High Performance Sport Driving Day – Nov 22, 2014

DSC_693122 Nov 2014 Kent, WA – Want to go fast on dry pavement? Learn to drive in the rain. Going through a class at ProFormance Driving School the weather plays an important role in teaching. As Don Kitch teaches there is an art to driving in the rain. Today was a great opportunity as the rain was coming down, quite the contrast to the last session held in the sunshine.

Groups of 4 to 6 did a lead/follow after class instruction, they learned the line around the track and the rules that must be obeyed to do so once they are cut loose on their own. Check out the ProFormance web site for upcoming dates

Images of all the fun in the rain are now available – click here.

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2014 Pacific Raceways Winners Banquet

2014 Pacific Banquet  11-21-14 02421 Nov 2014 Kent, WA – This year’s banquet held at Emerald Downs brought many to fill the tables for food and awards. E.T. winners shared their experiences at the finals, and what is planned for next year’s race cars filled the room with conversation. There was plenty of applause for all the winners with a bit more directed towards Norm and Gordon for their accomplishments this year. Congratulation to all the winners and see you next season.

Images from the banquet are now available – click here.

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High Performance Sport Driving Day At Pacific Raceways

High Performance Sport Driving Day 11-15-14 10115 Nov 2014 Kent, WA – When Mother Nature graces the Northwest with sunny and chilly weather those who enjoy the 2.25mi. road course at Pacific Raceways come from afar to take advantage. The north of the border plates on many cars shows their interest in lapping Pacific’s course.

From pure class race cars to street driven daily drivers, and toss in a variety of go karts made a great event for those who dressed for the weather.  They had lots to watch.

ProFormance Driving School lapped three groups of students interested in learning and experiencing the thrill of driving the course. Check Pacific’s web site for upcoming Sport Driving Day dates.

Over 800 images are now available – click here to go to the album.

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Fall Moto GP Series At Pacific Raceways – Nov 8th, 2014

Fall Moto GP Series 11-8-14 55908 Nov 2014 Kent, WA – The first of a six GP series dates kicked off with a weather day that could not be better. Sunshine and NO rain in sight had all commenting on how nice it was.

With a new layout put down over a couple days by manager Lance Smail and help tested the best of riders. Watching the rider’s transition from the dirt to the asphalt part of the road course at Pacific Raceways had to be the change that tested the riders the most.

A wet and loaded with mud knobby tire does not grip too well leaning into a curve at speed. Those that figured out this change and the other on dirt challenges put down some impressive lap times, passing a number of riders who had not quite figured it out. If you ride a dirt bike you got to check this out, it WILL test you and your skills.

Over 500 images, with perfect weather are now available – click here.

Go to Pacific’s web site for upcoming dates.

SAMPLES

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High Performance Sport Driving Day At Pacific Raceways

High Performance Sport Driving Day 10-26-14 32126 Oct 2014 Kent, WA – Time again for another High Performance Sport Driving Day at the 2.25 mile track at Pacific Raceways to bring in those road course drivers and spend the day “lapping”.

Images are now available – click here to review and make purchases

No racing here this is just for you and your ride learning just how far you can go and still have control. Push too hard and go off the surface you will be “black” flagged to come in for a discussion on your actions.

The actions were overseen by ProFormance school instructors and the Lost Mines Safety Team on the corners, carefully watching all the action. With handling a big part of new car maker’s selling points the idea of having a safe place to test is the point of the High Performance Sport Driving Day event at Pacific Raceways. Check their web site for more dates.
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Fall Series #3 At Pacific Raceways

Fall Series #3  10-4-14 49004 Oct 2014 Kent, WA – Continuing on an unusual weather pattern for the northwest no rain for the weekend. Has to be 5 or 6 now in a row, “perfect” for drag racing.

This great weather has to have been a great blessing for Drew Austin and his family testing the dragster for up-coming events, they are ever so close to their target. Good Luck In another family racing venture Jim VanCleve and his son James taking advantage of the nice weather for a “family” outing. Have not seen Jim race since his ride had a red beer logo on it. Today going four rounds before going out in the fifth on a foul. Great to see and talk to him, hope to see him more next season.

