MONROE, Washington — Another fantastic weather night, brought out a nice holiday weekend crowd to the ‘Northwest Center of Racing’ on Saturday night May 26 at Evergreen Speedway. The Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Whelen All American Series Super Late Models held twin 50-lap Mains on the 3/8-mile paved oval. Former 2 time speedway champion Shane Harding won the first main and defending champion Naima Lang won the second. The Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Street Stock main was won by Steve Ptacek. The visiting WMRA (Washington Midget Racing Association) main event winner was Evan Margeson. The west’s fastest NASCAR Super Figure Eight division main event winner was Steve Peters.
With the resurgence of the premier racing division at Evergreen Speedway is in full swing, nineteen cars showed for the second night this season for the Super Late Model Twin 50’s. On night one twenty-two were on hand.
Race one of the twin’s, former speedway champion Shane Harding made it look easy winning his first main on the 3/8-mile in over 3 years. Harding only running part time during the last few seasons had not run on the 3/8 only the 5/8 during that time. Taking the lead early and holding up to a couple of restarts late in the main Harding seemed as strong as he was during his two championship years in 2005 and 2006. The 15 year old, Garrett Archer finished second and Kelly Mann third.
In race two the 50-lap main was won by Naima Lang. Lang’s win his third in the four starts this season came after some hard racing. On a green-white-checker restart Lang and Kelly Mann where coming to the green when there was contact between the two. On the ensuing restart Lang was alongside Lane Sundholm and was able to fight off Sundholm’s efforts. Sundholm then on the final lap lost the second spot to Garrett Archer. Archer made a stab at the leader in turns three and four to no avail and finished second for the second time that night. Sundholm finished a super late model career best third. Sundholm did not know he was driving until car owner/driver Brian Cottrell came to him late in practice and asked if he would drive.
The next time the Super Late Models are on the schedule is Saturday June 9. That race was originally to be on the 3/8-mile oval. It has been moved out to the Monster 5/8-mile for twin 50-lap mains. It is drawing drivers for a Summer Showdown preview. It will be the last race for this division before the big payday Coors Light Summer Showdown presented by NAPA Auto Parts on June 28-30.
Steve Peters took the lead early in the 50-lap main for the Super Figure Eights and held on for his second win in the 2012 season. Peters had a bunch of pressure applied by many drivers during the event. Point leader and former champion Jake Repin finished second just ahead of the ‘One Armed Bandit’ Quinton Borreson. There was another good turnout with 15-cars taking the green flag.
Street Stock 30-lap main winner Steve Ptacek kept everyone at bay in route to his third win this season. In the four races this season for this division Ptacek has mastered three of them. Frank Cowgill gave a valiant effort to keep Ptacek behind him but Ptacek just got stronger as the event wore on. Cowgill took second and Tim Widener took home the third place trophy. Seventeen cars turned out for the holiday weekend race.
The WMRA midget 30-lap main was easily won by Evan Margeson. Margeson followed his season opening domination at South Sound Speedway with another dominating performance at Evergreen. Margeson was quick qualifier, followed that with a heat win and the main. Kevin Koepke was second and Troy Globe third.
Next up at Evergreen Speedway on June 2 is a night featuring the NASCAR Super Figure Eights, Buzz Inn Steakhouse Stinger 8’s on the west’s fastest figure eight track. The Interstate Batteries Hornets will be there in force for the Hornet Nationals. In addition the night will host the Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Street Stocks, V-8 Extremes and Vintage Modified Series. All the action begins at 6pm with spectator gates opening at 4:30. For tickets and or information go to the web at www.evergreenspeedway .com or call 360-805-6100.
Tickets are on sale for the Coors Light Summer Showdown presented by NAPA Auto Parts on June 29-30 via the web or telephone.
Evergreen Speedway May 26 Official Results:
Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Whelen All American Series Super Late Model Twin 50’s (3/8-mile oval):
Race #1 (Place/Laps/Car #): 1- 50-39-Shane Harding; 2-50-5-Garrett Archer; 3-50-9-Kelly Mann; 4-50-00-Naima Lang; 5-50-70-Jeff Knight; 6-50-16-Daniel Moore; 7-50-20-Andy Sole; 8-50-14-Doug Davidson; 9-50-92R-Molly Helmuth; 10-50-12-Jessica Dana; 11-49-51-Michael Knutson; 12-47-22-John Lathrup Jr.; 13-47-08-Timothy Minister; 14-47-10-Lane Sundholm; 15-44-89-Doni Wanat; 16-23-68-Tim McDougald; 17-19-1-Shane Sawin; 18-11-10x-John Boyatt; 19-7-48-Tom Hughs
Race#2 (Place/Laps/Car #): 1-61-00-Naima Lang; 2-61-5-Garrett Archer; 3-61-10-Lane Sundholm 4-61-20-Andy Sole; 5-61-92R-Molly Helmuth; 6-61-70-Jeff Knight; 7-61-89-Doni Wanat; 8-61-51-Michael Knutson; 9-61-9-Kelly Mann; 10-61-22-John Lathrup Jr.; 11-59-14-Doug Davidson; 12-59-12-Jessica Dana; 13-59-39-Shane Harding; 14-59-10x-John Boyatt 15-57-48-Tom Hughs; 16-57-08-Timothy Minister; 17-36-16-Daniel Moore
NASCAR Super Figure Eights (50-lap Main): 1-Steve Peters; 2-Jake Repin; 3-Quinton Borreson; 4-Brian Gunderson; 5-Ryan Gunderson; 6-Mike Middleton; 7-Steve Schoenfeldt; 8-Don Eslick; 9-Seth Funden; 10-Chuck Widdis; 11-Greg Scott; 12-Doug Wilkinson; 13- Dale Larson; 14-Rich Groshong; 15-Nick Dunham
Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Street Stocks (30-lap main): 1- Steve Ptacek; 2- Frank Cowgill; 3-Tim Widener; 4-Jason McQuinn; 5-Kenny Erickson; 6-Zach Bristol; 7-Eric Gimmaka; 8-Jeff Miller; 9-Nikki Bristol; 10-Josh Wilson; 11-Scott Giebel; 12-Jim Foti; 13-Charlie Davis; 14-Ryan Hanson; 15-Brian Cottrell; 16-Kim Lang; 17-Darrell Lutovsky
WMRA (Washington Midget Racing Association)(30-lap main): 1-Evan Margeson; 2-Kevin Koepke; 3-Troy Globe; 4-Kris McKenzie; 5-Bobby Bird; 6-James Pirie; 7-Al Goldie; 8-Whitney Nolan; 9-Steve Hughes; 10-Ray Jones; 11-Mark Seidelman
