MONROE, Washington -- The first ever Washington 500 at Evergreen Speedway went like clock work. Three NASCAR Divisions on one night for a total of 500-laps seemed impossible to do but the track and race officials pulled it off and ended on schedule. The first event was the Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Super Stock 100. Kelly Mann made a late race pass to win. Next up on the .646-mile oval was the Washington Army National Guard 150 presented by Creekside Retirement Center. This 150-lap race for the NASCAR Auto Zone Elite Division Northwest Series was the final race after a 22-year history at Evergreen. NASCAR has decided to disband their Elite Divisions. Pete Harding won the race and received warm congratulations from the overflow crowd. The final event of the night was the NAPA 250 presented by AAA. NASCAR brought to the Northwest the Grand National Division West Series and at the end of 250-laps Johnny Borneman did what his father did 29-years earlier by winning the race.
The Super Stock race had its ups and downs with point leader Doug Davidson looking towards that first elusive win, but this was not going to be the night. Davidson was strong at the beginning but faded a bit at the end, finishing fifth. A spirited race for the lead developed when Naima Lang and Kelly Mann got to the front. Race leader Lang’s car developed a push in the last half and he fought valiantly to hold the lead for his first ever Super Stock main event win. Mann kept the pressure on Lang and twice pulled along side only to be thwarted each time. A third and successful attempt came on lap 92. Lang finished second again and on the podium was a bit dejected saying “another race I lead only to get beat at the end.” “I am so close to that first win, it will come.” John Burtsche finished third.
Shane Harding winner of five Super Stock mains this season had to make a pit stop for adjustments to the car and finished a lap down in eleventh. If Harding had won he and his dad would have matched last year when Dad Pete won the Elite Division race and Shane won the Super Stock race.
A side bar to the Super Stock race, involved second in championship points Rob Touchette and John Zaretzke. Touchette’s car was noted as absent missing qualifying. Zaretzke who arrived late with no practice qualified his car fourth. Then the news came from pit road that a deal had been struck. Touchette purchased Zaretzke’s car and would start at the back of the main. Touchette had broken his own car the night before at practice and was unable to repair it in time.
Evergreen Speedway Washington 500 July 29
Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Super Stock 100 Results:
Fast Qualifier: Shane Harding 0:22.262
100-Lap Main (.646-mile oval): 1-Kelly Mann; 2-Naima Lang; 3-John Burtsche; 4-Gaylon Stewart; 5-Doug Davidson; 6-Joe Constance; 7-Jammie Dick; 8-Joe McNeil; 9-James Spiering; 10-Travis Powell; 11-Shane Harding; 12-Doug Wilkinson; 13-Brice Christensen; 14-Tom Mathew; 15-Rob Touchette; 16-Darin Stordahl; 17-Wade Bennett; 18-Rick Hager; 19-Pat Clark; 20-Richard Harriman; 21-Chuck Pickens; 22-Ron Fritzley
Washington Army National Guard 150 presented by Creekside Retirement Center:
150-Lap Main (.646-mile oval): 1-Pete Harding; 2-Brandon Riehl; 3.-Jeff Barkshire; 4-Jay Sauls; 5-Garrett Evans; 6-Gary Lewis; 7-Ron Eaton; 8-Steven Howard; 9-Jim McVey; 10-Shane Mitchell; 11-Zan Sharp; 12-Jason Fraser; 13-Troy Tramell; 14-Brent Harris; 15-Matt Hall; 16-Shane Harding; 17-Lex Johnson; 18-Travis Bennett; 19-Darren Trimble; 20-Jerry Fink; 21-B. J. Tidrick; 22-Mike Longton; 23-Jason Jefferson; 24-Ed Watson; 25-John Dillon; 26-Darren Rupinski; 27-Wilbur Bruce; 28-John Bender; 29-Joey Decker Jr.
NAPA 250 presented by AAA:
250-Lap Main (.646-mile oval): 1-Johnny Borneman; 2-Mike Duncan; 3-Steve Portenga; 4-Jeff Jefferson; 5-Peyton Sellers; 6-Scott Gaylord; 7-Austin Cameron; 8-Mike David; 9-Eric Holmes; 10-Justin Lofton; 11-Jim Inglebright; 12-Giuliano Losacco; 13-Tim Woods; 14-Eric Hardin; 15-Bobby Hillis; 16-Jack Sellers; 17-Brian Ickler; 18-Andrew Myers; 19-Travis Powell; 20-John Sahm
