LUND WINS NWOSS AT EPHRATA RACEWAY PARK

Multiple time Northwest Outlaw Street Stock Series champion Dave Lund prevented a season sweep of races at Ephrata Raceway Park from Quincy's Michael Knutson at the Pepsi Cola 75 last night.

Moses Lake driver Bill Rutherford led the first ten laps before spinning in the middle of the back straightaway. Okanogan’s Bryon Goetz tried a bump drafting maneuver on Rutherford resulting in the spin. Goetz was leading and holding off Knutson, Lund and fast timer Mike Easley when he had the front of his car nearly taken off as Rutherford chose to correct what he felt had been a bump and dump from Goetz earlier. At the halfway point of the race, Rutherford’s car appeared to lose power as he slowed, waiting for the leader to catch up but still at a pace to think something was wrong with the car. As the lead pack of Goetz, Knutson, Lund and fast timer Mike Easley approached Rutherford accelerated and turned right over the front end of Goetz car as it entered turn 3. Rutherford climbed over and through Goetz getting airborne as Knutson, Lund and Easley scrambled past.

On the lap 37 restart Knutson briefly held the lead until Lund got underneath a few laps later followed by Easley and from there on it was Lund being chased by Easley to the checkered flag. Numerous times Easley could have launched Lund and taken over the top spot, but the veteran did a great job and proved that sportsmanship takes precedence over dumping the leader and setting a great example for racers and race fans in attendance.

Twelve cars started the 75-lap feature and ten finished. Point leader Gary Homad flattened a tire on a lap 3 skirmish and had no choice but to pit for fresh rubber. Homad was numerous laps down and had to ride out the race to earn valuable points from the back of the pack. With two cars dropping out and a general lack of attrition he would wind up with a final finishing position of 10th.

At the conclusion of the night it was Lund, Easley, Knutson, local drivers JR Miner, and Ron Stewart rounding out the top 5. Sixth through 10th were Aaron Nevers, Dustin Kagele, Goetz, Dan Mears, and Homad. Taylor Morrison and Rutherford finished in 11th and 12th positions.

Easley set fast time, at 15.469. The trophy dash winners were Rutherford and Mitch Kleyn. Stewart and Knutson won the heat races. Kleyn, from Quincy saw his evening end early when the car turned into a smoke show during the heat race.

In the companion events on the card, Damon Claibourn brought back his rebuilt Dodge Neon and won the 15-lap Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornet Main Event. Black flags for rough driving, and some furious charges through the crowded field made this a very interesting race. Stephnie Patty set fast time at 17.57 seconds. Claibourn won his heat and dash. Jesse Hector was the other dash winner with Cameron Bruggman winning the other heat.

The Ephrata Pioneer Muffler II Adult Hornet 20-lap main event had Othello’s Sid White running away for the win. Late in the race some lapped traffic closed the gap between White and Josh Hector. Rod Julian made a furious run picking up 3 or 4 late race positions to finish 3rd. Josh Hector was fast time at 17.27 seconds. Jared Ingram and White won the trophy dashes. Eddie Razey and White won the heat races.

Also on hand were the Mini Stocks. Moses Lake driver Joe Smith set fast time in the potent #7 Chevy Vega with a 16.55 lap. Charles Larr and Smith won the trophy dashes. The heat race winners were Jeff Hector and Jeremy Razey. In the 25 lap main event, 4 lead changes among 3 different drivers was the order of the day. Larr took off from his inside second row starting position and led the first 3 laps before Doug Brown flew past and into the lead. Brown and Smith were battling when Smith took the lead for a lap in heavy traffic at lap 12. Brown got it back, when Smith ran over someones muffler on the back stretch and the motor let go. Hector passed Brown for the lead with 2 laps to go as those two had a great tussle for the top spot for a 10 lap stretch. Hector the winner, with Brown and Dave Macken, Fred Moore and Justin Dunagin rounding out the top 5.

In the BIG CAR division, Troy Lannoye and Josh Hector won the trophy dashes. Lannoye was the heat race winner. The main event rules were simple. Turn one and three were wetted down. There were Uke Tires placed low coming off the first turn and high coming off the third turn. Drivers were instructed to go under the tire in turn one, and over the tire in turn 3. In addition one more Uke tire was placed in the middle of the back straightaway coming off of turn two. The winner of the race was determined by the driver that knocked that Uke tire across the start finish line first. Kind of like Soccer for BIG CARS. From a standing start, the fans counted down from 5 for the green flag. Chris McCart was off like a rocket, with Josh Hector and Billy Smith in tow, while Ray “WildMan” Hahne was making trouble in his International TravelAll in the middle of the pack. Smith made the first couple of big hits on the Uke tire, while cars were banging and crashing away in the wetted down corners and spin-fests were occurring everywhere you looked. Smith finally found the tire down in the grass off of turn 3 and got high centered on the tire. Smith then drove with the tire completely underneath him around turn 3 and 4 bringing the crowd to its feet as the winner of the Soccer for BIG CARS main event.

Next week, Ephrata Raceway Park goes Topless, as Midway Beverage presents Topless Night featuring the WMRA Midgets, Wingless 360 Sprints, The Golden Wheels and Vintage Racers, and the Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornets. Gates open at 5 with racing at 7pm.