High Performance Sport Driving Day – Nov 7th, 2015

HPSDD 11-7-15 00107 Nov 2015 Kent, WA – The wonderful summer and fall weather now just a memory as the normal late fall northwest weather is here. Everyone knows it rains here and today it covered everything not covered.   If you want to learn your limits of driving your automobile this has got to be the best place to do so. Pacific Raceways 2.25 mile track offers you to do safely what you do not want to do on the streets.

ProFormance Racing School located on the property with its staff of instructors will put you thru a series of exercises that will teach you to feel your car. Doing this at the slow speeds involved will transfer to the track when you go to the lead/follow on the track.

As you progress thru the day the speeds get faster and faster and the forces of nature start to show you why it pays to go thru the school. With all the hills and curves to drive in the northwest it will pay off to take this course.

Contact them for your class session.

Images from the class and action today are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

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4-Stroke Racing Series At Pacific Raceways

4-Stroke Karts 11-1-15 09101 Nov 2015 Kent, WA – The 4-stroke karts are like the bigger cars that run in all the conditions that Mother Nature puts out have the choice of tires. This day the treadless tires started the practice session but soon gave way to the “rain tires”.

Wise choice by all as the rains came and soaked everything not protected. To race in the rain is an absolute blast when you are prepared for it, not covered with that water shedding clothing will soak you and add weight to you with that water, and racing with a weight minimum you do not want to put the additional pounds to carry around.

4-Stroke Karts 11-1-15 139Race number two in an eight race series in the books had these racers on the podium, third spot went to Sammy Barrera-Garcia, second place to Zak Bothel and atop the podium in the number one position was Ricky Arnold.

This first day of November had nothing on the docket so when the sound of a high whine and shifting to go with had to see who was creating it. JFC Racing located just down the highway was out to do some testing with a new engine powering their Wolf race car.

4-Stroke Karts 11-1-15 305This endurance setup being evaluated for an upcoming race that will last 25 hours is all about the data and how the motor works. These endurance races will push everything to the limits and the balance between how far can we push before it breaks too soon. You can build this same motor to go 8 seconds down the dragstrip or run the hours in a rally car race that are built that are at the max for what they do, handled by one driver or driver and co-pilot.

The almost constant shifting and cornering puts four drivers in the seat as one or two could never last. This unexpected chance to see this test under the rainy conditions giving both JFC information that if these conditions come up they are prepared and for and me to see and photograph what the ground effects of the Wolf as it speeds around the track. Thanks to Miles, Brian and the rest of the crew for their insight. Good Luck on the upcoming race.

4-Stroke Karts 11-1-15 268Images are now available – click here to to go the photo album. Thank you for your support and Purchases!

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ProFormance Sport Driving Day – Oct 24 & 25th, 2015

High Performance Sport Driving Day 10-24-15 24526 Oct 2015 Kent, WA – For those that took advantage of the weekend of lapping and ProFormance Racing School got two weather apposing days. Saturday morning till near mid-day fog blanketed the track, from then on sunshine and hardly a cloud. Dry track conditions with wind pushing the leaves everywhere. Soon the line cleared and the lappers finished the “self-cleaning” and clear track the rest of the day for students and lappers alike.

High Performance Sport Driving Day 10-24-15 008Sunday had a beautiful sunrise cover the property at Pacific Raceways for the start of school. Thirteen students taking part and advantage of what the course at ProFormance Racing School can teach them.

The four exercises every student goes through get them in tune with what they will feel once the driving with an instructor begins. Beginning with a dry track and then turning wet with a persistent drizzle this class of students will be much better equipped to handle driving the roads, as the time spent here will test your limits and understanding that makes you a better driver.

High Performance Sport Driving Day 10-24-15 045To find this out for yourself check Pacific’s web site for school information on up coming dates.

