Puget Sound Road Race Association Karts at Pacific Raceways

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16 June 2018 Kent, WA – The Puget Sound Road Race Association and its group of kart racers came back to Pacific Raceways 2.25 mile track for the first time in seven years.

This fact showed as the paddock area around the ProFormance Racing School building was packed with entries for this race.

A morning of practice on Friday only and a race on Saturday both done by the 4:00 PM curfew as the drag strip had the track after then. With over 20 groups to run under depending on machine you will see some karts the tickle 140 mph down the straight away and that is just “one” inch off the pavement and like a motorcycle you are not attached to the machine.

The drafting that is done like NASCAR is gained a lot by an areo-package, here for most of the classes it is the human body and watching them go nose to tail six of seven-long is quite a sight.

Running seven groups with all but one being staggered starts with as many as five classes running at the same time and like the handicapped start in E.T. racing at the end all should be equal.

The list of winners is long so visit the PSRRA site for the list.

Images are broken out into two Albums – CLICK HERE TO GO THE ALBUMS

West Coast Grudge Continues To Grow

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15 June 2018 Kent, WA – What came together last year from two guys with an idea for some grudge type racing in the northwest is growing by leaps and bounds. Under the guidance of Willy Peterson and family and a host of others the car count and range of grudge racers and their followers are filling in the lanes and grandstands.

This is just race number 2 of 5 set for this season, and it shows the interest of heads up and instant green racing. With a bunch of racers still building cars for just this event it really shows how this type of “safe” street kind of racing is growing in the northwest.

As I was tasked to cover a charity event at the kart track I could not spend a lot of time this night but am looking forward to the next event on July 13th.

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

Pacific Northwest Karting Challenge

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15 June 2018 Kent, WA – Since 1997 Team Seattle under the leadership of Don and Donna Kitch have been involved with Seattle Children’s Hospital with a popular fund raiser for them. Over 5 million dollars have been brought to the aid of the children under the hospitals care.

Coming out to PGP Motorsports Park for the first time, 15 teams and their donor’s dollars came for an endurance team race. With sponsorship help from Jackson Dean Construction and ADVANCED ARE PROTECTION INC. the fund raising, and racing may have a new home and a really fun way to raise much needed dollars.

Adding to the fun for the donors PGP had just received a whole new fleet of karts with just a few runs on them and because they are new the times around the track that the numbers on the kart are the only way to notice which one you are riding now meaning the driver is the only controlling factor in the outcome of a race, can you say equality.

Like in any endurance racing the team of drivers you put together pretty much have to be equal in ability to get the most out of what you are racing, here being consistent in your laps by all.

This fact helped Team Seattle with a lap avg. of 90.150 seconds to claim the top of the podium and with the help of the following teams raised $80,000 dollars from this event. Congratulations to all that took part and the help.

Lots of great images of all the teams – click here to go to the photo album –

TEAMS –

Special Hope
Wanna Be Racers
Blanchard’s Brats
Tha Kart of Racing
Seattle-Symetra
DACO/Applied Team Hope Care Cure
Seattle “Michael’s Automotive Group 1”
Dirt Fish Teams 1 & 2
BMW + Mini Karting Challenge
Kruisers for the Kure
Buschwakers
NW Partitions Racing for Children’s
Chargers
Speed Racers/Team Seattle Heart Kart

An Incomplete Weekend at Pacific Raceways

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10 June 2018 Kent, WA – It was a whole bunch of classes – Car Club, Junior #5, Swift #5, Junior #6, Super Saturday #1, Outlaw Shootout, PNSCA, BC Shifters, Swift #6 who all were on the LOSS side, as Mother Nature took the WIN at the Swift Tools ET Series #5 at Pacific Raceways.