For the racers in the Fall Series the chance to race in October with great weather is again not the normal. Big smiles all around from the Jr. Dragsters to the Super Comp dragsters, made no difference, just happy to be racing. One more race in the Series 10-11-14 hope to see you there.

For the winners this day those big smiles on the Jr’s faces courtesy of Jim and Michelle Lewis. Jordan Calhoun and Katie Kapler raced with Jordan claiming the bigger prize in Jr. Lightning. In the Jr. Thunder class Porter Johnson and Cameron Calhoun faced off with Porter taking the top spot. In the non-electronics class Joel Dalke the number one qualifier got the win over Ron Parker. On a First or Worst rule this race a red lighting Marion Hurst gets the win when Brad Jolly crossed the center line.

Over five hundred perfect weather images now available – click here to view and purchase them.

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Fall Series Event #2 At Pacific Raceways

Fall Series # 2 9-21-14 73021 Sep 2014 Kent, WA – Race number two in the fall series brought new faces to the track on this sunny Sunday, the last one of summer.

In the two ¼ mile classes you can see a bike vs. a dragster or a pure race car vs. a pure street car. Looks are little skewed as they are lined up against each other racing against their dial-in. Pure ET racing is how well you can run the number. Have to be consistent to win here as you have to know your race car and what it will do providing you do the same thing each pass. The human factor in racing, always the unknown as we are not machines that can exactly re-peat time after time each pass; though the more you do anything the closer you can get to doing this repeatedly.

Not running in the series and out for testing only was Drew Austin in his recently wrapped dragster running in the Nostalgia series, and testing and fine tuning their work. Have to think this will be a much photographed dragster when in competition.

Regular runner in the super pro class Kevin Rennick brought out his top dragster out for some testing as the opportunity to do so does not come often enough while racing in the ET series.

A rare treat this time of year was the sound and smell of “nitro”. Only two cylinders of nitro are all it takes to propel Dana Meeks down the track on his nitro HD drag bike. It is a rare breed of racers that ride these bikes.  Anyone that has seen a nitro powered motor explode knows how volatile they are, now fire it up and lie on top of it and ride it down the strip. Like I said “a rare breed” indeed to do this.

Not forgotten in the fall series are the 1/8 mi. Jr dragster classes. These young racers are just as serious about their sport as the 1/4 mi. versions. Having fun, doing your best and when you win, reaping the rewards. As in the first race of the series no trophy here, the huge smiles on the winner and runner up says it all as Jim and Joann Ronan provided the bills to bring those smiles. Kudo’s to you. The smiles in Jr.Thunder saw Porter Johnson winner and Ryan Warnke runner-up. In Jr. Lightning winner Emily Lewis and runner-up Josh Schmanke shared the winner’s circle.

In the non-electronics class Jasin Bravo claimed the trophy over Ron Parker. The electronics class saw past track champ Steve Beggerly take the win over “bathroom row” runner Tim Schmidt.

Over 500 new images are now available – click here to go to the album.

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1st Annual GM Nationals At Pacific Raceways

GM Nationals 9-13-14 55013 Sep 2014 Kent, WA – The weather could not be any better for the first ever GM Nationals held at Pacific Raceways. GM powered autos, trucks and dragsters came to the property for both a car show and drag race.

Walking around the upper paddock area corded off for the car show had lines of some fine old and new rides being shined for show. Out on the drag strip prep work is well underway preparing the surface to its prime for a day of racing. This prep did well as the range of racers went from bone stock to a funny car.

