BENDER AND OTHER NASCAR NORTHWEST SERIES DRIVERS THRILL CAPACITY CROWD AT YAKIMA SPEEDWAY

Source: Pace/Yakima Speedway
Date: 06/01/2003

Bender overtook Wilbur Bruce using the outside lane exiting turn No. 2 to take the lead on lap 87. The No. 18 Big Daddy’s Bar & Grill Chevrolet held the point over the final 38 laps in route to Bender’s second career victory on the series. Both victories have been well earned, as the racing action was precise and skilled with 28 cars making up the Northwest Series field in Yakima.

Bruce led the field to the green flag and grabbed the top spot at the completion of lap 1. Local favorite Jeff Jefferson made a bold move from his seventh starting position and drove his way to the front. By lap 30, Jefferson had passed several cars to the right on a restart and grabbed second place.

Jefferson stayed in Bruce’s tire tracks for many laps before pitting under yellow with a right rear flat. The resulting pit stop forced the Morgan Transport Chevrolet to restart shotgun on the field and work his way back to the front.

With Jefferson falling back, Yakima’s Chris Hart moved into second place and began to pursue Bruce. The chase would be short lived as Bender drove underneath Hart entering turn No. 1, made the move stick exiting turn No. 2 and gained the second place position in the exchange.

Bender stalked Bruce over the races latter stages before making his move for the win on the 87th circuit. “I love Yakima,” Bender said. “I consider this one of my hometracks. We run so well here and I knew that this car would be good for the long runs. I have to thank Big Daddy’s Bar & Grill, Andy Reece Trucking, my car owner Gene Kearney and the crew for giving me a great race car here tonight.

“I also want to thank Mr. Pollock (Yakima Speedway owner) and (general manager) Ron Bennett for making this a great place to come and race. With Frank’s Chevrolet and Raybestos helping with sponsorship, the fans of Yakima Speedway got a great show,” he added.

Bruce had not made a start on the series in 2003 and took the runner-up finish in stride. “We had a great car here. The Quality Rental Chevrolet picked up a chatter after the tires cooled down on a yellow flag and Bender was able to overtake me. I tried real hard to get back around him, but he drove a great race and he’s to be congratulated. The best part is (Bender) made his pass for the lead entering the (first) corner on the outside and made it work down the backstretch. That was great racing.”

The Boomers Roadside Bar & Grill Street Stock division put on a 50-lap green flag run as the support show, with Erick Hargraves capturing his second straight main event victory.

Hargraves came into the event holding sixth place in the points standings, but with the absence of Richard Cagle, the current points leader, the remainder of the field held hope at a chance to move up the ladder.

One of the drivers with the most to gain from Cagle’s unexpected absence was Harold Seekins. Seekins came into the evening in second place in the point standings after leading earlier in the season. The cagey veteran started on the pole after the seven-car invert and led the first lap of the race.

After starting in the fifth position, Hargraves moved to second place by lap 3 and began the chase for the lead. Hargraves moved the No. 15 Pontiac to the outside of Seekins roaring off turn No. 4 and took the lead on lap 6.

With Hargraves settling into the top spot at the front, racing picked up for the remaining positions. John Rose, who earned his first pole award of the season with a lap of 23.882, moved his Chevrolet up from seventh to fifth by lap 9, then made a strong run to second place in the late stages of the race to come home second.

Also having a good run at the front was Mike Hill, who started fourth and rode out a third place finish. Rick Christopherson came home fourth with Ashley Beaman rounding out the top-5. Seekins fell back to sixth in the latter stages of the event as the handling went away on his Street Stock.

Hargraves picks up his second straight victory and third overall in the season. With the win, the defending champion puts himself in a position for a three-in-a-row bonus if he can win the next event for the Boomer Roadside Bar & Grill Street Stock division.

“I have to thank my Dad Rick for giving me a great car here tonight. We worked hard to get this win and now we’ll roll up our sleeves and go after that three-in-a-row bonus,” Hargraves said.

Jack Anderson unloaded his Chevrolet with a fresh coat of red paint and a new number. Actually the number is his own, but had not been on the car since he purchased it last year. Anderson had been running the No. 34, which came with the Chevrolet, but put the No. 36 back on the car after the new paint job.

Racing luck had played a huge part in Terry Cook’s recent success in the Street Stock division, but the luck turn south for the third place points holder as he started ninth on the field after a sub-par qualifying effort and could only move up one position to eighth when the checkered flag waved.

Naches, Wash. native and current Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series rookie-of-the-year points leader, Jason Jefferson, earned his first career Bud Pole Award at his home track. Jefferson is the defending NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series late model champion for the famed half-mile, but has found success on the Elite Division level with a win and now a Bud Pole at the his hometracks of Tri-City Raceway and Yakima Speedway.

With uncharacteristic qualifying runs, Gary Lewis and Brandon Riehl found themselves starting in 19th and 21st on the grid. Both drivers moved through the pack and came home with top-10 finishes. Lewis earned the fifth place spot while Riehl picked up seventh place.

Rod Schultz Sr. also had a great run in the Frank’s Chevrolet 125 moving from his 12th starting position to finish sixth. His son Rod Schultz Jr. started second and had a strong run going before pitting with a fire under the hood of his Chevrolet. After making repairs, the younger Schultz returned for a 20th place finish, eight laps down to the leaders.

Finishing Order (name, hometown)

1) John Bender, Snohomish, Wash. 2) Wilbur Bruce, Tacoma, Wash. 3) Chris Hart, Yakima, Wash. 4) Jason Jefferson, Naches, Wash. 5) Gary Lewis, Bothell, Wash. 6) Rod Schultz Sr., Woodland, Wash. 7) Brandon Riehl, Boring, Oregon 8) Joe Benedetti, Auburn, Wash. 9) Ed Watson, Mt. Vernon 10) Steven Howard, Roy, Wash. 11) Rick Suran, Estacada, Ore. 12) Jeff Bailey, Pasco, Wash. 13) Jeff Jefferson, Naches, Wash. 14) Garrett Evans, Ardenvoir, Wash. 15) Mel Shenyer, Ellensburg, Wash. 16) Chris Evans, Portland, Ore. 17) Ken Smith, Renton, Wash. 18) Robert Tesch, Keiser, Ore. 19) Kelly Mann, Monroe, Wash. 20) Rod Schultz Jr., Woodland, Wash. 21) Travis Powell, Snohomish, Wash. 22) Pete Harding, Surrey, BC 23) Shane Biles, Woodinville, Wash. 24) Jerry Fink, Woodinville, Wash. 25) Kevin Hamlin, Snohomish, Wash. 26) Matt Hall, Spokane, Wash. 27) Ron Bemis, Yakima, Wash. 28) Brian Saling, Spokane, Wash.

A-Dash Winner

Harding B-Dash Winner: Lewis

Fast Time

Jason Jefferson, 19.327

Finishing Order

1) Erick Hargraves 2) John Rose 3) Mike Hill 4) Rick Christopherson 5) Ashley Beaman 6) Harold Seekins 7) Jack Anderson 8) Terry Cook 9) Jeff Sisk 10) Andy Beaman 11) Chris VanAmberg 12) Tim Mills 13) Tony Huffines 14) EJ Trujillo

A-Dash Winner

Hargraves B-Dash Winner: Christopherson Fast Time: John Rose, 23.882

See Also .:

• Yakima Speedway Track Page

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