SAN MARTIN, California -- Supermodified racing thundered the race fans of Washington last weekend as they enjoyed the return of West Coast Supermodified racing excitement of the ASA Western States Supermodifieds (ASA/WSS).
Beginning the weekend on Friday, August 10th, the team’s caravaned to Spokane Raceway Park for the facility’s inaugural super event since 1983 during the “Spokane Super 40”. Among an estimated 4,500 fans, the supers ran an extended program that included three heat races, a slow and fast qualifier dashes and a 40-lap feature.
With mild temperatures and favorable track conditions, fifteen teams quickly tuned their historic roadsters to the semi-banked half-mile that later proved to be the reason why ASA/WSS are the fastest short-track race machines in the world!
Qualifying speeds quickly reaching over 110 miles per hour as previous multi-series champion Troy Regier set fast time at a record 115.445 MPH average on the aged Spokane raceway.
Teams scrambled throughout the day to tune their roadsters just right for the excited fans of Spokane. Unfortunately Bobby Dalton (36) had terminal troubles during practice and Ernie Coppo (8) experienced motor troubles during his heat race along with his Cameron Motorstprots partner, Rick Cameron (24). The super team family would bond together and work to help their fellow competitors including front-runner Jeff Russell (86) who would later experience tragic engine troubles during the 40-lap feature. In all, twelve supers battled for position during the evening’s feature.
The ASA/WSS distributed their famous “super shirts” to speed enthusiast fans prior to taking the green just after nightfall. The feature quickly entertained fans with a red flag to remove Cameron’s crippled machine. Fresno, California’s Jim Birges (32) led the field through lap one with Nevada’s Dale Lamborn (48) following closely behind till Lamborn’s yellow rocket gained the lead by lap two. Lamborn lead the pack for ten laps till the baby blue rocket of Dinuba California’s Troy Regier (98) took the lead and worked through three cautions. On lap thirty-four, sparks and a small flame erupted from Eric Silsby’s (67) purple super that caused him to coast to a halt along the track’s backstretch apron. With little damage, the field returned to green till Idaho’s Rick Veentra (91) piloted machine lost traction along the front stretch to spin on lap thirty-seven. Regier took the checkered along with Lanborn, Birges, Brian Warf (19) and Veenstra to complete the top five.
The nationally recognized ASA Western States Supermodifieds quickly changed set-ups and serviced their historic race cars before traveling Saturday, August 11th to Wenatchee Washington’s premier quarter-mile high banked oval racing facility, the Wenatchee Valley Super Oval.
Saturday’s super count dwindled just a bit after Friday’s mishaps to twelve supermodifieds to entertain the fans “Super Oval” fans. Fast times just over eleven seconds posted during practice by the “Young Gun” Brian Warf (19), Troy Regier (98) and the “Betsy Girl” inspired rocket of Jim Birges (32). With a timely program planned, teams set their final specs for qualifying that looked to beat the record time of 10.45 set by Regier in the mid nineties. Although the record stood, the faster machines of Regier, Veenstra, Birges, Amy Barnes (66), and Lamborn recorded top speed honors.
With race car troubles, Hamilton and Regier abstained from their heats as crews scrambled for parts and wrenched to prepare for the feature. The Nevada headquartered S & S Motorsports machine prepared for the feature with a safety lap to confirm the vibration troubles were fixed when Regier piloted the car to turn two handicapped with a driveline failure, a fuel line leak, damaged headers and a disappointed hard charger of a
crew gasping in the garage. Ken Hamilton’s (01) pearly white sprinter buzzed the crowed and confirmed his repairs ere ready for feature event thunder.
The “Super Oval” saw twelve cars start the 50-lap feature including the young and talented sprinter pilot, Jake Mann (51) of Monroe, Washington followed closely by ASA/WSS’s Warf, Barnes, Lamborn, and Birges. The Cameron Racing #24 hit pit road just after nine laps of close competition. Birges was in hot pursuit for the lead. With lap times below eleven seconds on multiple occasions, Birges sailed to second by lap twenty-one with Amy Barnes (66) and Brian Warf (19) closely behind. Series youngster and former “Rookie of the Year” Martin McKeefery (27) showed strong promise earlier in the day, but dramatically slowed due to power stirring troubles by lap twenty-nine. The exciting finish saw the checkered flag wave for Mann followed closely by Birges, Lamborn, Veenstra and Wartman.
The ASA Western States Supermodifieds travel THIS SATURDAY (August 16th) to Davey Hamilton’s Meridian Speedway for a 50-lap feature in Meridian, Idaho. Come feel the THUNDER of our 410!
Standings:
1. T. Regier, 981; 2. M. McKeefery, 912; 3. J. Burges, 907; 4. K. Wartman, 892; 5. D. Lamborn, 824;
6. J. Russell, 773; 7. A. Barnes, 736; 8. E. Silsby, 648; 9. E. Coppo, 590; 10. R. Veentra, 587; 11. K. Hamilton, 544; 12. B. Warf, 499; 13. R. Cameron, 476; 14. B. Dalton, 468; 15. H. Stone, 401.
ABOUT THE SUPERMODIFIED
The ASA Western States Supermodifieds (ASA/WSS) is a semi-professional touring series dedicated to America’s fastest race car to compete on a short track, the historical supermodified. ASA/WSS supermodifieds weigh between 1725 to 2000 pounds and are allowed no more than a 68% left side weight ratio. These methanol fueled rockets are powered by aluminum small block Chevrolets or Fords ranging in size from 360 to 454 cubic inches and with some big block engines at 488 cubic inches, the engines deliver a range of 750 to nearly 900 horsepower. With no starters, batteries, clutches or transmissions, the car’s power is transferred through a quick-change rear axle and pushed to start. For traction, supermodifieds mount special Hoosier racing slick tires. Two wings that create down force, from 3000 to 5000 pounds of pressure, control the aerodynamics. One 2400 to 4000 square inch wing is mounted to the roll cage and the second is attached to the nose and is generally 500 square inches. These specialty cars require parts that can only be individually fabricated, creating a single car’s value to an estimated $150,000.
