ATTRITION TAKES ITS TOLL ON POINTS LEADERS IN THE SUN COUNTRY INN MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIPS AT YAKIMA

Source: Scott Ellsworth
Date: 07/15/2002

YAKIMA, Washington -- An extremely warm day took its toll on many drivers and cars including the point’s leader of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Models. Jason Jefferson (Yakima) who qualified 3rd started the 100 lap main on the outside front row, Jefferson lasted all of 35 laps as the leader, while pulling away from the rapidly dwindling field his Dodge started showing severe smoke out the exhaust, forcing him to retire for the night. This gave the lead to second in points B. J. Tidrick (Yakima) followed by Scott Walker (Prosser). Walker was the next to make an exit with a sputtering motor. As Tidrick opened a sizable lead by the half way mark, Mike Zamora (Kennewick) got by pole sitter Troy Tramell (Yakima) to move into the second spot but a half lap back. A few laps later Tramell spun putting him a lap down and Ron Bemis (Yakima) was able to get by, putting him in the 3rd position and the last car on the lead lap.

Tidrick’s only challenge to winning his first ever Late Model race came on lap 80 when Bill Mills (Zillah) went off the track in turn 2 and went out into the trees forcing a red flag. While the car was being retrieved a thunder shower rolled in and wet the track slightly. Officials were ready to call the race when the shower stopped and because of the heat the track only took a few minutes to dry. On the restart Tidrick was able to pull away and received the checkers. Tidrick was able to gain 14 points on Jefferson’s 32 point lead who finished 8th. Zamorra and Bemis finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. Only 5 cars lasted to the end of the 100 laps.

Leading was not what you wanted to do in the 40 lap Super Stock Main. Point leader Darrell Tidrick (Yakima) got the lead from Darrell Hanson (Portland, OR) who suffered a damaged suspension part in an earlier encounter with at the time race leader Don Martin (Yakima). Tidrick had a 2-second lead when on lap 25 the drive train locked and he was out of action. This put Greg Kuhlman (Selah) in the dreaded lead. As Greg brought the field out of turn four with the white flag ready to appear, Bob Dexter (Selah) who had been hounding Kuhlman for the lead, tried to go low and the two made contact sending Dexter over the hood of Kuhlman with both sliding down the front stretch. Third place Kriss Clark (Yakima) was able to avoid them and went on to win his first of the year. Jack Mondor (Wapato) took 2nd place honors and John Rose (Wapato), in a borrowed car, finished 3rd. Tidrick’s 18 point lead was shortened to 6 points by Rose who had to go to the borrowed car after cracking a head on his.

Hobby Stock point leader Don Klang (Yakima) was the only one able to gain on his closest pursuer. Klang who finished 2nd to race winner Ralph Smith (Yakima) gained points on Chad Pitman (Yakima) who finished 7th. Buck Noel Jr. (Selah) finished third.

NEXT UP AT YAKIMA: Saturday July 20th: Frank Chevrolet 125 for the Raybestos Brakes NASCAR Northwest Series; Street Stocks Mid-Season Championship 50-laps. Gates open at 5pm, Qualifying 6pm and Racing at 7pm.

Fast Time: B. J. Tidrick (Yakima) 18:767 (track record);

B-Dash: Ron Bemis (Yakima), Ken Olson (Naches), Ed Thompson (Richland), Bill Mills (Zillah);

A-Dash: Jason Jefferson (Yakima), Troy Tramell (Yakima), Tidrick, Scott Walker (Prosser);

Main 100-laps: Tidrick, Mike Zamorra (Kennewick), Bemis, Tramell, Mills, Kevin Quesnell (Yakima), Walker, Jefferson, Brandon Riehl (Portland, OR), Thompson, Olson, Christopher Kalsch (Hillsboro, OR)

Fast Time: Bob Dexter (Selah) 21:020;

B-Dash: Don Martin (Yakima), Mike Hill (Yakima), Bill Nelson (Yakima), John Rose (Wapato);

A-Dash: Jack Mondor (Wapato), Greg Kuhlman (Selah), Bob Dexter (Selah), Darrell Tidrick (Yakima);

Heat Race: Martin, Darrell Hanson (Portland, OR), Mondor, Mark Sundberg (Seattle), Hill, Tidrick, Dexter, Kriss Clark (Yakima);

Main 40-laps: Clark, Mondor, Rose, Dexter, Sundberg, Kuhlman, Hanson, Nelson, Tidrick, Martin, Hill

Fast Time: Neal Smith (Selah) 24:922;

B-Dash: Bill Girrard (Ellensburg), Thomas Benscoter (Selah), Ted Wilburn Jr. (Yakima), Mike Mattox (Yakima);

A-Dash: Don Klang (Yakima), Ralph Smith (Yakima), David Denton (Yakima), Neal Smith (Selah);

Heat-1: Benscoter, Wilburn, Mattox, John Zimmerman (Wapato), Chad Pitman (Yakima), Girrard, Jeff Daughtrey (Ellensburg);

Heat-2: Jason Trujillo (Union Gap), Buck Noel Jr. (Selah), N. Smith, R. smith, Denton, Don Sowder (Yakima), Klang;

Main 30-laps: R. Smith, Klang, Noel, Denton, Benscoter, Wilburn, Pitman, Mattox, Sowder, N. Smith, Trujillo, Girrard, Zimmerman

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