20 Jan 2018, Auburn, WA – The 2017 Pacific Raceways Banquet crowned the 2017 Summit ET Swift Tools ET Series Champions at Emerald Downs in Auburn. Congrats to all the newly crowned champions, and special thanks to all the sponsors for their support.
Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
The 2018 Season is not far away!!
13 Jan 2018 Kent, WA – Just the second weekend into the new year and Pacific Raceways is hosting a trio of happenings on the property. A full classroom for ProFormance Racing School to start the new year teaching students how to become better drivers when behind the wheel. Those brief seconds that your subconscious mind reacted to an issue because of what you learned in school can really be the difference between life and death.
In the upper paddock, the Avants ‘Drive Everything’ gathered for a “coffee” and car get together. Bringing together a number of car clubs and a whole bunch of like minded people to see what a lot had done to their rides. The things that are around both off the shelf and home made from are turning heads wondering “How” did you do that? Check this group out for their next “coffee” date.
Rounding out the “trio” of groups using the property is the UW Department of Mechanical Engineering brought out one of their projects to do some “traction control” testing and data gathering. Not the first time they have been out and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
All in all a great day of fun and learning and sight seeing on the Pacific Raceways property.
10 Dec 2017 Kent, WA – Race number 2 in the winter series for the 4-stroke racers could not have asked for a better day to race. The chilly air cooled the motors and racers, but the sun did its job warming the human body while taking in the action on the track.
There is a poster in the PGP office that says, “The sun is fun, but wetter is better”. I think that the cold is for the bold could be added to how much fun you can have karting no matter what the weather is doing.
Qualifying, 2 heat races and the finals is the order of the day and as the sun and racers built heat into the track the lap times with a 1:10.029 in the finals steadily lowered the lap times thru the race day.
Of the 26 entries for the race Mason Buck became the biggest mover as he started in the rear and by the end of racing he ended up in second place on the podium with Kyle Wick taking the top spot and Kevin Janders coming in third for the LO 206 class.
LO 206 Heavy had Geoff Newman atop the podium, next to him William Evans claimed second and Paul Connor picked up third.
Images are now available – click here to view the images and make purchases.
09 Dec 2017 Kent, WA – Putting a period on the 2017 ProFormance Racing School season as this day is the final of the year. The weather on this crisp and cold December played along as no rain or snow hampering the day.
As the day progressed the sun melted away the frost and ice along with chill warming the body enough to shed the heavy coats that started the day. For the students it was hard to keep the window down as required by the instructors so they may talk to you after each pass on the four different exercises, but I’m sure that the heaters were on full blast keeping the chill at bay.
The new year is about here, and the winter dates are there for you to take advantage of the school and what you “WILL” learn to become a better driver. Go to the ProFormance Racing School website for your date.
Images from all the sessions are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
03 Dec 2017 Kent, WA – Each December Pacific Raceways property plays host to some very generous people. The annual NW Toy Drive benefiting Toys for Tots. Sponsored by Lexus of Bellevue.
Thousands of folks brought their un-wrapped gifts or cash donation for the Marine Corps Reserve program. Combine this with holiday music and vendors covering the many cars out for the car show gathering.
Out on the 2.25mi. Track a “lead/follow” overseen by ProFormance Racing School and Don Kitch giving those who take part an idea of what it feels like to drive a road course.
In the house, Santa and his helpers were on hand accepting gifts and posing for pictures, also on hand Ed Troyer from the Pierce County Toys for Tots program. Every year that I have covered this event it has gotten bigger and bigger thus proving the generosity of the NW to those in need.
This year exceeded last year’s total when combining cash donations and boxes of toys and those taking part in the lead/follow is growing in popularity. Great job by all those involved as it takes many to help bring it together each year.
Till next year Happy Holidays to all.
Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
28 Oct 2017 Kent, WA – Sunshine and mid to upper 60’s in late October can only be a blessing from mother nature on this school day for ProFormance Racing School. The northwest just prior to Halloween shades more towards the “Northwet” then sunny and warm spring like day.
With many more dates set thru-out the fall and winter when wet driving will become the normal it’s no better time to set your date for school. What you will learn from Don and his instructors is a base for better driving and control of your automobile.
Go to the ProFormance Racing Schools web site and pick a date for school. In the northwest it is by far the best bang for your buck you can do for yourself and your expensive auto.
Images from all the sessions today are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
15 Oct 2017 Kent, WA – Drag racing in the northwest in October is all up to Mother Nature. This sunny and chilly start to the day could not be better. Hearing what the local weather people were predicting brought out a host of racers for testing and a gambler race as those predictors are putting the last date on the 2017 season in doubt.
This also may have helped those new car owners to test their rides on the track. How often do you see a McLaren MP4 testing the dragstrip? Just one of the many new cars and faces enjoying what Pacific Raceways offers.
Grabbing the bucks in the gambler race in his ’69 Dodge Rob Hodgson to haul home.
See you next season unless Mother Nature graces us with one more October drag strip date.
14 Oct 2017 Kent, WA – The word has spread from the students that have gone thru the ProFormance Racing School program and how you should make time to take yourself to school. The newer cars are becoming more and more controlled by what you don’t see.
Testing these controlling parts will tell you thru the seat of your pants what your car feels like when doing so. Anti-lock brakes when put into action while going 50 mph all the while putting steering input to avoid a collision will get your attention.
When done as instructed by the crew of very experienced drivers themselves you feel it and you get it after done a few times. This just one of the exercises the school puts you thru with in classroom and on the grounds teaching by Don Kitch.
Your new car is a big investment, help yourself and your investment by going thru the school, contact them on their website and book a date.
07 Oct 2017 Kent, WA – To say that drag racing in the Northwest in October could be hitched to global warming, can’t say that this is true but with a total of three weekend days set for drag racing is on the docket for Oct.
Mother Nature is as always the controlling factor and will test a drag strip crew to no end prepping a track for racing. On this day a private track rental put together by Mookie Dedic but open to the public brought a whole bunch of his race friends out for a day of racing.
After getting help from Mother Nature drying the track creating a later start than posted the lanes filled and the fun began till curfew with only a slight delay due to light sprinkles. Taking advantage of this day also Steve Huff Motorsports brought out the “all” electric dragster seeking the record they are ever so close to now.
To those that have the records know, everything has to go spot on in your attempt to do so. The power is there, it’s getting the moving parts settings just right and the record will be theirs to hold.
Images from all the action today are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
Next chance weather permitting is Oct. 15th a Sunday.
06 Oct 2017 Kent, WA – Driving thru the school lot today the student cars were lined up and ready to go. Look a little closer and notice the makers of those of those autos. Today there was a Benz, an Audi, a new Mustang, a taped up GTR and a number of BMW’s. All very nice autos and the owners would like to keep them that way.
That upkeep is all on them and how they take care of them but once out driving the other owner driven cars and trucks can become a concern. Collision avoidance is one of the four exercises that you go thru, and according to the instructors it is the most commented on when the students are finished with the daylong class.
Knowing what your car will do in adverse conditions and more so in a potential collision situation. There is a reason that at most all road course tracks a school is on the grounds. Become a better driver by going thru the school as it may very well the best bang for the buck that you could spend on yourself and your automobile.
Images from the October 6th classes are now available – click here to go to the photo album.
Go to the ProFormance Racing School website for a date for yourself, you won’t regret doing so.
