17 Aug 2016 Kent, WA – Some of the best of the Northwest were onhand for an epic test session prior to the NHRA Northwest Division’s event at Pacific Raceway this past weekend.
Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
Category Archives: Drag Racing
Super Saturday at Pacific Raceways
13 Aug 2016 Kent, WA – The final Super Saturday of the season drew just over a baker’s dozen from 300 entries. Sixteen different classes for the racers to fit into have many thinking of the SS trophy sitting on the shelf.
With just five dates in the season you do not get many chances to get one. Also in the mix was the WCSA and their high powered hotrods racing to the 1/8 mile. As a spectator you can’t beat the wide range of cars in a number of heads-up racing. The winners list is long.
Super Pro – Emmett McKillop
Pro – Brian McGinnis
Sportsman – Larry DeCamp
Motorcycle – Mark Sires
Stock – Jody Lang
Super Comp – Darral Pettit
Super Gas – Glenn Paine Jr.
Super Street – Dustin Ward
Top Comp – Mark Campbell
Jr. Storm – Jaslyn Bean
Jr. Thunder – Luke Cavar
Jr. Lightning – Kennedy Krier
Open Comp – Craig Castagno
Outlaw 8.5 – Sherry Rohr
Outlaw 10.5 – Outlaw Trucking
Pro Street – Gene Fleury
Jr Dragster #11 & Car Club #6 at Pacific Raceways
12 Aug 2016 Kent, WA – It was the second to the last race for the Jr. Dragsters, and they filled the lanes with cars in what had to be the largest entry list of the season. Many are still in contention for a trip to the E.T. Finals and others are already getting set up for next season.
On the other side the Car Club keeps on growing with more racers joining in for a night of racing. Then there are those that are here for a test and tune for the Super Saturday event the next day. Here also was the WCSA with the four classes qualifying for their Saturday race.
Back to the Jr’s, after gaining his license McKailen Haddock, son of funny car driver Terry Haddock got his first taste of racing like his dad. Watching his licensing the day before you could hear the seriousness in dad’s tone at the same time the proud eyes of a father watching his son. Though losing in the first round he did everything right the way he was taught and will only get better with seat time.
The Jr. Winners are in Jr. Storm Raylee Higgins, in Jr. Lightning Ryan Lamoureux and in Jr. Thunder Ian Theofells. In the Car Club it was a father and son match as the Douglas’s Wayne and track champ Nick faced off seeing dad Wayne getting the light.
Swift Tools ET Series #11 at Pacific Raceways
30 July 2016 Kent, WA – As the season draws closer to its end the scramble to maintain your position in the standings is on the serious side now for the Swift Tools ET Series at Pacific Raceways.
Those lurking just behind you should you stumble are right there though I don’t see any stumble from the high school leader. Lane Cavar is a natural when it comes to racing and has shown it by winning in multiple classes though his huge lead has lessened the past two races, put on the trailer by each of the Hagen twins. Lane you could say is somewhat of a leader in the younger generation showing the talents that they have and the older racers know that they have to be on their game. He could be the first one to have two spots on the “wall of winners” at the track.
The list of winners for this combination of classes on another “Super Saturday” are:
Super Pro: Fred Hoffman
Pro: Brian Thompson
Sportsman: Larry DeCamp
Motorcycle: Joe Lind
Jr. Storm: Jaslyn Bean
Jr. Thunder: Luke Cavar
Jr. Lightning: Korban Lewis
Jr. Street: John Hawes
Stock: Brian Seaberg
Super Comp: Dale Green
Super Gas: Kyle Colletti
Super Street: Dustin Martin
Top Comp: Lane Cavar
Goodguys NW Nationals Nostalgia Drag Racing at Pacific Raceways
29 July 2016 Kent, WA – A terrific blast from the past is the best way to describe what GoodGuys is all about. A three-day car show at the fairgrounds and Friday night drags at the track bring thousands of folks out to see and watch.
In their hey-day these race cars were the top of the show and today it is still the same. Nostalgia is big no matter what you are describing and when it comes to racing, and it’s even bigger when you look at the stands you could see it – the stands were filled the seats on Friday night.
Add in to the mix some altered and dragsters from the day and eleven funny cars brought together with help from Bill Dooner who was the instrument for the big shows when Pacific Raceways was Seattle International Raceway. Those events drew tens of thousands to the track back in the day.
Looking forward to next season and the GoodGuys race I can see a bigger and better show for all those that love the old days of racing and the cars that ruled the strip.
PRDC #5 At Pacific Raceways
20 July 2016 Kent, WA – The mid-week bike race has to have the most consistent group of racers at the track. This group has made the Wednesday night race a get together to race and work among the racers to improve their performance.
