GRAHAM, Washington -- Shelby Thompson of Spokane, WA won his first ever Late Model Challenge Series main on Saturday night August 19 at WVSO. Thompson made it look easy as he had a well prepared car and was pulling away at the end of the 150-lap main. Billy Coates of Bothell, WA finished a career best second. Veteran Wes Rhodes of Olympia, WA finished third his first trip to the podium in 2006.
Leader of the first 32-laps Lon Werremeyer of Naches, WA was passed by Jason Hedrick of Graham, WA. Hedrick held the lead until lap 94 when Thompson got to the inside after trying the outside to no avail. Thompson was never headed by Rhodes whom had got to second and finally by Coates who got around a brakeless Rhodes in the later stages of the race.
In victory circle Thompson said “I have never had such a great handling car. It was easy.” He attributed the win to the setup provided by his crew chief Brian Quisinberry. “I am glad to finally get that first win” an exhausted Thompson concluded.
The chase to the championship with two races remaining this season drew closer with current point leader Troy Conrad suffering a flat tire and going two laps down finished sixth. The point differential at the start of the night’s activities was 18-points and when the night ended it is unofficially only a 5-point difference between Conrad and Thompson.
The next race for the Late Model Challenge Series is on Saturday as part of the two day Labor Day Holiday weekend extravaganza on Yakima Speedway’s .5-mile oval. The weekend brings together the NASCAR Northwest Series and LMCS.
Late Model Challenge Series Finishing Order of the Washington 150 at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval (.25-mile).
1-Shelby Thompson; 2-Billy Coates; 3-Wes Rhodes; 4-Jason Hedrick; 5-Troy Eaton;
6-Wade Bland; 7-Troy Conrad; 8-Bryon Harvey; 9-Kameron McKeehan; 10-Mike Kenyon; 11-Ryan Fischer; 12-Lon Werremeyer; 13-Christian Roeder; 14-Josh Roberts
15-Larry Bayless; 16-Loran Payne; 17-Mike Zamora; 18-Scott Davis; 19-Terry Halverson; 20-Ron Wolf; 21-Marty Wason; 22-Don Vickery; 23-Todd Walters; DNS Jarrod Crum
