time which for him became a great thing as he claimed both classes and the trophy’s to go with the wins.

Jim Were claimed the M.C. class over William Nitta and Dave Wakefield picked up another win in Super Pro.

Images are now posted – click here to go to the photo album.

Jr Dragster #2 & Car Club at Pacific Raceways

17 May 2019 Kent, WA – A whole pile of Jr’s showed up for their second race of the early season, along with Car Club filling up space for their first race of the season at Pacific Raceways. Adding to those groups was a slew of test and tune folks out to test their rides at the track.

All was well thru time hits and a number of rounds in both classes. With the semifinal rounds for the Jr’s just run and while waiting for the Jr’s to clear the rain drops started. The shutdown end of the track got the first of it, the rain then progressed towards the starting line.

Racing done, we were on hold as curfew is still in the distance and the radar says it won’t last long but no time was given by the weather folks.

The rain stopped but Car Club and the TnT will not run as the shut down area will not dry before curfew, but the strip can be dried to finish the Jr. classes that turned out to be a Ridge brother’s night as Dawsin got the Storm trophy and brother Dustin claimed the Jr. Thunder trophy. Tonight the number one qualifier Jordan “JoJo” Dooley picked up the hardware and points in Jr. Lightning.

Images from the event are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

National Open at Bremerton Raceway

12 May 2019 Bremerton, WA – When a “WALLY” is up for grabs the racers come in droves to get one in their hands. This year’s race at Bremerton Raceway, packed with racers for the first time under the new 1/8th mile track setup.

Two days of racing with a test and tune and gambler on Friday for one of the biggest races of the season at Bremerton.

Racing with the sunshine as there are no lights at the track with a packed house had the racing going on till the last minute of daylight to hand out those “WALLYS”.

For all of those out in the sports world that ride a skate board or snow skies or boards riding the “rail” is one of the challenges you try but riding a “K-Rail” on a Harley is something that will never end well as one of the bike class riders demonstrated on Saturday, un-hurt and a bit embarrassed from his mistake and apologetic for stopping the race Scott will ride again on his regular race bike.

Unfortunately I had to leave before the races were completed so I have no race winner information but would like to congratulate all those that took home a “WALLY” from this year’s National Open race at Bremerton Raceway.

Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

PRDC at Pacific Raceways

08 May 2019 Kent, WA – Back again to Pacific Raceways drag strip for some mid-week motorcycle racing sponsored by Olympic Ironworks Motorcycle.

Mother Nature again kept away the bad weather with comfortable 70’s and sunshine. Combining a test and tune with the bikes kept the lanes packed with cars ready to test the track bite.

This night sixteen riders contested for the top spot for their season opener with Tom Misfeldt getting the win over Jim Were.

Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

The next PRDC race is May 29th.

Swift Tools ET Series #3 & West Coast Grudge at Pacific Raceways

04 May 2019 Kent, WA – Thank You Mother Nature!

After raining out the first two races of the season it was nothing but sunshine for all those attending event #3 of the Swift Tools ET Series.

Really only the first time the Swift Tool sponsored series racers get down the track to earn points towards a number of “carrots” at the end of the season. Time trials got underway on a well prepped track by the drag crew put new numbers on their time slips to check if the improvements made over the winter worked.

For those bringing out new to them race rides in “all” the series classes will not only bring in new blood but will develop new relationships amongst the “family” that drag racing is all about.

Race number #3 class winners are in Junior Street O’Riley Benda, Kaitlin Smith in High School, Bailey Benda in Jr, Storm, Luke Cavar in Jr. Lightning, Dustin Ridge in Jr. Thunder, track champ Kevin Renick defending his title in Super Pro, Mike Driscoll in Pro, Craig Smith takes the trophy in Sportsman and William “Bill” Nitta on his ’08 Hayabusa out rode the rest in Motorcycle.

On a side note to the MC class for the first time that I can remember a “snow mobile” made it a true BIKE/SLED class, great to see.

Tying into the series race the West Coast Grudge racers brought their growing list of racers ready to attack the “instant green” and quick 1/8th mile races. Willy and his crew have done an outstanding job of promoting and leading the way on this quickly growing series and its followers. Local racer Lane Cavar is “all in” and it showed with the show he put on with a smooth, wheels up launch carrying the front off the track farther than any previous runs and putting that laundry holder on the rear some work. Very impressive indeed.