Try as they may the Pacific Raceways drag staff with help from the racers could not win though not from the lack of trying. The sunshine was only a tease to get everyone going with a goal in sight. No one was happy about the weather putting an end to their plans but think of it this way, it’s not hot lava or torrents of water flooding in destruction mode on peoples lives, disrupting their plans, racers will again run down the track as “Mother Nature” allows you to “WIN” your fair share of the time, with her It’s you win some and you lose some in the “Northwet”.

Got some great images while the fun lasted, click here to go to the photo album.

PRDC Olympic Ironworks Motorcycle #3 at Pacific Raceways

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06 June 2018 Kent, WA –  Into June and the mid-week enjoyment of two-wheel competition. Twice a month Olympic Ironworks and owner Gary Tokos sponsor the gathering of bikes to do battle down the Pacific Raceways dragstrip.

Completing the required number of runs to get his license new comer Tom Misfeidt joined in the fun, though going out in the first round I’m sure he will be back. Just another addition to a growing group of bike riders that love to gather for a middle of the week showdown.

Ending the night in the winner’s circle Mark Sires got the trophy and cash as Tyler Baker ran too fast. The next race is 6-20-18.

Images are now available from tonight – click here to go to the photo album.

AM Skills & PM Lapping at ProFormance Racing School

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06 June 2018 Kent, WA  – It was another day’s end with students walking out of the classroom with certificates in hand after successfully completing school at ProFormance Racing School. This program is a must for all those driving up in a new car or new car to them that you would like to learn the best way to control it under highway driving.

Jamming on the brakes and turning the wheel at the same time once completed can come in very handy in an avoidance issue on the roads. It’s just one of the four stations where you will learn what to do in controlled & safe surroundings, overseen by Don Kitch in the classroom and a group of very talented instructors in the field.

If you are a new driver, it’s on your bucket list or even a hot new sports car all will benefit from going thru the school. Go to the web site and find a date for yourself and become a better driver leaving the property.

Images from all the sessions today are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

2018 National Open at Bremerton Raceway

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The 2018 National Open brought together racers from all over the northwest and Canada to Bremerton Raceway for a chance at the “WALLY”. Better than 250 entries packed the grounds at their chance to end up on top of the class.

Kicking off Saturday morning the “cull-de sac” racers put together a pancake breakfast for all the juniors and parents to begin the day full and happy, great job on all the food. Then it was on to packing the lanes with racers for a couple of hits, opening anthems and on to racing.

Beautiful weather with sun and a slight breeze could not have made it any better. Racing round by round throughout the day until the eleven “Wally” trophies were presented. It was a great day and on to the second half of the two-race weekend.

Within 12 hours “Mother Nature” blanketed the area with very low clouds, chilly temps and a huge chance of rain. With everyone watching their cell phone weather apps and radar it now turned into kind of a crap shoot as to completing the race before the rain stopped everything. The track was prepped and only one time hit and then it was on to racing.

Just one round got done and into the next the radar spoke the truth with “green” showing all around the track and racers heading for cover. In the end “she” wins and the race day is called.

Again, a big thanks to the cul-de-sac racers for breakfast and to the purple German potato salad cook, the bomb and H.B.

Check out the over 650 images form both days  – CLICK HERE

SATURDAY WINNERS

SS/Stock Combo – Pete Oliviero
Super Street – Jason Zemanek
Super Gas – Forest Fincher
Super Comp – Mark Johnson
Super Quick -Don Sefton
Junior Thunder – Cole Dickhoff
Junior Lightning – Jordon (JoJo) Dooley
Pro – Ken O’Keefe
Super Pro – Dale Green
.5 Motorcycle – Stacy Hesch
Sportsman – Matt Wieck

8th Annual Dee Adams Memorial Fire & Thunder at Renegade Raceway

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27 May 2018 Yakima, WA – Aptly named with blown motors and jet blasts this annual event is now in its 8th year honoring the late owner Dee Adams. Combined into a weekend that kicks off the summer holidays even though it is still spring, the event draws the racers to the track. Over 230 packed the grounds ready to do battle.

