RICK THOMPSON WINS AT WENATCHEE VALLEY’S SUPER OVAL

WENATCHEE, Washington — Rick Thompson, in the Hi-Way Auto/Ashley Machine Ford Pro4, held off Mother Nature and a fast Matt Melby to win the Rockett Brand Racing Fuel 75 at the Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval in what boiled down to a last lap dual.

Rain was the main focus as the wet stuff fell during the early afternoon leading the drivers and crews of the 32 entries wondering if they would race. The rain didn’t matter for Steve Thompson, Terry Rennick, Kenny Chandler, John Musser or Rob Golden, as their race cars were early casualties of the weekend, leaving 27 cars to do battle.

Once the rains stopped the race program went into high speed mode, as a quick 15-minute hot lap session took place followed by qualifying on a very green track. Northwest Pro4 Alliance Staff lead by Race Director Chris Cunningham and WVSO officials made the decision to eliminate the trophy dash and the 11-car B-Main and run the full field of 27 in the A-main.

Qualifying saw some of the fastest four-cylinder late models in the country assembled at the Super Oval. Seven cars beat the track record of 13:583 set last year by John Grosvenor. Rick Thompson took the Lucas Oil Pole Award and set a new track record with a time of 13:197 (68.197 mph) around the fast quarter-mile oval. Next came Bud Rumsey at 13:325; Kurt Madsen at 13:360; Rob Powers at 13:456; Matt Melby at 13:520; Kameron McKeehan at 13:525; and Grosvenor at 13:576; all under last year’s track record. The fast time qualifier has the honor of pulling the invert number (8, 10 or 12) and Thompson pulled a 12, putting him in the sixth row outside.

Heat races were ran with Chet Thorson, Kevin Koepke and John Jackson all walking away with wins in some very close racing. A big Thank You is expressed to all of the teams that made the trip to Wenatchee and to all of our rookies who chose to step up and join the series this year.

As the field for the Rockett Brand Racing Fuel 75 took Troy Blanton’s green flag, the action started with Tom Keehan taking the lead. Keehan, just coming off a win the weekend before at his home track, South Sound Speedway, led until Eddie Secord in the Renegade Racing Grand Prix took over the point. Two red flags and a couple of yellows spotted the 75, with the “big one” coming on lap 21 when the cars of Johnny Rumsey and Chet Thorson tangled, triggering a big pile up that eliminated the cars of Rumsey and Kevin Koepke and caused damage to several others. The next red flag flew at lap 49, when Wayne Dillon smacked the front strait wall sustaining heavy damage.

The remainder of the event ran smoothly, with Matt Melby putting on a driving school as he carved his way to the front, while Secord and Thompson were doing battle. A spin by Shelby Minor Ball then closed the field to make it a dash to the end. On the restart, Secord, Thompson and Melby made their charge, with Thompson taking the lead and Melby using a slow car to make his way past the trapped Secord. Melby and Thompson made contact in the final corner, but the driver of the #16, Rick Thompson, hung on for the win.

Melby had his career best Alliance finish taking second, while Secord hung on for third. Eric Kaas, Jackson, Travis Allen, Jerry Koepping, Jordan Fitch, Jeff Jones and Pyrotect Rookie driver, Bill McAdams, rounded out the top ten.