Over 450 Images are now in the photo album – Click here to go there. As always thank you very much for your image purchases and support!

33rd Annual Bi-Mart Fall Classic at Woodburn

23 Sept 2018 Woodburn, OR – The last big event at Woodburn Dragstrip is now in its 33rd year and the draw to racers and spectators alike was huge! With each day being its own race day, the amount of classes (25 over the two days) brings a wide range of race cars and trucks to the famous dragstrip. Adding to the mix the Outlaw 8.5 and 10.5 bring their high-powered cars to the track for some 1/8th mile racing.

BB/Funny Cars, Pro Nostalgia and a pair of jet funny cars put on a show for the spectators along with a race among themselves to get a winner.

With the entries for both days racing ran into the darkness turning on the newly finished light pole behind the burnout box. This is a race weekend you need to mark on your date book for next year as it is a great show of race cars and horsepower.

Tons of images from all 3 three days are now available – click here to go to the photo albums.

SATURDAY WINNERS

Danny Wargnier in Top Gas
Jarod Anderson in Hot Rod
Brian Horn in Street Machine
Jimmy Heriford in Street Rod
Paul Carbaugh in Stick Shift
Ron McBee in Gasser
Dave Mueller in Inline/Flathead
Steve Cooper in Run Tuff
Don DePeel in ET Motorcycle
Bob Osborne in Harley
Ty Anderson in Super Comp
Gary Erickson in Super Street
James Boyce in Stock/Super Stock
Ryan Bese in Jr. Lightning
Logan Scrivner in Jr. Thunder.

SUNDAY WINNERS

Greg Howland in BB/Funny Car
Marc Pruett in Pro Nostalgia
Paja Agotonovic in Outlaw 10.5
Michael Dunks Jr. in Outlaw 8.5
Tony Arthur in Super Comp
Jess Dale in Super Street
Dave Barcelon in Stock/Super Stock
Don Burgoyne in Dragster/Roadster
Donny Richards in Super Pro
Chris Stone in Pro
Jimmy Heriford in Sportsman
Terry Holloway in ET Motorcycle
Jeff Lilly in Pro Mod
Gene Hegle in Quick 8
Austin Varner in Jr. Lightning
Lindsey Miller in Jr. Thunder
Terry Holloway is King of the Track.

Congrats to all the winners at this years Fall Classic. Also need to thank Dave and Jack for the jump to get my dead battery going and to Jay Bird good luck on your new adventure to the east of the Mississippi river.

2018 ET Finals Was Epic!

02 Sept 2018 Boise, ID – As the rotation goes around between the four host tracks for the Northwest E.T. Finals all headed to Firebird Raceway this year. Close to 500 entries packed onto the grounds, divided up into 14 team pits.

With the Managers Cup, the Race of Champions and the Team championship up for grabs with the winners of the Race of Champions going to Pomona as the Division 6 players for a 7-Division battle for number one in their class.

The weekend got tarted on Thursday with a test and tune for all that needed to adjust to the conditions that is Firebird Raceway. On to Friday and the Gambler race for all those that wish to enter and the runs were also your qualifying hit as those not in get a hit also. The more that enter the bigger the payout and any help with costs to a racer can be helped greatly with a win.

Those that pocketed the cash:

Kurt Gross in Super Pro
Brian McGinnis in Pro
Shannon O’Leary in Sportsman
Riley Toth in Bike/Sled
Kyle Wagenaar in Jr. Lightning
Logan Scrivner in Jr. Thunder
Cooper Chun in Jr. Street.

On to Saturday and it was the Track Managers Challenge and the Race of Champions. A race within a race as all members of the team’s race with the winner added to the team total and as the track champions do battle for the Race of Champions portion also adding to the team total.

With two classes requiring seven rounds to get a winner that’s a lot of racing. Round after round and into darkness it took to go thru the eight classes of racers. The four classes of winners in the ROC that will represent Division Six in Pomona are Pat Osmundson in Super Pro, Matt Lielman in Pro, Devin Fround in Sportsman and Scott Grondahl in Sled/Bike.

