MONROE, Washington -- The first of many NASCAR Five Star nights at Evergreen Speedway proved to be the start of something special in this the 50 year anniversary at this fabled race track. Former Super Stock Champion John Zaretzke took his new car to the point early on and went unchallenged for his first win of the season. The Randy’s Ring and Pinion NASCAR Street Stock Bombers started their season with Naima Lang first to cross the line and the NASCAR Mini-Stock finish was a bit controversial as Steve Green won by inches. The FEAR Figure Eight divisions held their second race of the early season as defending champion John Carlson won the Super Figure Eight main and Nick Niesen the Extreme Contact main.
The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Super Stock main was all John Zaretzke as he went to the front from the inverted 8th starting position. Zaretzke sporting a new look for the 2004 season had the right set up, starting the day with a new qualifying record. The only problem for Zaretzke was, as he was leaving the track after a hot lap session while looking at his gauges, clipped the kart racing barriers and tore up the left side of the car. With help of fellow competitor Roger Habich he was able to get the Ford back together for the 50-lap main. Kelly Mann finished second. Mann returned to Evergreen after spending the last few years on the NASCAR Auto Zone Elite Division Northwest Series. He was able to hold off defending Super Stock Champion Tom Moriarity.
The Randy’s Ring and Pinion NASCAR Street Stock Bomber division opened their season in fine fashion. Main event winner Jim Risher squeezed by Bill Eddy on the next to last lap. Risher when not racing a bomber races a winged sprint car. WWRA 10 time champion Duane Shoesbeck finished a close third.
NASCAR’s Mini-Stock division started the season with a finish that had Steve Green and Nat Barber touching in turn four as they raced to the checker. Green was able to pull along side Barber both bumping their way to the line. Green was declared the eventual winner by just 2 inches. Barber who finished second was unhappy with the decision and displayed his frustration by leaving the track in the opposite direction while spinning his tires. Lane Sundholm finished third and he was run into by Dave Ramey on the cool down lap. Ramey was taking out his frustrations after an on track incident with Sundholm.
FEAR’s Figure Eight divisions held their second event of the season. Cowboy John Carlson, the 2003 season champion, garnered another win in the Super Figure Eight Class. Carlson sporting the new modified body style was able to get by second place finisher Steve Peters. The pass took place just after a red flag restart. The cause of the red flag was a t-bone crash at the X between Don Eslick and JR Sundholm. The restart brought the remaining cars together and Carlson was eventually able to get under Peters for his first win in 2004. Shane Sawin had another top three finish.
Nick Niesen of the Extreme Contact Figure Class held Troy Simianer at bay for his first win this year. Geoff Chandler was third.
Next Up at Evergreen Speedway: The Snap-On-Tools Ed Ritchie 60-Minutes of FEAR. NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Super Stocks and Randy’s Ring and Pinion NASCAR Street Stock Bombers. Heat races at 5pm and Main events at 7pm.
