The NHRA National Open Series traditionally begins at Bremerton Raceway each year and 2012 is no different.

Saturday, cloudy skies greeted a field of nearly 300 competitors, in get this 19 different classes! Along with the typical set of NHRA classes including Jr. Dragster, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Comp, Stock/Super Stock Combo and Jr. Comp. There was a complete Bracket Program including Pro, Super Pro, Sportsman, High School and Motorcycle. In addition to all of that it was an event that featured the Northwest Heads Up Racing Association and its classes which included: Hot Street, Outlaw Street, 8.60/9.60 Combo, Modified Street and Real Street.

All of this included in a double header format with two races in two days!

Mother Nature threatened all day but only delayed the racing activities. Once eliminations began; a power failure caused an electronics “glitch” which made the scoreboards and win lights malfunction! Quick decision making by the NHRA and Bremerton Raceway officials only delayed racing and did not cancel it altogether. Even with this bit of adversity, the racing was close and entertaining.

SATURDAY WINNERS

NORTHWEST HEADS UP RACING ASSOCIATION WINNERS

Sunday was much less eventful, as parts were replaced which allowed the scoreboards and win lights to once again function after Saturday’s power failure and racing went on for Fathers Day without any major difficulties.

SUNDAY WINNERS

NORTHWEST HEADS UP RACING ASSOCIATION SUNDAY RESULTS

Even See It Imagery was not without adversity as an “equipment malfunction” caused the winners pictures on Sunday for: High School, Pro and Motorcycle to be unusable. Arrangements are being made to re-photograph the winners in these classes along with feature stories on then in the coming weeks… Stay Tuned!

NOTE:
Due to a prior commitment, See It Imagery was unable to take photos from Saturday’s event.

Almost 400 photos from Sunday’s racing activities can be seen by clicking here.

Although Mother Nature threatened throughout the weekend, causing the Friday portion of the event to go from the “Box-No Box” format to a test and tune, Saturday’s action was held under mostly sunny skies.

Dallas Glenn dominated both the No Box class and No Box Gambler with wins in both classes driving his 68 El Camino, winning nearly $ 3,100 dollars for his efforts on Saturday alone!

“Fast Freddie” Hoffman won the over $1,300 dollar purse for his win in the “box or electronics” category (driving his early Camaro) on Saturday although the purse was split between Fred and runner up Al Chin.

The Electronics Gambler victor was Trevor Harkema driving his “Nelson Family Racing” dragster over the “Dave Barceleon’s Trunk Town” sponsored dragster of Don Sefton. Harkema took home $ 1200.00 in cash with the win!

Sunday’s “Box” Winner saw Don Sefton again in the final this time he came up a winner and pocketed almost $1200.00 by defeating Katie Nelson Harkema in the final.

The “No Box” winner was the early Nova of Rob Lindley he received almost $2,500 and a trip to the winners circle.

This event also featured a visit from the BC Super Shifter racers and is one of two events this season at Bremerton Raceway. (their final visit will be August 18-19) The first day of the double header weekend saw the 69 Camaro of Tonya Pleines from Forks, WA defeat Justin Gallant’s 5 Liter Mustang. Justin is from Langley, BC. Canada.

Sunday’s Super Shifter action saw two Canadian drivers from BC in the final, Keith Winterbottom’s unique V8 4 Speed Mazda RX7 defeat John DePouroq’s second gen Camaro.

Even through the iffy weather, everyone was happy with the inaugural event and most were already making plans for next year….

There are nearly 900 images available in the event gallery, click here to go there.

EVENT WINNERS

It was a picture perfect sunny weekend for the 20th Annual Mother’s Day Nationals at Bremerton Raceway.  Happy Mothers Day to all the moms that came!

The photo galleries are in two albums – one for Saturday’s action on May 12th, the other for the 13th.  Over 1,400 images are available for purchase – click here to visit the photo galleries.

Most of the racers at Bremerton Raceway are accustomed to large class turn outs and close competition all of that is a given.But 2012 is a bit of a different story and a more “racer friendly format” as if Bremerton wasn’t “friendly enough”. The new format involves a lot of opportunities for racers to “earn their stripes” or in this case trophies and cash in two different formats almost every weekend. In 2012 a racer can come through the gate on Friday and race the Friday Test and Tune and Grudge Drags.

