FIRST TIME WINNER OF 23RD RUNNING OF THE FIGURE EIGHT NATIONALS

Source: Scott Ellsworth
Date: 08/27/2006

On Saturday night August 26 Evergreen Speedway held the 23rd annual Figure Eight Nationals. The winner of the 100-lap race is Jim Downey. The Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Super Stock 50-lap main winner is Kelly Mann. Another first time winner Lane Sundholm won the Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Bomber 30-lap main. Northwest Legend Series racer Jimmy Landon won the 20-lap main.

Jim ‘Bobcat’ Downey grabbed the lead from Steve Peters on lap 71 of the 100-lap main. Downey won his first Figure Eight Nationals after many tries. The only driver piloting an AMC Hornet was never challenged after getting the lead. Peters who had won three Nationals titles finished second with Jerry Funden on the podium in third.

With now just two races to go for the 2006 Super Stock Championship, race winner Kelly Mann not in the chase won for the second time this season. Mann who travels the Northwest racing at different tracks made his fourth start at Evergreen this season. Mann took the lead from Travis Powell on lap 17 and went on to an easy win. Point leader Rob Touchette finished second and added to his point lead. Second in points to start the night John Burtsche, who sold his car during the week, using a borrowed car finished a disappointing last place seventeenth. Moving from third in points Shane Harding finished third in the main behind Touchette losing two points to the leader. Unofficially Touchette has a slim 10-point advantage. Doug Davidson finished the race in fourth moving him to third 16-points in arrears.

On Saturday August 5 Jill Lang won the Bomber main with teammate Lane Sundholm second. Reversing that finish Sundholm won his first ever Bomber main and Lang in pursuit second. Point leader Duane Schosboek finished fourth behind James Mugge. Schosboek did not gain or lose points to Mugge and remains 27-points ahead. With two races remaining for this division Schosboek will be holding his breath as he attempts to win his first Bomber championship.

The Northwest Legends winner Jimmy Landon did not gain any points as it was a non-points event. Rowan Carey finished second, Tracy Warren third.

Next up at Evergreen Speedway is the Labor Day Weekend Quadruple Header as part of the 2006 Evergreen State Fair.

On Friday night September 1, it will be Kid’s Night at the Races featuring the Hornets, Extreme Contact Figure Eights, Boat Races and a Small Car Demo Derby.

Saturday September 2, NASCAR Night will feature the next to last race of the season for the Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Super Stocks, Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Bombers and the NASCAR Mini-Stocks. Also the 3rd annual Great Northern Stinger 8 Championship and back for another night are the Extreme Contact Figure Eights.

Day three on Sunday September 3, the annual Speedway Chevrolet Labor Day Demolition Derby/Fireworks show takes place. Plus Hornets, School Bus Figure Eights, Boat Races, Roll-Over Contest and Three Car Trains.

On Monday afternoon September 4, the track is converted from an oval to a drag strip for Street Drags and a drifting for the Northwest Drifters.

Start time for Friday, Saturday and Sunday is 7pm and on Monday things start at 12pm.

Tickets are available at the Fair’s front gates. A combination ticket will save money giving access to the fair and the speedway.

Evergreen Speedway August 26 Results:

23rd Annual Figure Eight Nationals:

100-Laps (Unofficial Finish): 1-Jim Downey; 2-Steve Peters; 3-Jerry Funden; 4-Nick Gunderson; 5-Rich Groshong; 6-Troy Simianer; 7- John Carlson; 8-Ricky Dietz; 9-Doug Delfel; 10-Bill Wade; 11-Jay VanBuskirk; 12-Chuck Widdis; 13-Don Eslick; 14-Dale Larson; 15-Harry Clements; 16-Jason Holton;

17-Rich Groshong; 18-Don Teel; 19-Gordy Severson; 20-Sean Peters; 21-Ken Moi;

22-Jessica Wilkinson; 23-William Houghtaling; 24-Greg Estes; 25-Tim Bergstrom;

26-Greg Scott; 27-Wendi Boyd; 28-Tony Crenshaw

Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Super Stocks:

50-Laps: 1-Kelly Mann; 2-Rob Touchette; 3-Shane Harding; 4-Doug Davidson;

5-Naima Lang; 6-Roger Habich; 7-Travis Powell; 8-Darin Stordahl; 9-James Spiering;

10-Tom Sweatman; 11-Marv Christopherson; 12-Doug Wilkinson; 13-Tom Hughes;

14-Mike Defoe; 15-Scott Sarto; 16-Joe Constance; 17-John Burtsche

Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Bombers:

B-Main 20-Laps: 1-Ron Landry; 2-Mark Trail; 3-Charlie Davis; 4-Nikki Bristol;

5-Ryan Hansen; 6-Keith Clark; 7-Shawn Carlson

A-Main 30-Laps: 1-Lane Sundholm; 2-Jill Lang; 3-James Mugge; 4-Duane Schosboek;

5-Marv Monty; 6-Darin Stordahl; 7-Travis Ross; 8-Craig Rowalt; 9-Frank Cowgill;

10-Darrel Lutovsky; 11-Jim Foti; 12-Clark Casey; 13-Brad Sweeney; 14-Travis Blackwood; 15-Bill Mann; 16-Brian Cottrell; 17-Steve Ptacek; 18-Tim Widener

Northwest Legends:

20-Laps: 1-Jim Landon; 2-Rowan Carey; 3-Tracy Warren; 4-Nick Johnson; 5-Nick Carey; 6-Kenny Makawichuk; 7-Mark Christopherson; 8-Randy Schaaf; 9-Mike Gardner;

10-Natalie Sinner; 11-Dan Oman; 12-Tracy Titus; 13-Alex Kerslake; 14-Chuck Carter

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