Adults $15.50; Jr/Sr Military $9.50; Children $4.50; Family Pass 2-Adults up to 4-Children $40
Fast Qualifier: John Zaretzke 16:918 (New Track Record)
50-Lap Main: 1-John Zaretzke (Monroe); 2-Kelly Mann (Monroe); 3-Tom Moriarity (Monroe); 4-Lex Johnson (Monroe); 5-Roger Habich (Monroe); 6-John Bender (Monroe); 7-Matt Murphy (Ballard); 8-Travis Powell (Snohomish); 9-Tom Matthew (Stanwood); 10-Shane Harding (Surrey, BC); 11-Carl Zaretzke (Monroe); 12-Michael Prudnick (Lake Stevens);13-Doug Davidson (Monroe); 14-Wade Bennett (Granite Falls)
Heat #1: 1-Naima Lang 9Lynnwood); 2-Jason Fraser (Snohomish); 3-Tom Ochltree (Bothell); 4-Joe Thomas (Lake Stevens); 5-Darrell Lutovsky (Shoreline); 6-Craig Rowalt (Bothell); 7-Steve Kuntz (Monroe); 8-Shawn Carlson (Snohomish); 9-Michael Counihan (Marysville); 10-Richard Schacht (Bothell)
Heat #2: 1-Duane Schoesbeck (Lake Stevens) 2-John Burtsche (Redmond); 3-Steve Ptacek (Kirkland) 4-Steve McElroy (Everett); 5-Bill Eddy (Arlington); 6-Bill Mann (Lake Stevens); 7-Jeff Harrington (Monroe); 8-Richard Harriman (Snohomish); 9-Jayna Thomas (Lake Stevens); Donovan Nash (Burlington)
Heat #3: 1-Travis Blackwood (Everett); 2-Darin Stordahl (Marysville); 3-Jim Foti (Edmonds); 4-Jim Downey (Everett); 5-Jim Risher (Bothell); 6-Clark Casey (Bellingham); 7-Rikky Smith (Monroe); 8-Jay VanBuskirk (Everett); 9-Mike Wallace (Bellingham)
B-Main: 1-JeffHarrington; 2-Shawn Carlson; 3-Craig Rowalt; 4-steve Kuntz; 5-Richard Harriman; 6-Jayna Thomas; 7-Donovan Nash; 8-Rikky Smith; 9-Michael Counihan
30-Lap Main: 1-Jim Risher; 2-Bill Eddy; 3-Duane Shoesbeck; 4-Travis Blackwood; 5-Jason Fraser; 6-Naimi Lang; 7-Steve McElroy; 8-John Burtsche; 9-Steve Ptacek; 10-Darin Stordahl; 11-Tom Ochltree; 12-Jim Downey; 13-Joe Thomas; 14-Bill Mann; 15-Darrell Lutovsky; 16-Clark Casey; 17-Jim Foti; 18-Richard Schacht
Heat#1: 1-Ken Jorgensen (Surrey, BC); 2-Jamie Richardson (Carnation); 3-Scott LaCross 9Snohomish); 4-Dave Ramey (Everett); 5-Bob Edwards (Bothell); 6-Steve Kelly (Lake stevens); 7-Marty Marsolek (Everett)
Heat #2: 1-Nat Barber (Snohomish); 2-Tony Bunkleman (Lake stevens); 3-Lane Sundholm (Monroe); 4-John Roberts (Everett); 5-Steve Green (Monroe); 6-Douglas Hinds (Everett)
25-Lap Main: 1-Steve Green; 2-Nat Barber; 3-Lane Sundholm; 4-Dave Ramey; 5-Scott LaCross; 6-Bob Edwards; 7-Steve Kelly; 8-Douglas Hinds; 9-Marty Marsolek; 10-Jamie Richardson; 11-Tony Bunkleman; 12-John Roberts; 13-Ken Jorgesen
Heat #1: 1-Richard Shaver (Stanwood); 2-Wendi Boyd (seattle); 3-Steve Peters (Monroe); 4-Nick Gunderson (Maple Valley); 5-Tim Bergstrom (Marysville)
Heat #2: 1-Doug Wilkinson (Mount Lake Terrace); 2-John Carlson (Snohomish); 3-Shane Sawin (Snohomish); 4-Pat Clark (Marysville); 5-Don Eslick (Snohomish)
Main Event: 1-John Carlson; 2-Steve Peters; 3-Shane Sawin; 4-Pat Clark; 5-Wendi Boyd; 6-Jerry Funden; 7-Tim Bergstrom; 8-Nick Gunderson; 9-Don Eslick; 10-Richard Shaver; 11-Doug Wilkinson
Heat #1: 1-Billy Decker (Monroe); 2-Bill Wade (Everett); 3-Josh Beckel (Monroe); 4-Bruce Wilson (Monroe); 5-Frank Seeker (Monroe);
Heat #2: 1-Nick Niesen (Woodinville); 2-Perry Huffman (Everett); 3-Noah Chandler (Kirkland); 4-Troy Simianer (Bothell); 5- Merlin Cook (Monroe); 6-Geoff Chandler (Kirkland)
Main Event: 1-Nick Niesen; 2-Troy Simianer; 3-Geoff Chandler; 4-Perry Huffman; 5-Bruce Wilson; 6-Noah Chandler; 7-Merlin Cook; 8-Bill Wade; 9-Frank Seeker; 10-Josh Beckel; 11-Billy Deckerj
