Category Archives: Drag Racing

Olympic Ironworks Motorcycle #5 at Pacific Raceways

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11 July 2018 Kent, WA – Hard to believe that only two more dates left to the 2018 Wednesday PRDC at Pacific Raceways. The season is flying by as this mid-week event keeps growing and bringing new riders to the program.

A fine looking white Harley chopper, new to the track with that ride went three rounds lining up against the pure drag bikes pushing some to break out trying to catch this high 12 second chopper.

The Chopper Fell in round three to Mark Sires who took home the hardware after taking out Steve Rosengreen in the finals.

The next Olympic Ironworks PRDC race is July 22.

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

Swift Tools ET Series #9 & HS #5 at Pacific Raceways

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08 July 2018 Kent, WA – Sunday brought about the normal Swift Tools ET Series race and the completion of the Saturday race. Clear and sunny skies greeted all unlike the previous two day brought happy faces to all.

Again, the plan “B” comes into play as to how to finish both before the 5:00pm curfew, oh did I mention the NW Nostalgia Tour and their race to run.

With no adverse weather to worry about the tower laid out a plan and the drag strip crew carried it out running today’s race and the finishing the other, beating the curfew, but not by much.

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

WINNERS
Jr. Storm – Dawsin Ridge
Jr. Thunder – Alexis Krier
Jr. Lightning – Ian Theofelis
High School – Lelan Good
Motorcycle – Tom Misfeldt
Sportsman – Adam Ysquicedo
Pro – Robert Steffen
Super Pro – Doug Whitmore

SATURDAY RACE WINNERS
Super Pro – Kevin Rennick
Pro – Al Chinn
Sportsman Casey Reed

UNFC Funny Car Invitational Finals at Pacific Raceways

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07 July 2018 Kent, WA –  It was a packed line up on the schedule today with the rain-out qualifying scrubbing the first round, with at least three rows of haulers toting those funny cars somewhat harking back to the 64 funny car days of the past.

Northwest legends Bill Doner and Bucky Austin lead the way and their past connections with the funny car shows in mind they put together a program that those who witnessed those days and the “nitro” junkies of today totally enjoyed.

In between the funny cars the Swift Tool Series class racers enjoying a great sunny day of racing picking up points towards the E.T. Finals to be held Labor Day weekend in Boise. Round after round they went until the little bugger “Murphy” showed up and as we all know his monkey wrench has many sizes.

Working against the curfew, the scramble was on to get as many rounds in for the Swift racers and the UNFC finals completed.

When the time clock ran out these classes finished, Dawsin Ridge in Jr. Storm, Dustin Ridge in Jr. Thunder, Jordan “JoJo” Dooley in Jr. Lightning, Trenton smith in Jr. Street and the big winner and unbeaten this season in UNFC Bobby Cottrell left second but finished first over Jason Rupert.

The unfinished Swift racers will finish their race the next day.

Over 500 images, including great shots from the top end are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

UNFC Funny Car Invitational, Car Club & Jr Dragsters #8 at Pacific Raceways

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06 July 2018 Kent, WA – Making plans are always subject to change. Having a plan “B” or further depending on what may or may not happen. All things were set to go for Friday racing at Pacific Raceways for the 2nd Annual UNFC Funny Car Invitational with twice as many trying to qualify for the 8-car field. Along with all the car club and Jr’s set for their scheduled series race.

A dozen runs into the car club time trials mother nature as she is poured rain onto the parade sending all for cover. The heavy downpour left huge puddles and a completely soaked track, and with a curfew looming, a new plan was in the works.

Scrubbing the funny car qualifying purely for safety, and the car club shortened their race to 1/8th mile as apposed to the normal quarter racing for them and the Jr’s could safely be run after the great work by the drag crew prepping the track.

Top of the class goes to Ken O’Keefe in Car Club, Selena Lenihan in Jr. Lightning, Dustin Ridge in Jr. thunder, Abigail Cole in Jr. Storm and Trenton Smith in Jr. Street.

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

John Kilroy Footbrake Challenge & Mark Sarver Memorial 1/8th Mile Shootout

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01 July 2018 Bremerton, WA – A bigger weekend would be hard pressed to find with the grounds packed for the John Kilroy Footbrake Challenge, the Mark Sarver Memorial 1/8th mile shootout and shootouts for the bikes and Jr’s.

190 entries divided into two groups going after the big money this event grown into since started a few years back. Hosted by the Sears Family Racing with a slew of sponsors this “one” day event could morph into a “two” day event with entrust growing rapidly as the first race had just under a couple dozen, can you say a ten-fold growth in just a few short years.

