WEST RICHLAND, Washington -- This Saturday night April 12, the NASCAR Big 3 & Hornets make their season debuts on Tri-City Raceways ½-mile tri-oval and the all-new 1/4–mile oval. The NASCAR big 3 consists of the Lithia Dodge Late Models, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks.
TCR will have a new track champion this season in the Lithia Dodge Late Model NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. The last two champions Jason Jefferson (2000 & 2002) and Jeff Bailey (2001) have moved on to the NASCAR Elite Division Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series. This prestigious 18-race series will be hotly contested, with the Track Champion winning a good portion of the $22,000 local points fund and having a chance to win additional money in NASCAR’s Dodge Weekly Series. $44,000 will go to the Regional Champions and over $100,000 to the National Champion.
Some of the drivers that will be competing, BJ Tidrick (Yakima, WA), Darrell Tidrick (18 years old) (Yakima, WA), Steve Thompson (W. Richland, WA), Richard Worley (Benton City, WA), Brian Lambert (Pasco, WA) & Dennis Wurtz II (Nampa, ID). Each of these drivers has won a championship(s) at TCR or other Northwest Tracks.
The new rules for the Late Models have created a lot of interest. Two of these rule changes have been installed to bring the cost of this series down. A two-barrel carburetor and after the original purchase of six GoodYear tires the competitors will be allowed one new tire per race. Both of these rule changes will bring equity to the Late Model program on the ½-mile tri-oval
The very popular and affordable 4-cylinder Hornet Class will be racing on the new ¼-mile. At other Northwest tracks that have started this type of class it has grown to very large car counts in a short period, with 50-plus cars. These cars are easily made race ready and costs are in the $0 - $300 range. The Hornets are a great way to get started in racing. All the cars are painted yellow with black numbers and they leave on the wipers and the horn.
All the action gets under way on April 12 with the Back Gate opening at 11am, the Front Gates at 4pm, Qualifying at 4pm and Racing at 6pm. Call (509) 967-9271 for more information.
