WEST RICHLAND, Washington -- The 2003 season ended on a high note with the F.E.A.R. Figure Eights bringing the large crowd to their feet. Their daring style had everyone holding their breath for all 50-laps of their main. The State Transmissions Hornets ended their great season with a 50-lap main.
Another large field of masters of figure eight racing made the four plus hour trip to TCR for the second time this season. June’s winner Shane Sawin was the fast qualifier. He drew an 8-car invert. That put Don Eslick on the pole for the main. He brought the car he built for the World Figure Eight Championship in Indianapolis a month ago.
Eslick led all fifty laps but it was not an easy win. He had his hands full dealing with lapped traffic and the dreaded X. Sixteen cars started the main with attrition taking a toll. Flat tires were a problem many of the front-runners had to deal with.
The winners circle was full of smoke as most of the cars left running put on a smoke show never before seen at TCR. The jubilant Eslick got out of his car and stated “I want to run this track all the time it is better than my local track” he said. The fans echoed his statement wanting figure eight racing to be a mainstay on the new ¼-mile at TCR. Shane Sawin worked his way to second followed by Bryan Gunderson and Steve Peters.
The State Transmissions Hornets started the night with a qualifying session, their first ever at TCR. Twenty cars were locked into the 50-lap main via their times. The final two cars to for the 22-car field came from a 20-lap Last Chance Race. Robert Zorich and Curtis Ganske were the transfer duo.
Zorich started the 50-lap main at the back of the 22-car pack and at the end of the 50-laps he was in front and a second win for the night. Starting at the back was a good thing for Rob as he also started at the back in the Last Chance Race. He missed qualifying due to his late arrival at the track. Therefore, he was last to arrive, last to start the Last Chance and last to start the main. This omen led him to victory. Doug LeClair finished on the podium with Matt Berry.
Fast Qualifier: Shane Sawin – 16:750
Trophy Dashes:
B-Dash: Dale Larson; Aaron Flett; Jessica Wilkenson; James Conley
A-Dash: Steve Peters; Bryan Gunderson; Shane Sawin; Pat Clark
Heats:
B-Heat: Jerry Funden; Ryan Gunderson; John Carlson; Larson; J. Wilkinson; Conley
A-Heat: Clark; B. Gunderson; Peters; Don Eslick; Doug Wilkinson; Rick Shaver; Arnold Freshour
50-lap Main: Eslick; Sawin; B. Gunderson; Peters; Funden; Shaver; Troy Hoopes; Clark; Larson; Conley; D. Wilkinson; Carlson; Freshour; J. Wilkinson; Flett; R. Gunderson
Fast Qualifier: Ron Gaines – 16:663
Trophy Dashes:
B-Dash: Charles Reum; Mike Pierce; Andrew Ross; Mike Wickstrom
A-Dash: Jim Dickenson; Matt Berry; Bob Claphan; Gaines
Heats:
B-Heat: Doug LeClair; J. Dickenson; Claphan; Josh Vaughn; Dennis Graham; Mike Moran; Steve Shields; Ross; Pierce; William Keck
A-Heat: Berry; Gaines; Brad Savage; Marcus Braswell; Randy Dickenson; Josh Duquist; Mike Butler; Reum; Bryan Hills; Mike Dickenson
20-Lap Last Chance Main: Rob Zorich; Curtis Ganske; Matt Billings; Kevin Chase; Ed Hearne; Aaron Keck; nick Dickenson; Tyson Kirkpatrick; Jolene Trendenbarger
50-Lap Main: Zorich; LeClair; Berry; Braswell; Claphan; Savage; Vaughn; Gaines;
Shields; Wickstrom; M. Dickenson; Ross; graham; Butler; Hills; Ganske;
J. Dickenson; R. Dickenson; W. Keck; Duquist; Reum; Pierce; Moran
