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.

8th Annual Dee Adams Memorial Fire & Thunder at Renegade Raceway

27 May 2018 Yakima, WA – Aptly named with blown motors and jet blasts this annual event is now in its 8th year honoring the late owner Dee Adams. Combined into a weekend that kicks off the summer holidays even though it is still spring, the event draws the racers to the track. Over 230 packed the grounds ready to do battle.

Changing the plans for the weekend the Super Comp and Super Street changed to 1/8th mile racing due to the strong winds down the track Saturday. It was a nicer day on Sunday but the length was set, and all the racers seemed to have a lot of fun racing the shorter distance.

I have to think that Darral Petitt would like the 1/8mi. all the time as he swept the weekend Super Comp Series. Not quite a sweep but a win on Sat. and then on Sun. in two classes, Jeremy Sears claimed the Quick 8 and Super Pro in that order. Adding to this two-win weekend longtime northwest racer Jim Van Cleve picked up the AFX class Saturday, then added the Pro class win on Sun. A bunch of happy family winners by the end of racing but you know those three were on top of the world. A big Thanks to Derek, Sara and the entire drag crew for the help and to the tower crew Thank You.

Images are  in three albums, sorted by days – Click here to go to all the albums.

SATURDAY WINNERS

Super Pro Andy Schlenker
Pro Rev. Robert Jackson Jr.
Sportsman Jerome Feltman
Bike/Sled Stacy Hesch
Super Comp Darral Petitt
Super Street Dennis Boley
AFX Jim Van Cleve
Jr. Lightning Cooper Chun
Jr. Thunder Lindsay Miller
Quick 8 Jeremy Sears

SUNDAY WINNERS

Super Pro Jeremy Sears
Pro Jim Van Cleve
Sportsman Kenny O’Keefe
Bike/Sled Mike Graber
Jr. Lightning Ian Theofelis
Jr. Thunder Dustin Ridge
AFX Dale Posnick
NW Nostalgic Deb Cummins
Super Comp Darral Petitt
Super Street Chad Blevins

7th Annual Hot August Nights at Renegade Raceway

16 Aug 2017 Yakima, WA – Going to Renegade Raceway from here in Enumclaw has a couple of options. Going up over Snoqualmie pass on I-90 is the common path most folks will go, and this is true because the early drag racing season begins there.

Summer time though you can head right out of Enumclaw on Hwy. 410 for the slower but much shorter drive over, and a whole lot better view as you climb around Mt. Rainer. Near the summit you can stop at and enjoy Tipsoo Lake with the mountain in the background.

Cresting the pass and now in Eastern Washington, coasting at 50 mph on the newly surfaced roadway though off in the distance smoke is filling the sky. A couple of months of no rain and high temps have made everything tinder dry. When you approach a temp sign “smoke over roadway” you know you are getting into it.

Passing thru and seeing how close the fires were to the roadway and the helicopter with water bag just over your head now you know how lucky you are to have gotten thru as the emergency and local officers had started the closure process. Lucky me now on to Renegade.

Never having been to this event I had a few hours to spend with no real agenda in mind. It’s always good to go over and watch Derrick Snelson and his “Warhawk” jet funny car and a much better treat was to see Ed “The Outlaw” Jones and his wheel standing “Stage Coach”. Fresh off running at Firebird Raceway, The G-Man nitro funny car all here to put on a show for the many folks that come out on a Wednesday night.

Combining a “box-no box” race and a test and tune gave everyone plenty to take in. Got to thank Sara and Derrick and crew always good to see you there and for everyone else check the Renegade website for the date next year for a hot August night.

Images of all the racing and some great shots of the Mountain and the action on the drive over are now available – click here to go to the photo album.