Photos from Fridays Racing – click here.

Photos from all the action on Saturday – click here.

Photos From all the action on Sunday – click here.

On Saturday its 1/8th Mile combat, what’s unique about this is it’s the first time Bremerton Raceway has a full series dedicated to 1/8th mile racing!! Everything happens faster and most drivers would tell you that racing the 1/8 mile format is a great way to hone your ¼ mile skills….The 1/8 mile series is presented by WESTBAY NAPA AUTO PARTS and last weekend was the season opener for the 1/8 mile series.

Steven Gossette from Quilcene drove his mom’s ’04 Durango to the win over AJ Tibbets from Bremerton and his ’02 Camaro in the Sportsman final.

Dustin Ward’s 70 Challenger took out the Camaro of Brad Craig in the Pro Final

Don Sefton’s Dave Barcelon’s Truck Town sponsored Dragster defeated the 23T Altered of Dave Strobeck in a close final in Super Pro.

In the Motorcycle Final Jim Werre from Renton took care of William Nitta from Seattle.

The Car Club Challenge is always a fun part of Saturday’s activities and its final round saw the big block Duster of Megan Hendrickson from Bremerton outgun the 69 Ford of Dave Carman form Lake Stevens.

If all the crazy 1/8 mile antics weren’t enough there was even a Electronics and Non Electronics Cash Bash! Rob Lindley’s vintage 65 Nova beat the new 2011 Corvette of Bob Wilson. On the Electronics side it was Lloyd Flatum over Randy Beck.

And finally the kids in the Junior Dragster Program took center stage in FIVE entertaining final rounds….In the 8-9 Year old Division it was Madison Sailly from Gig Harbor beating the Lindsey Electric Junior of first time finalist Elizabeth Lindsey.

Junior Thunder saw Thomas “TJ” Vickers beating Johnathon Hawes.

Junior Lightning featured former National Open Series Champ Brianna Lindsey  and her Lindsey Electric Dragster follow her little sister Elizabeth into the final rounds of Junior Competition with a win over Damon Gillespie from Pt. Orchard.

In 2nd Chance Jr. Thunder Emily Lewis defeated Jeremiah Watts from Olympia while in 2nd Chance Lighting it was Amber Withers over Jordin Howell.

Fast forward to Sunday and a return to ¼ mile competition for the second race in the year long Summit ET Series. Over 200 racers competed in eight different classes from Jr. Dragster to Super Pro…

Super Pro featured the Camaro of a slightly handicapped Mark Cambell (sore foot see “crutches” in the winners circle photo) beating the unigue vintage “wheelstanding” Anglia of Kevin Youngs.

In Pro, it was the Mustang of Sherry Barnett winning a close one over defending track champ Robert Steffen.

Sportsman competition featured former Jr. Dragster standout Gary Howe Jr. wheeling the car known as the “Green Hornet” (really it’s a 72 Buick Skylark) to the win on a holeshot over Kyle Leftwich and his Mopar.

In an all star matchup in Motorcycle it was Jim Funderburg over a redlighting Stacy Hesch in the final round.

In High School it was Trevor Frye who used superior starting line reflexes to overcome Justin Vest and gain an appearance in the winners circle.

The Junior field also featured some close racing with Bobby Burkevics Jr. winning by default as Ian theifelis had mechanical problems.

In Junior Thunder it was Emily Lewis beating Joshua Schmanke from Olympia.

Bonny Lake’s Amber Arthur defeated Damon Gillespie from nearby Pt. Orchard in the Junior Lightning final to close out another fun weekend of racing at the “Home of the Killer Bees” Bremerton Raceway.

The next race will be next weekend May 4-6 with the Friday Night Grudge Drags, the Westbay NAPA Auto Parts 1/8 Mile on Saturday and finally the Summit E.T. Bracket Series again completing the weekends activities on Sunday.

Saturday Winners  –

Sunday Winners  –