CheckMasters Night at the Races, as proud sponsor for the second year in a row, saw yet another exciting night as the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Super Stocks, in a 22 car line-up, took to the ‘Big Track’ tonight in a 40-lap main event. In the end, it was John Zaretzke, in his brightly painted yellow #2 car, that took the checkered and trophy for his second win of the season.
The evening started out with John Zaretzke not only winning the main event, but was also fast-time qualifier. With this, he spun an 8-car invert. The lineup was as follows: Matt Murphy (#00) took the pole position with Joel Cox (#10) riding at his right. Tom Moriarity (#5) was right behind Zaretzke in the #2 position. Then along side Moriarity was Shane Biles in the #23 car. Shane runs with the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Tour and stays in the top 10. Glad to see you here Shane. Jesse Jensen (#18) was lined up behind Moriarity and John Pierce (#47) to his right. Rob Touchette (#15) was next with Zaretzke at his right. And the lineup behind these was Gary Anderson (#4), Lex Johnson (#22 – Rookie), Darren Penner (#83), at his right was 19 year old James Duvall, Jr. (#51); in the #16 car was Wade Archer and to his right was the leader in points of the Figure 8 racing division in the #7 car, Steve Cox! This young man is one competitive driver! I was so excited to see him out there tonight. I had seen him at the end of last season in the pits in this car, but this was his first time out this year in this division. In row 8 was Joe Decker, Jr. in the #68 car and to his right was Vern Deitz in the #67. Scott Sarto (#86) was next and Craig Szweda in the #42 (first time out this season, welcome back Craig!). Rob Gunther (#52), Tom Mathews (#38), Jack Wolfe, Jr. (#30) and Mike Kenyon in his brand new, newly painted blue and white #44. Mike Kenyon is a 1998 past champion in the Mini Stock division and drove the #44 car there, as well. This was Mike’s first night out and another rookie for this division. Glad to see you here Mike!
Once the green was thrown, Matt Murphy took the lead and was able to hold on to that position for 5 laps. Behind Murphy, the battle was on for positioning between some very strong contenders. Joel Cox and Tom Moriarity were running door to door with Shane Biles breathing down their backs. It was Murphy, Moriarity, Cox and Biles running closely till Moriarity finally managed to slide right under Murphy and secure the lead by lap 6. Zaretzke was closing in coming up from that 8th position invert he had spun earlier. Moriarity had a very strong lead with Biles close by. By lap 9 Zaretzke had secured 2nd position. Still Moriarity was 4-5 car lengths ahead. Then the first yellow cam on lap 14 when Wade Archer (#16), Scott Sarto (#86) and Steve Cox (#7) tangled between turns 3 and 4. Steve Cox took the worst of the damage and had to be towed off the track. With this restart, it closed the gap between Moriarity and Zaretzke, so now the race was on. Zaretzke was determined to attain the lead and by lap 15 was out in front. Moriarity did not let up though and Biles was right behind them both. Jesse Jensen and Rob Touchette were in that 5-car lineup all the way. That left Matt Murphy and John Pierce behind them. They seemed to run in packs. Zaretzke and Moriarity in the front pack; Biles, Jensen, and Touchette in the 2nd pack and Murphy and Pierce in the 3rd. The second yellow came on lap 17 when Craig Szweda and Joel Cox tangled in turn 1. Szweda hit the wall and Cox spun into the infield. Cox was able to drive away, but Szweda was out for the night. With these two yellows and the time consumed to clean up, the officials had to cut the race to 30 laps because of time constraints. It was already at 10pm and there is an 11pm curfew here at Evergreen Speedway. They still had 3 events to get through, so with 10 laps cut, who knows what the outcome would have been. But as it stood, Zaretzke took the win, Tom Moriarity placed 2nd, Shane Biles 3rd, Jesse Jensen 4th and rounding out the top five was Rob Touchette.
EXTREME CONTACT FIGURE EIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS STEVE PETERS SEES THE CHECKERED AND WIN TO MAKE THIS HIS 3RD WIN THIS SEASON
Steve Peters (#30) took the lead and the checkered tonight during the 50-lap main event that signifies the Extreme Contact Figure Eight World Championships.
Peters had the pole position and held the lead from lap one through lap 50 with little problems in doing so tonight. He put on an exciting performance never letting up even when he would narrowly miss cars going through that crazy intersection dubbed to be the most dangerous intersection in the world! It was exciting from lap one to the end and some of the best racing was done in the middle. Jessica Wilkinson was so fun to watch tonight. I have been watching her for the past few years and have seen her grow stronger and tougher each year. As I have said in the past, my hats are off to the women who get out on that racetrack anyway, let alone the figure eight division. That is crazy! But they do…get out there I mean and they are amongst some of the most competitive drivers in the state! NO FEAR! She and Lane Sundholm were at each other most of the night with Lane getting the best of the deal a lot, but Jessica kept coming back and putting on quite a show, never letting any of it take her out. But on lap 33 the 03 of Perry Huffman and Jessica in her #55 car collided at the intersection and Jessica was out for the night. But let me tell you, for those 33 laps, I was on the edge of my seat rooting her on. Way to go Jessica!
Throughout the race, there were 2 red flags, one on lap 13 and one on lap 33. Not bad for 50 laps of insane racing. In the end it was Steve Peters in 1st, with Guy Litts (01) in 2nd and Jason Britton in 3rd. Thanks guys for an exciting and entertaining 50 laps of edge of your seat racing.
HORNETS DIVISION
Now this is a new division that seems to be very popular with drivers and is becoming one with the fans as well. It is popular with the drivers as I hear it is a very affordable division to start and run in. I guess you can pick up a car for as little as $50! Now that is a bargain! But they are difficult to keep track of, as there are so many in the division and they run on the shorter track, the 1/5 oval. They are almost immediately lapping one another and even the officials have trouble. In this division, everyone seems to pitch in and try to keep track of ‘who’s on first’ sort of scenario. But all in all it is a fun division to checkout if you have never seen them. They are well named because they are small cars and one of the rules is that they have to be ‘yellow’ and ‘black’….Hence, the “Hornet” name.
The final outcome of this race tonight was as follows: - John Roberts won the Trophy Dash - The A-Main saw Zach McCabe take 1st, Ray Johnson placed 2nd and 3rd place was taken by Donald Lousberg, Jr.
JOHN KRAUSE UPDATE!!!
This was exciting!!! At the end of a trophy presentation, the Cascade Push Truck Association drove out and John Krause got out of the truck on crutches and said a few words to the fans…we all went nuts!!! After that awful accident during the opener during the Sprint Car race, it is nothing less than a miracle. SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU OUT HERE JOHN!!!!! IT WAS AWESOME!!!
Thank you again drivers and fans for your continued support of Evergreen Speedway. You are some very special people and we appreciate you very much. Thank you drivers for your driving skills and entertainment and thank you fans for coming out and supporting our drivers.
NASCAR WEEKLY RACING SERIES SUPER STOCKS plus MID SEASON CHAMPIONS FOR STREET STOCK BOMBERS, MINI STOCKS, SUPER FIGURE 8’S AND EXTREME CONTACT FIGURE 8’s
Qualifying heats begin at 5:00 pm with racing at 7:00 pm. For ticket prices call the Speedway office at 360-795-6100 Figure 8s and NASCAR Bombers and Mini Stocks race RAIN OR SHINE
Have a great week and we will see you next week.
Thank you again from all the Evergreen Speedway and …
Have a great week!