Changing the plans for the weekend the Super Comp and Super Street changed to 1/8th mile racing due to the strong winds down the track Saturday. It was a nicer day on Sunday but the length was set, and all the racers seemed to have a lot of fun racing the shorter distance.

I have to think that Darral Petitt would like the 1/8mi. all the time as he swept the weekend Super Comp Series. Not quite a sweep but a win on Sat. and then on Sun. in two classes, Jeremy Sears claimed the Quick 8 and Super Pro in that order. Adding to this two-win weekend longtime northwest racer Jim Van Cleve picked up the AFX class Saturday, then added the Pro class win on Sun. A bunch of happy family winners by the end of racing but you know those three were on top of the world. A big Thanks to Derek, Sara and the entire drag crew for the help and to the tower crew Thank You.

Images are  in three albums, sorted by days – Click here to go to all the albums.

SATURDAY WINNERS

Super Pro Andy Schlenker
Pro Rev. Robert Jackson Jr.
Sportsman Jerome Feltman
Bike/Sled Stacy Hesch
Super Comp Darral Petitt
Super Street Dennis Boley
AFX Jim Van Cleve
Jr. Lightning Cooper Chun
Jr. Thunder Lindsay Miller
Quick 8 Jeremy Sears

SUNDAY WINNERS

Super Pro Jeremy Sears
Pro Jim Van Cleve
Sportsman Kenny O’Keefe
Bike/Sled Mike Graber
Jr. Lightning Ian Theofelis
Jr. Thunder Dustin Ridge
AFX Dale Posnick
NW Nostalgic Deb Cummins
Super Comp Darral Petitt
Super Street Chad Blevins

AM Skills & PM Lapping at ProFormance Racing School

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23 May 2018 Kent, WA – When planning your date with ProFormance Racing School the weather is always the unknown. Depending what time of the year you choose it could be snow, rain or bright sunshine. No matter the weather the instructors teach the same basic exercises that will help you in the long run to be a better driver in those conditions.

Springtime around Pacific Raceways adds another though not a hindrance to driving, the cottonwoods were flying coating the grass and sticky surface of the dragstrip. At times pretty to see but those little seeds get into everything.

As far as the school goes it is business as usual teaching another classroom full of students to become better drivers while behind the wheel. Check out the website for your date.

Images from sessions today are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

45th Season Opener at Woodburn Dragstrip

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20 May Woodburn, OR – Woodburn Dragstrip opened in 1961 between two plots of farm land. Today if expansion could be had they would as the grounds were packed with nearly 350 racers and tons of spectators for two days of season opening racing.

The event featured a dozen classes in sportsman racing along with AA/Supercharged, Pro Nostalgia, Top Alcohol Dragsters/Funny Cars and the Jet Funny Cars.

Jay Livingston was like an orchestra conductor making sure all the notes are in place and the event went smoothly and got finished on time. When something gets out of tune it’s not long before Jay got it back into harmony. In the end a great job by “all” those involved no matter in what roll they played pulling off another “Season Opener”.

The winners for Saturday are Ian Theofelis in Jr. Lightning, Cole Dickhoff in Jr. Thunder, Dale Green in Super Comp, Allen Macham in Super Street, Bill Bushmaker in S/SS, Derrick Jackson in Sportsman, James Taylor in ET Motorcycle and Bob Osborne in Harley Eliminator.

Two Albums with over 800 Images! – LINK

SUNDAY WINNERS

AA Supercharged – Chuck Moore
Pro Nostalgia – Kacee Pitts
Super Quick – Stephanie Nass
Super Street – Nicholas Shepherd
S/SS – Tommy Gaynor
Dragster/Roadster – Doug Gray
Super Pro – Devon Hilton
Pro – Steve Stuart
Sportsman – Robert Glafka
ET Motorcycle – Terry Holloway
Pro Mod – Jeff Lilly
Quick 8 – Kerry Drost
Jr. Lightning – Tanner Gaetz
Jr. Thunder – Lindsey Miller