The idea of nothing but your brakes holding you on the line is every bit of “old school” racing, no trans brake and all electronics turned off or zeroed out to even have a dragster entered running with the door cars.

In what had to be everybody’s photo op every time he came to the line Jake Guadagnolo traveled from Linden, Ca. some 17+ hrs. to Bremerton Raceway toting his bumper dragging 70 Nova. Only going a few rounds in the footbrake race he redeemed himself putting on a show round after round in Pro and Super Pro on Sunday coming ever so close to winning both, in the end taking the trophy in S/P. In his words “I love this place and am coming back next year and bringing my friends with me”.

To cap off Saturday just hours before sundown a “wedding” broke out for Joe Grahm and Kathy Strong to say their “I Do’s” on the starting line. Congrats to the newlyweds.
Ending the day with the “Rolling Stones Concert Experience” put on a show back in the “Cul-De-Sac” racing pits, great way to end the day with great music.

Saturday’s winners are Jess Dale in Super Street, Emmett McKillop in Super Comp, Lane Cavar in the Sarver 1/8th. Mi. Shootout, FB Blue Peter Oliviero, FB Red Brandon Reaves, Footbrake Champion Peter Oliviero, Jr. Shootout Cooper Chun.

Sunday had the Bremerton Raceway E.T. Series in full swing with many of the “footbrake” racers now back in their normal race trim, IE trans brakes and electronics. In addition, the unfinished races from the National Open were also held with Tony Arthur getting the “Wally” in Super Comp and Todd Sims getting his “Wally” in Super Street, congrats to both on adding to the “trophy” case.

Sunday’s results are Jess Dale in Super Street, Tony Arthur in Super Comp, Jake Guadagnolo in Super Pro, Jim Were in Motorcycle, Gary Howe Jr. in Pro, Renea Berger in Sportsman, Sean Ryland in Jr. Street,Maurice Castro in H.S., Kort Holbrook in Jr. Thunder, Ian Theofelis in Jr. Lightning, Isabell Boardway in 2nd Chance Thunder and Jiovanni Collecchi in 2nd Chance Lightning.

Only Super Comp and Super Street were completed, stay tuned to details for the final rounds for the other classes.

Tons of images broken out into multiple albums – click here to go to them.

Swift Tools ET Series #8 & WCSA at Pacific Raceways

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June 2018 Kent, WA – The early season rain cut the number of races for the Swift Tool series and this being number 8 of 13 had a packed house filling the grounds. With near or just above 200 entries, more than 80 in Pro alone, all were out in the sunshine enjoying the racing and weather.

Taking in the action the bike riders from WMRRA looked forward to their finals on Sunday, and there were some fast bikes and fast cars sharing the 14 hours of operation time the track has for the day.

We came ever so close to completing race number eight with a huge effort by the drag crew, but that 11:00 PM curfew slammed things down like a hammer on a nail. This fact stopped all classes but the motorcycles where Jim Werre grabbed a double break out win over William Nitta.

The next Swift Tools ET Series race is July 8th.

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

PRDC Olympic Iron Works #4 at Pacific Raceways

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20 June 2018 Kent, WA – When Mother Nature brings out the sunny days the drag strip just loves it, but when she starts combining conditions she can make it down rite miserable.

Dressed in leathers in the heat and humidity has to just soak you up the need to at least get the top down as soon as possible. Though not in leathers those here for the test and tune with all windows up had to be a little un-pleasant with the sun beating in. Plenty of water and liquids for the drag crew doing its normal best even under the hot conditions.

Let’s hope the next race on July 11th has more favorable conditions by toning down the heat that tonight’s winner Jim Werre and his competitors went thru getting to the winners circle.

IMAGES ARE NOW ONLINE – CLICK HERE

Swift Tools ET Series #7 & High School #4 at Pacific Raceways

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16 June 2018 Kent, WA – To this race we have to thank “Mother Nature” as she has affected or cancelled many of the previous race dates. The weather this time brought nearly 170 racers to the track had no one complaining. E.T. racing at it’s best with sunshine and lots of cars down the track.

This event was also another “Bud Under the Lights” night with food and adult beverages on the patio. With track prep in the “house of hook” condition the racing really would have a hard time being better when all is put together. The next “Bud Under the Lights” is set for June 23rd come on out and take in the action.

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

WINNERS

Bill Heard in Super Pro
Brian McGinnis in Pro
Mark Biscay in Sportsman
William Nitta in Motorcycle
Cassidy Langley in High School.

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.

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.