The four ROC winners not yet included in the trip to Pomona are Damien Chinn in High School, Kyle Wagenaar in Jr. Lightning, Lindsey Miller in Jr. Thunder and Calli Deming in Jr. Street.

In the Track Managers Challenge of the fourteen tracks that entered the E.T. Finals the big winner this year was Woodburn Dragstrip with 49 points to claim bragging rights for another year and those eight class racers that are now on a huge “high” for what they just accomplished.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday as they say is here with the “Team” Championship up for grabs. With a round win number that will take a long time to better Woodburn Dragstrip “Team Pacific” and it’s 55 racers were ready to attempt a re-peat. Food and liquids provided by “Pirates Loot” over the weekend kept all going into Sunday with a last breakfast before racing. Team photo finished, the members scattered to the pit area to get ready to do battle. Early on the round wins were tough to come by and no record this year and the place in the standings fell.

This fact was also true for a number of tracks, as a many time winner for this series came up with a big win and that team is Portland Int’l Raceway with 86 points.

The class winners in this race

Brad Pattan in Super Pro
Steve Kelly in Pro
Gary Howe Jr. in Sportsman
Mark Canty in Bike/Sled
Kyle Wagenaar in Jr. Lightning
Ryan Bese in Jr. Thunder
Cooper Chun in Jr. Street.

On a special note for a three-day weekend of racing with three separate races to win a racer can only dream of winning all three. Well a young man named Kyle Wagenaar had his dreams come true by “sweeping” the three races, a rare feat indeed done by anyone but to do it in the Jr. Lightning class says a lot about this, young racers future.

Images from the entire weekend, broken out in Albums by day, are now available – click here to go to the photo albums.

Till next time “Congratulations” to all the winners and “Good Luck” to those going to Pomona.

Dave Barcelon’s Truck Town Super Saturday

25 Aug 2018 Kent, WA – Unlike the first two Saturday races, this the last of the season became a battle of “wills”, Ed Garfield and his drag crew (vs) “Mother Nature”. Yes, this was an all-day event with the cutoff at 11:00pm.

Traveling from both ends of the track the spattering of drops would bring action to a halt. Do not know the time it takes to go thru the run order, but the weather seemed to stop each time the Jr.’s turn came up, bringing out the bumper-shoots or flat out scurry to their pits seeking cover.

Each one of these “raindrops” had the track start over with track drying and prep. The extra time works against the curfew which works against the run order. Time became a factor as the race needed to finish to determine who will race for the “King of the Track” and points were close and win or lose added into the mix of possibilities.

After moving the run order around and getting the finals finished in each class as fast as the racers could “cool” down, did push the King of the Track final right to the witching hour and showed “Mother Nature”- “WE Will Win” this fight.

Tons of great images are now online – click here to go the photo album.

CLASS WINNERS

David Wakefield in Super Pro
Kenny O’Keefe in Pro
Larry DeCamp in Sportsman
William Nitta in Motorcycle
Ian Theofelis in Jr. Lightning
Dustin Ridge in Jr. Thunder
Trystan Marchel in Jr. Storm
Chase Gorder in High School
Troy Olsonanski in Stock
Dale Green in Super Comp
Jeff Jackson Jr. in Super Gas
Todd Sims in Super Street
Kevin Rennick in Top Comp
“King of the Track” Brian McGinnis. – CONGRATS!!

Car Club & Jr Dragsters #11 at Pacific Raceways

24 Aug 2018 Kent, WA – As the Car Club Events hit the track this season its car count has grown, and the series has evolved into a fine race between the car makers. My Chevy is faster than your Dodge and that Ford, you know those words or something like that goes on in the pits.

The friendship between all these racers is on display with laughter and aiding those in need when necessary.

The same can be said of the Jr.’s when they are together though the topics are as you can expect quite different though their hearing brings them to the lanes on one call over the P.A.

One more race to their season to bring them to an even dozen for their season.

Images from Event #11 are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

Picking up the hardware this race date are as follows –

Scott Christensen in Car Club
Selena Lenihan in Jr. Lightning
Anastazji Gossette in Jr. thunder
Abigial Cole in Jr. Storm
Trenton Smith in Jr. Street.