MONROE, Washington -- It looked like another wet night for the racers and fans at Evergreen Speedway but unlike the previous two weeks the rain was around all day and the sky cleared at race time. The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Super Stocks had a first time winner Lex Johnson. Jason Fraser celebrated his second win this season after holding off the rest of the Randy’s Ring & Pinion NASCAR Street Stock Bomber drivers. Another two-time winner this season Nat Barber was victorious in the NASCAR Mini-Stock Division. The Figure Eight drivers enjoyed a dry track and Steve Peters of the Super Division and Merlin Cook of the Extreme Contact Division both made a winners trip to victory stage.
The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Super Stocks returned to action after a very iffy afternoon. The rain stopped just about the time they would go out to qualify. With most of the car haulers sitting outside the back gate waiting to see what the weather was going to do, they finally got unloaded and a special practice session was held instead. Many of the teams did not get unloaded in time so their only chance to get a feel for the track was the 10-minute session prior to opening ceremonies.
The Super Stocks were started in order of their points and fully inverted. Doug Davidson took the early lead in the 50-lap main only to have race winner Lex Johnson overtake him on lap 17. Second place Shane Harding was gaining on Johnson but ran out of laps. Three time winner this season used up a lot of his car getting through traffic and settled for a distant third.
It was a long day and evening for second in points and defending series champion Tom Moriarity. A blown motor in the first practice session sent the team scurrying to load the car to return to their local shop and put in a new motor. They returned just prior to the main event. Tom made about 10-laps in the main and trouble reared its ugly head again forcing an early exit from the main.
Randy’s Ring & Pinion NASCAR Street Stock Bomber, Jason Fraser made a second official trip to the victory podium after the 30-lap main. The Bombers had to race the last two weeks on a wet track, the nights dry surface was a welcome sight for many. Fraser who started the night 10th in points began the main mid-pack and worked through traffic to take a mid-race lead and cruised on in for the win. Joe Thomas, with his best finish of the season, was second. Steve Kunz was third. The hard charging Bomber division went green to checker for the second week in a row.
The NASCAR Mini-Stocks had a small turnout in the on and off again wet weather. Nat Barber worked his way through from the back of the field to garner a second win this season and defending champion of the division Scott LaCross finished second. In the point hunt for a championship Lane Sundholm was a strong third.
After a wet track to contend with last week the FEAR Figure Eight Divisions enjoyed the much faster dry track. Steve Peters held off John Carlson and won by a few yards as they both slid across the line. Shane Sawin, last week’s winner, watched the close finish from his third place car. The Extreme Contact Division of FEAR former champion Merlin Cook took his ‘For Sale” car to the winners-circle. Merlin is planning on moving to the Bomber Division. Second place went to Troy Semianer after many valiant attempts to get by Cook. Point leader Nick Niesen had to go to a borrowed car to finish third.
Next up at Evergreen Speedway will be the Memorial Day Double Header. On Saturday May 29 the NASCAR ‘Five Star’ & Figure Eights take to the track and on Sunday May 30 the traditional weekend’s Giant Demolition Derby/Fireworks show rolls in, plus there will be the Hertz Hornets, School Bus Racing, Boat Racing, 3-Car Train Racing and a Roll-Over Contest. Action begins on Saturday with heat races at 5pm and mains starting at 7pm. On Sunday all the smashing-crashing action gets under way at 7pm.
50-lap Main:1- Lex Johnson; 2- Shane Harding; 3- John Zaretzke; 4- Gaylon Stewart; 5- Doug Davidson; 6- Kevin Hamlin; 7- Matt Murphy; 8- Tom Mathews; 9- Tom Hughes; 10- Michael Prudnick; 11 – Roger Habich; 12- Ken DeFoe; 13- Scott Sarto; 14- Tom Moriarity
Heat #1:1- Naima Lang; 2- Bill Eddy; 3- Travis Blackwood; 4- Jim Downey; 5- Charles Davis; 6- Rikky Smith; 7- Richard Harriman; 8- Shawn Carlson
Heat#2: 1- Jason Fraser; 2- Steve McElroy; 3- Jim Foti; 4- Steve Ptacek; 5- Clark Casey; 6- Craig Rowalt; 7- Russ Hales
Heat #3: 1- Darrin Stordahl; 2- Tom Ochiltree; 3- John Burtsche; 4- Darrell Lutovsky; 5- Joe Thomas; 6- Steve Kunz; 7- Nikki Bristol
‘B’ Main: 1- Rowalt; 2- Carlson; 3- Hales; 4-Bristol
‘A’ Main: 1- Fraser; 2- Thomas; 3- Kunz; 4- Davis; 5- Lang; 6- Blackwood; 7- Lutovsky; 8- Burtsche; 9- McElroy; 10- Stordahl; 11- Foti; 12- Eddy; 13- Downey; 14- Ptacek; 15- Harriman; 16- Casey; 17- Smith; 18- Ochiltree