Images for this event are broken into two albums, one for each day –

ProFormance Sport Driving Day – Saturday Oct 24th, 2015 – Click Here

ProFormance Sport Driving Day – Sunday Oct 25th, 2015 – Click Here

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ProFormance Racing School 2-Day SCCA Class – Oct 16-17th, 2015

ProFormance Racing School SCCA 2-Day Class 10-16-15 22417 Oct 2015 Kent, WA –  In the time it takes to run the 24 hours at Daytona event you can go thru this class. Over two days ProFormance will teach, coach and instruct you to what it takes to enter and take part in an SCCA event.

Classroom and on track instructions will guide you as a driver what you need to know and maybe more important what not to do. We all have our driving faults and 99.9% of them are used in this type of racing you are trying to gain a license to take part in. Learning the right and proper way to do anything that can hurt you or worse is the reason for these driving schools and Don and his instructors know this all too well.

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It’s not preaching, it’s teaching that safety will always come first, unless it’s a demo derby it’s not a good thing when you dent up your race car.

Check the ProFormance link on the Pacific Raceways web site for info for your date.

Images from the two day event are now available in two albums –

Day One Photos For ProFormance Racing School SCCA 2-Day Event – Click Here

Day Two Photos For ProFormance Racing School SCCA 2-Day Event – Click Here

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ProFormance Racing School – October 11th, 2015

ProFormance Racing School 10-11-15 11811 Oct 2015 Kent, WA – Weather in the Northwest as we know in 24hrs can go from one extreme to another. This past weekend she did just that. Rain, rain and more rain soaked everyone if not covered. With a packed house of students and just about every instructor the rain had all searching for umbrellas.

ProFormance Racing School 10-11-15 019With four instruction areas set up on the track, two at each end of Pacific’s property all outdoors and in the rain, and like football games not much will stop it. Team dedication is how it works. Construction workers out in the elements will do the same, roll with the punches and get the job done. The umbrellas now cover and at times a directional aid showed how the crew can roll with the weather.

Now for the change that Mother Nature and how the curves she throws can have you shaking your head. Sunday there was a private rental of the track, so no packed house and just a few instructors for this private school day. Sunny Sunday is the only way to describe the weather.

For the instructors here the day before this was the good for the inclement, but really for them and all those that follow under Don Kitch, it’s a team and the dedication they have for what do. For the student it matters not the weather you get the same instructions and classroom teaching.

Contact the school thru Pacific’s web site for your date.

Images from the October 11th Session are now available – click here to go to the album.
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“Radio Dave”

Forespring-520“Radio Dave” as all that knew him will remember him by. If it had to do with communications Dave was there: SCCA, Pacific Raceways the two that I was in his service. Supplying the radios and other services to the SCCA events at Pacific Dave seemed to be everywhere and on the radio you heard his call sign “Radio” when things needed his attention.

He was an active member of SCCA for more than 30 years. He had the pulse on the communications during the events no matter where he was at, the radios were on and on many channels.  He was also an active Ham Radio operator – Dave’s reach was worldwide.  In the Ham Radio community he has joined other Ham Radio members as what they call a “silent key”, and they have their own special remembrances and memories of him.

For what he did for me and many, many others he will be missed and very difficult to replace. Godspeed “Radio Dave”.

Test & Tune At Pacific Raceways

Test and Tune Dragstrip 10-3-15 24103 Oct 2015 Kent, WA – Test and Tunes at this time of year are a weather gamble. You make these dates during the off season scheduling and hoping that Mother Nature smiles on you.

Putting a kink into the date today was things were slowed by an overnight soaking forcing the drying process of the track. Once done though the testing got underway for the 150 plus taking advantage of now the beautiful fall day. Bright blue skies always bring the smiles. Taking advantage also were a number of drivers seeking their competition license in a number of classes.

Australian native James Rowland and Stef Parker earning their BB/Funny Car licenses and coming up one run short was Mike Drzayich of Dallas, Texas.  He may travel up for that one more run to get that Super Comp license. Look forward to the last test and tune on the 18th of October.

Images are now online and available – click here to go to the photo album.

Test and Tune Dragstrip 10-3-15 390Test and Tune Dragstrip 10-3-15 301News for See It Imagery is that we have parted company with Breann as she moves on to a new and better part of her life. A great eye with a camera she will be missed, Thank you and good luck.