They are all friends till the light turns green –by helping each other the competition gets closer. This in turn gets the rider’s up on their game on the starting line because they know it will be close at the finish line. They are always gathering after running to compare slips and watch their competitors run. Then they head back to their pits to do it all again helping those advancing to the next round. This has to be the tightest group of racers who compete at the track.
But there can be only one in the end and Chris Benda is on the fast track as this is another win to add points to his lead.
Images of all the bikes and action are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
Swift Tools #10 & Diesel Drags & Show at Pacific Raceways
16 July 2016 Kent, WA – Overcast skies and comfortable temps greeted all those who came to race or just to watch a great day of racing at Pacific Raceways. For those racers and spectators alike got the treat of watching “big rig” diesel trucks motor down the dragstrip, and it was event #10 of the season for the Swift Tools ET Series.
It was quite a sight watching blowing smoke out the stacks seeing how quick and fast the bid diesels could go.
Somewhat of another sight though not as in plain sight to all were the Hagen twins racing in the high school class. When together with their father it becomes clearer as their Dodge cars stand out. Take away color and a Wash. Plate and you have “three” peas in a pod, and they were having a great time doing so, pure “family” fun and racing at its roots. More on Angie later.
Closing out the race day the Diesel rigs were cut loose on the dragstrip and the fat part of the road course next to the strip. These prepared big rigs ran some pretty respectful times but the show where the doughnuts they were doing – now that would rival any winner on a circle track. To throw those heavy rigs around throwing tire smoke enough to hide the truck inside is quite a sight. Many cheers and posts to social media show the hit they were, great show.
To the list of winners I get to add a new one in “Big Rig” Ron Buckholz proved he can win in most anything and in the Diesel class Colton Christensen claimed the trophy.
For the Swift Tool #10 race Mark Johnson got the win in Super Pro with Brad Craig bringing his family to the winners circle. Larry DeCamp out lasted the field in Sportsman and continuing his winning streak Chris Benda put another Motorcycle trophy on the shelf and what had to be the upset of the race had to be the afore mentioned Angie Hagen taking out multi-class winner and points leader Lane Cavar.
Jr Dragsters #9 & Car Club #5 at Pacific Raceways
15 July 2016 Kent, WA – The Jr Dragsters came ready to run as the points required to get into the ET finals and a trip north of the border are getting short.
A lot of very close racing thru the season moves the standings around, and things can change with that win or first round loss. From the youngest to the oldest they understand that they can’t win them all and that the sportsmanship win or lose ends with a handshake.
These are the stars of the future no matter how far they go that good sportsmanship really beats out the end results, way to go.
Jr. Storm saw Raylee Higgins the winner with Ryan Lamoureux claiming top spot in Jr. Lightning and another Cavar showing what runs in the family Luke claimed the Thunder class, rounding up the Jr. classes John Hawes picked up Jr. Street. Car Club runner Scott Christensen outlasted all for the win.
Super Saturday Event at Pacific Raceways
09 July 2016 Kent, WA – Going into the third of the super Saturday’s on the race schedule was on hold. The Jr. Race the night before was stopped due to Mother Nature; rain continued thru the night soaking everything not covered.
This put the drag crew to early work drying the track with no help the aforementioned Mother Nature. Nearing the end of the drying process she decided one more time to start the drying all over again. Not deterred the drag crew went back at it now with a little help from the weather as the skies broke up just enough to speed up the drying.
Over 450 images are now available – click here…
Now ready to go and late of the normal start time the drag crew was tested with over 200 entries and 15 classes to run and finish to the winner’s circle. After running thru the classes like the well-oiled group that they are this Super Saturday goes into the books with these winners:
Super Pro- Emmett McKillop
Pro- Greg Steen
Sportsman- Derrick Schumsky
Motorcycle- Chris Benda
Jr. Storm- Raylee Higgins
Jr. Lightning- Josh Schmanke
Jr. Thunder- Luke Cavar
High School- Lane Cavar
Super Gas- Glenn Paine Jr.
Super Comp- Dale Green
Super Street- Dustin Ward
Stock- Brian Seaberg
Turbo Two- Rob Stariha
Turbo Thunder- Gene Fleury
Jr Dragsters #7 & Car Club #4 at Pacific Raceways
08 July 2016 Kent, WA – We are passing the halfway point in the race season, and the Jr. Racers all in the routine now and always ready to run. Knowing the run order these Jr’s were in the lanes and ready to go.
Any other time they are the kids they are having fun doing what they feel, tossing the football and running around then there are those that spend the time keeping the dragster clean and ready for the next round. No matter what they are doing in between rounds when time they all run to get their rides and head for the lanes.
This dedication I commend as sitting in their cars Mother Nature started messing ever so slightly with the ability to race. All that eagerness – and now wrapped in safety gear and strapped in the dragster, but going nowhere.
Sadly there was no choice but to pull the plug and finish the races the next day, Mother Nature won.
Got some great images as the lighting was excellent – click here to go to the photo album.
