Day two of the triple header Memorial Day Weekend speed fest at Evergreen Speedway was held under clear skies and warm temperatures. The warmest racing day of the season was successful for drivers in NASCAR’s Speedway Chevrolet Super Stocks Shane Harding, Les Schwab Tires Bombers Naima Lang, Mini-Stocks Jamie Richardson his first ever. Other successes were FEARS Super Figure Eight ace Doug Delfel now two in a row, Extreme Contact Figure Eight winner Benny Raynes and Stinger 8 point leader Greg Estes. Hertz Equipment Rental Hornets drivers Dale Biddle on his birthday and Joe Valentz won their respective mains.
Shane Harding started the 50-lap NASCAR Super Stock main from the 7th position and by lap 29 he took the lead away from Doug Davidson. By lap 35 John Zaretzke who started 13th was behind Harding. Zaretzke made three strong runs at Harding in the remaining laps. Harding withstood the pressure going on to victory his second this season. Zaretzke was second and a career best third by rookie John Burtsche.
The NASCAR Bomber division has been competitive all season long. Point leader Naima Lang was winless before the start of the 30-lap main. That can not be said any longer as he had the strongest car of the 18-car field. Lang starting 12th methodically worked his way to the front in the first 20-laps. Unchallenged in the later stages of the main Lang became the second member of his family to win a Bomber main this season. Wife Jill Lang was the first to win three races back. Finishing second was Travis Blackwood and third Craig Rowalt.
Point leader in the NASCAR Mini-Stock division, Jamie Richardson had finished second so many times in the past he wondered if he would ever win. That ended when he crossed the finish line first. An emotional victory celebration at victory stage highlighted the frustration of the past to elation of the night. Rick Lapinski also a career best was second ahead of Tony Bunkleman.
The Super Figure Eight division 40-lap main looked like it was an Extreme Contact event. Spinning cars plus contact at the X happening almost on every lap. The hardest hit was when rookie Brandon Lindberg and Wendi Boyd met at the X with Boyd’s car receiving severe damage. Lindberg was able to return to the race. Race winner Doug Delfel somehow staying out of trouble won his second in a row and third of the season. Second went to Doug Wilkinson and third Steve Peters.
Another first for the season Benny Raynes won the Extreme Contact Figure Eight main. For an Extreme Contact main it was a tame one. Raynes stayed within striking distance all race long. It paid off when the leaders took themselves out of it and Raynes took advantage. Bryce Kolar finished second and Josh Beckel third.
Dominating is what Greg Estes has done in the two seasons of this young division. Always in position to be there for a chance to win Estes was able to take the lead in traffic by avoiding slower cars. Second went to dad Gary Estes and third Marcus Forhan.
With so many cars, officials split the field into two road course mains for the Hertz Equipment Rental Hornets. In the first main Joe Valentz showed his road racing skills beating veteran Steve Baumgartner down the back stretch on the last lap. Baumgartner finished second and third went to Randy Drew. In the second main Dale Biddle gave himself a birthday present. The winner’s trophy will take a special place in the Biddle trophy case. Craig Jantz was second and third went to Doug Poirier.
Next Up at Evergreen Speedway at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA is Desperate Housewives Night at the Races on Saturday June 4. NASCAR Speedway Chevrolet Super Stocks, Les Schwab Tires Bombers, Mini-Stocks, Super and Extreme Contact Figure Eights. Heats are at 5pm and mains begin at 7pm.
Adults $12.50; Jr/Sr & Military $9.50; Children $9.50; Under 6 Free; Family Pass 2-Adults & Up To 4-Children $33.00. Tickets are available on the web at www.evergreenspeedway.com or call the office Tuesday through Saturday at 360-805-6100.
Evergreen Speedway May 28 Results:
NASCAR Speedway Chevrolet Super Stocks:
Gem Star Homes Dash for Cash: Shane Harding
50-Lap Main: 1-Harding; 2-John Zaretzke; 3-John Burtsche; 4-Gaylon Stewart; 5-Kelly Mann; 6-Jason Fraser; 7-Doug Davidson; 8-Richard Harriman; 9-Ken DeFoe; 10-Wade Bennett; 11-Scott Sarto; 12-Joey Decker; 13-Tom Hughs; 14-Jill Lang; 15-Tom Mathew
NASCAR Les Schwab Tires Bombers:
Transfer Main: 1-Darin Stordahl (transferred); 2-Russ Hales (Trophy); 3-James Mugge (transferred); 4-Mike Miller; 5-Eric Shover; 6-Rich Brown; 7-Dwayne Humenny; 8-Nikki Bristol
30-Lap Main: 1-Naima Lang; 2-Travis Blackwood; 3-Craig Rowalt; 4-Steve McElroy; 5-Jim Foti; 6-Steve Ptacek; 7-Brian Cottrell; 8-Merlin Cook; 9-Marv Monty; 10-Brad Sweeney; 11-Clark Casey; 12-James Mugge; 13-Kenny Paine; 14-Mark Trail; 15-Darrell Lutovsky; 16-Darin Stordahl; 17-Jill Lang; 18-Duane Schosboek
NASCAR Mini-Stocks:
25-Lap Main: 1-Jamie Richardson; 2-Rick Lapinski; 3-Tony Bunkleman; 4-Dave Ramey; 5-Mark Weedin; 6-Steve Kelly; 7-Troy Selby; 8-Travis Bliven; 9-Chadd Chase; 10-Douglas Hinds; 11-Nat Barber; 12-Stacey Alseth
Super Figure Eights:
Dash: Brandon Lindberg
40-Lap Main: 1 –Doug Delfel; 2-Doug Wilkinson; 3-Steve Peters; 4-Nick Gunderson; 5-Ryan Gunderson; 6-Jerry Funden; 7-Chuck Widdis; 8-Lindberg; 9-Don Teel; 10-JR Sundholm; 11-Don Eslick; 12 –Earl Rohn; 13-Wendi Boyd; 14-John Carlson; 15-Dale Larson; 16-Richard Shaver; 17-Renny Marose; 18- Tony Crenshaw
Extreme Contact Figure Eights:
Dash: Josh Beckel
25-Lap Main: 1-Ben Raynes; 2-Bryce Kolar; 3-Beckel; 4-Bill Wade; 5-Russ Stotler; 6-Nick Niesen; 7-Bruce Wilson; 8-Sean Peters; 9-Noah Chandler; 10-Steve Peters; 11-Joe Smith; 12-Geoff Chandler
Stinger 8’s:
Dash: Gary Estes
20-Lap Main: 1-Greg Estes; 2-G. Estes; 3-Narcus Forhan; 4-Brian Estes; 5-David Dixon; 6-Cody Koroshes; 7-Ty Bingisser; 8-Carla Hornbeck; 9-Craig Jantz; 10-Steve Baumgartner; 11-Justin Ferguson; 12-Steve Getchell; 13-Dan Koester
Hertz Hornets:
Main #1: 1-Joe Valentz; 2-Steve Baumgartner; 3-Randy Drew
Main #2: 1-Dale Biddle; 2-Craig Jantz; 3-Doug Poirier