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30th Annual Baxter Auto Parts & Bi-Mart Fall Classic at Woodburn Dragstrip

30th Annual Baxter Auto Parts & Bi-Mart Fall Classic 9-26-15 55027 Sept 2015 Woodburn, OR – The end of the season event for a dragstrip tends to be bigger than most other times. For Jay and Joey the co-owners of Woodburn Dragstrip, this date was planned and set up as any scheduled event during the off season as most of this is planned out.  They are always looking or talking to the other track operators on their dates as two choices to a racer is mostly about cost. The annual fall classic did not get the way of other events; it is the 30th year for it says that they planned well. It is a favorite for many to attend either racer or spectator alike. This showed in the pits with racers and the field spectator parking how many enjoy it and how popular it is.

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The unknown to all this planning is Mother Nature as she reared her wrath on a Nitro Harley and BB/Funny Car event thus the scramble to re-schedule it. That turned out to be this weekend and the photographers talked about the number of and wide range of cars running that had never seen before here. Close on some events but never like this. Watching the creations from the past years with updated safety is a genuine thrill plus throw in the wild creations the Pro Mod people come up with is somewhat akin to the altered runners from years past.

30th Annual Baxter Auto Parts & Bi-Mart Fall Classic 9-27-15b 229The racers that compete in the 10.5 class is another range of possibilities for racers to play with and trying to control all that horsepower on a ten and a half inch wide slick is why they only race to the 1/8mile.  Way too much speed and power beyond that point, safety is most important but they are fun to watch at that distance.

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For those at the track on Sunday the chance to see a third generation test his dragster for a Bakersfield event coming up. Walt Austin, his son’s Pat and Mike here to oversee and crew for Pat’s son Drew to make some passes. The awards, accomplishments and accolades this family is way-way more than I have space for both on a national and local level in the sport of drag racing. Great to see them out as a family racing again, Good Luck in Bakersfield.

30th Annual Baxter Auto Parts & Bi-Mart Fall Classic 9-27-15 433In a two for one win Dale Green picked up both the race event and by winning he also grabbed the season championship for the Northwest Super Comp Assn. When you have to win to win Dale shows what it takes to do so, congrats to you.

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Also check the Series “B” folders for the fine work Breann did covering the event from her perspective. Thank You

Images are broken out into four albums – an “A” & “B” Series for each day of this two day event Click here to go to the four albums – lots of great shots!

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A Private Session At Pacific Raceways

Private Test Session 9-23-15 09424 Sept 2015 Kent, WA – The private Testing at Pacific Raceways is just that – private. To be invited to photograph one you never know at times who is testing. Thus you go with an open mind and just go with the flow when you get there.

The diversity of those at the track and their reasons for doing so are just as wide. Speed Factory and their semi full of race cars and a freshly built customer’s car out for testing for an upcoming east coast race was onhand, and they were there to get the settings for the customer.

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Also testing for an upcoming event Ed Hauter brought his two class dragsters getting at least a half a dozen runs on each claiming the best run ever on one of them. With a surprise to his crew chief Brad Jolly got her to drive down the track, and with some caution on his part he did it, pretty cool for Brad and him seeing his dragster go down the track.

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Getting more seat time is not on her plate and Brad put near a dozen runs on the dragster before putting it away. All these racers had the common goal of testing changes and prepping for upcoming events.

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The final tester on this day was here to set no speed or E.T. bests, Big Jim Ronan and his 29 Model A Sedan Delivery wheel stander out for more seat time. A lifelong dream slowly coming together as time on the track is a premium so any time on track is precious.

At the end of the day with great help from Breann all appeared to have found what they came for except Big Jim, he wants the quarter mile run under his butt.

Images of all the fun are now online – unique images of one of the least “known” things at Pacific Raceways – A “Private Session” for all to enjoy. Click here to go to the album.

ADDED BONUS!!!! – 2nd Series of Images – In the “B Series of Photos” – Click Here!

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