BIRD SWEEPS WINGLESS SPRINTS AT EPHRATA RACEWAY PARK

EPHRATA, Wa — In the inaugural Wingless 360 Sprint car race at Eprhata Raceway Park, Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia driver Jeff Bird was the show Saturday Night. Bird set fast time, won his dash and heat race, and the 40-lap Main Event for a clean sweep of the evening’s events. Evan Margeson won the WMRA Midget Main Event and the Damon Claibourn picked off his second straight win in the Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornets.

The crowd was also treated to races featuring the Golden Wheels Midgets and the West Coast Vintage Racers.

With a new track record for Wingless 360 Sprints at 14.423 Bird was about two-tenths of a second faster than his closest competitor. Bird finished second at the 360 Cast Iron Winged Sprint Nationals to start the season at ERP. There were 18 cars in attendance, and 65 year old Frankie Volz, Sr. moved up his Vintage Racing Sprint Car to join the field at the back on the start of the main event, in his 51st year of racing. Volz would finish in 7th place out of the 18 starters. Trophy Dash wins went to Bird and Kyle Secord. Heat race wins were captured by Bird and Wes Helgeson. There were racers representing NSRA, WILROC, INSCA, ERP and WESCO present at this race. And Ephrata Raceway Park wants to thank each of the teams for towing long distances to show support for this event. Plans are to run the race again in 2009.

At the drop of the green flag, Wes Helgeson took the early lead with the big field of cars cautiously getting the feel for the race track and their machines. On the fourth lap, Rich Hill spin in turn 2 bringing out the caution flag. The restart saw Ray Jones lose some fluid on turn two bringing out the red flag to dry the track. As the cars fired off to restart the race, Helgeson pulled off the race track handing the lead to Doug Peter. Peter has led many a main event lap this year at ERP but hasn’t been able to win a main. Tonight his luck continued as Bird drove by on the back straight into the lead on lap 8 and was never seriously challenged the rest of the way. A lap 21 yellow flag for Ray Jones whose motor finally blew, and lap 27 red flag for an incident in turn 2 with Rich Fast and Kevin Witte were the only stoppages the rest of the way. A great showing for locals Mike Fought finishing second, track co-owner “Fishin” Bob Witte third, Whitney Nolan was fourth, Tom Beierman fifth and Kevin Witte sixth as locals take 5 of the top 6 slots at their home racetrack.

While car counts are down, action remains up with the Washington Midget Racing Association. Eleven cars filled the field with defending Champion Evan Margeson winning the 35-lap main event. Point leader Mark Atkinson set fast time at 13.459 the fastest lap of the night in any division. Trophy dashes were won by Margeson and Mitch Hoffses from Beaverton, OR. The heat races were claimed by Tony Berry and Logan Forler. Margeson led every lap of the 35 lap main for the win.

It’s been a great late season run for Damon Claibourn. After blowing his motor a month ago and having to build a new one, Claibourn has now reeled off back-to-back wins in the Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornet division. Claibourn and Jesse Hector finished one-two with great racing nose to tail for many of the 15 laps. Bart Hector, Jr. has come back from a broken arm to finish well the last few weeks as well picking up third place. Fast time to Claibourn at 17.456. Trophy dash wins to Taylor Blackburn and Dallas White, who repeated those feats in the heat races.

There were 4 Golden Wheel Vintage Midgets, and 8 vintage Sprint Cars from the West Coast Vintage Racers on hand for some racing exhibitions throughout the night. Congratulations to Frankie Volz, Sr. for the Vintage Sprint main event win and Brian McMurtry for the Golden Wheels Vintage Midget win.

Next week at Ephrata Raceway Park an ambitious night of racing, featuring the Northwest Legends, Ephrata Pioneer Muffler II Adult Hornets, the ERP Mini Stocks, Jerry’s Auto Supply Hobby Stocks, Pepsi Cola Street Stocks and the BIG CARS. The BIG CARS will be racing for the final time in 2008 this next Saturday. Gates open at 5pm and racing is at 7pm.