Gunderson, O’Grain, Johnson Champions at Evergreen Speedway

MONROE, Washington — Evergreen Speedway crowned its first champions of the 2011 season on Saturday September 17. Brian Gunderson won the NASCAR Super Figure Eight championship. The Stinger 8 championship was won with a record setting point advantage by Lance O’Grain. Troy Johnson won the Hornet division title and also the division’s main event. The Super Figure Eight division held twin 50-lap mains on their final night of racing with Gunderson winning race #1 and Mike Middleton race #2. The main event for the Stinger 8’s was won by Josh Young. Also in action on Seattle RV Championship Night the NW Legends and Kohten Steinke was the winner of their main and the NW Vintage Modified main winner was Jim Jones. A good crowd braved the weather as they sat under cover of the grandstands for the first of the two Saturdays of championship racing at the rain or shine ‘Northwest Center of Racing’.

Gunderson started the night with a three point advantage for the 2011 Super Figure Eight championship. After qualifying the advantage had expanded to five points. By the end of the heat races he enjoyed a ten point lead over his son Nick Gunderson. Going into the first of two 50-lap mains Gunderson knew he had to gain as many positions as possible with weather closing in and a good chance the second main would be in the rain. He climbed his way through the field and grabbed the lead in the latter stages of the main. By the end he was the winner and stretched his point lead out to 25 points over now second place in the points Jake Repin. Repin finished second in the race and Gunderson’s other son Ryan finished third in the race with son Nick fourth.

Race #2 for the Super Figure Eights the weather had moved in. The wet track made for some good close albeit slipping and sliding racing. Middleton was able to hold off all challengers for the lead throughout the entire 50-laps. His closest pursuer was Nick Gunderson who many times tried to get alongside of Middleton to make the pass only to be thwarted by the wet track or traffic. Nick had to settle for second and Jake Repin overcame adversity to finish third. The fourth place finish for Brian Gunderson was enough to sew up the championship with a twenty point margin over Repin.

Six drivers in the NASCAR Super Figure Eight division went into the final night with 42-points separated them. After the twin 50’s the season point standings for the six ended this way: Brian Gunderson 652; Jake Repin 632; Nick Gunderson 628; Ryan Gunderson 604; Mike Middleton 574 and Quinton Borreson 534.

Stinger 8 champion O’Grain came to the last night of racing with the number 1 on his car symbolizing he is that divisions champion. Normally carrying the number 74 on the side of his car O’Grain had such a phenomenal season he had the championship well in hand over a month ago. The record setting season did not end as he would have liked with the poorest finish of the year a seventh place after suffering mechanical problems during the main. The race was won by Young with Ben Chandler second and Jessica Gray third. Final standings for the top five are O’Grain 956; Todd Stillwell 730; Joselyn LaFleur 597; Jessica Gray 560; Ben Chandler 414.

The other championship settled on Saturday was the Hornet division. Johnson made sure neither his closest racers in the point’s chase could pass him on the track and in the final standings by way of winning the nights main event. Methodically working his way through the field on the wet road course to gain control of the race Johnson kept enough distance between himself and second place Chris Williams. Brent Crise finished third with second in the points Cyril Greenawalt finishing fifth and third in points Jaime Corbett fourth. Final points for the top five are: Johnson 1006; Greenawalt 941; Corbett 896; Richard Morgan Jr. 702; Ken Moi 666.

Northwest Legends series racers doe not normally run in the rain but had to at the rain or shine Evergreen Speedway with many of the racers never racing in those types of conditions. Winner Steinke, was on the edge of having his legend slip out from under him throughout the main, pulled away from the others and won by a half lap. The nineteen year old, was elated to get the rain soaked trophy. Veteran Evergreen racer Dan Beecher finished second and newcomer Scott Eldridge third.

Unlike any of the other divisions that were able to race on a wet surface the traveling Northwest Vintage Modifieds were uncertain whether they would be able to race. An early shower just before practice wet down the tracks. The rain quit and a brief practice session was held on a semi-dry 3/8-mile oval. With the Doppler radar showing an incoming weather front with lots of moisture the speedway officials altered the original schedule and started the night off with their main event. Jones showed his prowess on the 3/8 where he had won WWRA championships with a strong win of the 30-lap main. Bob Fulmer was second and Bobby Wheeler Jr. third.

Next up at Evergreen Speedway is the Foster Press Chamber of Commerce NASCAR Championship Night at the Races. Champions will be crowned in the Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Whelen All American Series Super Late Model, Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Street Stock, Foster Press NASCAR Mini-Stock and Northwest Pro 4 Truck divisions. All four divisions will be racing on the reconditioned 3/8-mile paved oval. The championship racing starts at 6pm with front gates opening at 4pm. For tickets go to the web at www.evergreenspeedway.com or call 360-805-6100.

Evergreen Speedway 2011 Championship Points:

NASCAR Super Figure Eight Division Final Standings (top 10): 1-Brian Gunderson* 652; 2-Jake Repin 632; 3-Nick Gunderson 628; 4-Ryan

Gunderson 604; 5-Mike Middleton 574; 6-Quentin Borreson 534; 7-Seth Funden 464; 8-Shane Sawin 383; 9-Doug Delfel 372; 10-Dale Larson 243

Stinger 8 Division Final Standings (top 10): 1-Lance O'Grain* 956; 2-Todd Stillwell 32 730; 3-Joselyn

LaFleur 597; 4-Jessica Gray 560; 5-Ben Chandler 542; 6-Sean Peters 498; 7-Josh Young 452; 8-Tyler

Tiedeman 415; 9-Chip Beecher 333; 10-Steve Peters 284

Hornet Division Final Standings (top 10): 1-Troy Johnson* 1006; 2-Cyril Greenawalt 941; 3-Jamie Corbett 896; 4-Richard Morgan Jr 702; 5-Ken Moi 656; 6-Chad Fitzpatrick 598; 7-Nicole Pollard 588; 8-Brent Crise 509; 9-Mike Daher 304; 10-Devin Kessler 289