GM power of all kinds like that of the “Bathroom Row” gang of racers. With five classes to run in no matter what there was a class to fit in. Look forward to the event next year as word of mouth for a year can only grow the event. These are the inaugural event winners this year:

Lots of images from the event – click here to go to the album

STREET DOT: Rich Graves used a better reaction time to end Jennifer Davis and her Duramax a chance at the trophy
LS/LT: Craig Smith got the win when Bob Wilson ran too fast
HOT ROD: Rob Lindley-’65 Nova over Joel Dalke-’68 Camaro
ELECTRONICS: Truck vs. Dragster in the closest final the truck of Pat Jacobsen edged the dragster of Brian Schmitt
QUICK 8: Elaine Sellers Nova funny car here over the better reacting Mark Johnson in his dragster

SAMPLES

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Fall Series Race #1 At Pacific Raceways

Fall Series # 1 9-7-14 47207 Sep 2014 Kent, WA – Perfect weather greeted all those who came to kick off the Fall Series of racing. Running thru September and into October is a weather dependent event. Going on weather data patterns the dates are favorable but as we here in the northwest know mother- nature at times has fun with outdoor activities. No issues this day with sunny skies and comfortable temps.

Earn points for the race series and run for the buck’s combination or just test and tune what you are working on for next year had a wide range of cars, dragsters and a Pro Mod out taking advantage of the fine day.

Joining the Jr’s in there 1/8 mi. racing’ a fine looking black Camaro tested for its 1/8 mi. class. Five classes ran for trophies and cash including the Jr. Classes thanks to Jason Ronan who provided the winner and runner-up bucks, – there were big smiles on the Jr’s faces with this one as the “gambler” portion excludes them.

Photos are now available – over 500 to choose from – Click Here…

Here are the trophy winner’s this race:

Jr. Thunder: In a close race Cameron Calhoun edged Ian Theofelis
Jr. Lightning: In a closer race Josh Schmanke stopped the faster Emily Lewis
MC: Mark Sires a little “lighter” past the finish as Jim Zevenbergen fouled away the chance
Non-Electronics: A rare malfunction on Joe Linds bike gave Larry DeCamp’s Camaro the win
Electronics: Dragster against Wagon, Al Chinn in his wagon over the too quick dragster of Mark Campbell

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Silent Thunder Electric Nationals At Pacific Raceways

Silent Thunder Electric Nationals 9-6-14 63306 Sep 2014 Kent, WA – In a move to the future Pacific Raceways has installed a charging station on the property to aid those who are in the need for a power pick-me-up. If your transportation uses a battery to go this is your “gas station” in the area to charge up. To kick off this announcement the track had an all electric race to showcase what those manufactured and home-made powered cars and bikes could do on a drag strip.

The day started with a “lead/follow” around the 2.25mi. road-course led by ProFormance Driving instructor Don Kitch. It had to be quite a treat for those daily drivers on a race course. Most all of those attending took part at the chance including the brave guy on the bike that had to be heavily winded after his first lap. Kudo’s to him as human powered, multi-speed riders get huffing and puffing after a lap.

Everyone was in a re-charge mode as the day transitioned to the drag strip portion of the event, and a quick refresh at the Bigfood charging station covered by Carol and Chris busy kept the humans charged up.

Burning rubber, race gas and noise are all parts to a drag race as most all know. Not this time as the title implies it is quite absent of noise. From the stands around mid-track you hear nothing till the car is close then you hear the tires biting into the track for traction and the sound of the electric motor working at its max.

It was quite a sight seeing a pair of Tesla’s screaming down the track. Running in the 12:50 to 13:00 second times and up to 110mph most of the day. Contrary to the sounds of a pair of fuel burning cars the Tesla’s create a kind of “guttural” sound as the power is instantly “on” and the tires are gripping to go.

In what had to be the surprise of the day had to be the “home-made” two seat bike that claimed the quickest E.T. of the event with an 11.502 sec. run. Watching the excitement build as he made run after run getting faster and faster with each pass. The fastest mph pass was made by a Tesla at 110.65 mph but the fact that two seat bike came ever so close to claiming both ends with a 110.57mph. Quite a happy camp there at the end of the day as a “racer” of any sort would happy about what you just accomplished. Well done to all involved and look forward to the next race.

Lots of pictures of these unique rides are now available – click here

SAMPLES

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