Test-N-Tune & Jr Dragster #1 at Pacific Raceways

Posted on April 9, 2016 by admin

09 April 2016 Kent, WA – The fog moved in and the sun pushed it away casting a shadow on everyone for this first race of the 2016 season for the Jr. Dragsters. The racers, with another year under their belt were eager to get racing again.

The other group of racers out today was there for the test and tune. Great turnout! – Four lanes wide and around the curve. Can you say “happy to be racing again”.

One of the biggest happy grins had to have come from young Mr. Wilcox. He was just recently licensed in a sleek race car in its own right – he jumped into grandpa’s dragster and made his first of two runs required to upgrade, a little quicker and a bit faster. Good job to you.

The Jr. Dragster Winners –

Jr. Storm – Jaslyn Bean
Jr. Thunder – Ian Theofelis
Jr. Lightning – Josh Schmanke

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

B.R.A.K.E.S. – “Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe”

Posted on April 3, 2016 by admin

03 Apr 2016 Kent, WA – When an accident happens investigators will search for the cause. Is it a part that failed, let’s find out and fix it so it won’t repeat as a cause. New and improved safety equipment for racing is a direct result of someone who had a mishap. Impact absorbing bumpers all automobiles have these days is another.

The one thing that is the hardest to fix is “human error”. For teen drivers this is a big thing. Distracted driving is the largest cause for these 15 to 19 year old drivers. Statistics show that nearly 90% of teen drivers will get into a crash in the first three years of driving. This is the chill that parents get when their child gets to driving age, and it scares the hell out of them, as it should. No parent wants to get that phone call and when it does happen it is devastating.

One proud father that got that call is Doug Herbert who lost his two young sons in a fatal accident in January 2008. The why it happened will never be known but the reason is the driver made a bad decision. Out of that decision came Doug’s resolve to keep as many parents from getting that phone call.

BRAKES was formed shortly after that call. This is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) charity that goes to cities around the U.S. with a cadre of very knowledgeable instructors that put teen thru a course of exercises some of which Doug would do as an airplane pilot “pre-flight check”, most drivers just get in and go not knowing they may have a low tire.

Hand position, eye scanning, skid control are just a few of the topics that are discussed in the class and what the instructors teach in the cars.

This has to be the best investment a parent can do for their child’s future, keeping them safe after they get behind the wheel and drive as they will do a lot in their lifetime.

Helping this program come to the northwest was ProFormance Racing School, Pacific Raceways, Kia Motors, Costco, KKW trucks and Makki Nelson from Liberty Mutual each class participant got a car emergency kit and the many volunteers that make this happen.

GREAT JOB and I hope the fall date comes about.

Images are now available in two albums – click on the links below for the April 2nd, and April 3rd Events.

BRAKES – Photo Album at Pacific Raceways – April 2nd – CLICK HERE

BRAKES – Photo Album at Pacific Raceways – April 3rd – CLICK HERE

ProFormance Racing School Times Two

Posted on April 1, 2016 by admin

01 April 2016 Kent, WA – Two separate dates and two distinctive groups of lappers. The two dates were for those that are taking the class for the first time and those that have been thru the class. Over the two dates you can see what going to the ProFormance School can do for your driving skills.

With those skills comes the confidence that you can handle something a little more performance based and take on the 2.25 mile track at Pacific Raceways or any other for that matter. What the pictures don’t show is the sound of the cars and how it increases as the skills kick in.

If this sounds like something you would like to do contact ProFormance Racing School at 253-630-5130 for your class.

Images of the two dates are broken into two albums for easy access, click on the links to go to the albums. Thanks for your support and purchases!

ProFormance Racing School – March 30th, 2016 Images

ProFormance Racing School – April 1st, 2016 Images

Drag Racing Test-N-Tune at Pacific Raceways!

Posted on March 27, 2016 by admin

26 Mar 2016 Kent, WA – For as many years that anyone can remember guessing the weather and scheduling dates for dry conditions mix like oil and vinegar. Getting nice weather in the northwest spring that can change hourly and even sunny here and downpours a mile away is not uncommon.

To a drag racer when they hear the weatherman say no rain until early evening it is pure joy, on top of that it’s a Saturday. The lanes packed with cars showed many a racers were glad to be shaking off the winter and ready to once again hit the dragstrip at Pacific Raceways.

The day before Easter has a lot of families together for the day and as all know racing is a family sport and to do this together makes no difference that it’s a holiday weekend. Grandparents and young mothers watching the kids play in the enclosed area Pacific has brings the future racers to the enjoyment of the sport. How many racers today have memories of the same thing, you talk to them and they will tell you, yes.

The race team combinations have many forms like Gary and his wife and the red Camaro or John and son Ian both now in dragsters though John’s is bigger also grandpa Terry handing the keys of his sleek new race car to his 16 and a half year old grandson Yeshua to license in. No matter how you describe the team, family is the focal point. Friends, family and racing this was the real first test and tune of the 2016 season (the first rained out just after starting) enjoying the spring weather.

What was not normal to hear this early here is the sound of a “nitro” motor running. This motor resides in the frame rails of Dana Meeks nitro Harley out to test for an event in Vegas upcoming. Made two productive runs too, the last ending the day of testing and tuning for all as the winter time curfew is still in effect. Good luck to Dana and all else in a couple weeks for the next test and tune.

Thanks to the great conditions there are over 300 images to choose from in the photo album. Click here to go to the album.

SCCA Conferences – SOVREN Race Licensing at Pacific Raceways

Posted on March 27, 2016 by admin

27 March 2016 Kent, WA – For some people that come to Pacific Raceways it’s future plans and to some the aspiration of doing it and to others it’s a bucket list. No matter the thought process the class at ProFormance Racing School is a must.

The experience of Don Kitch and the instructors who teach you will pass along what together would I think total 150 years of combined and diverse experience. The wealth of knowledge that they have lets the students be themselves and learn in a very comfortable setting. Normal to all is a little nervousness when attempting something for the first time.

This goes away quickly as Don has a way of putting you at ease so you can learn and soak up the knowledge he is passing along. For two-day long class and track time you will gain the paper work for you to enter as a novice in many of the conferences around the U.S.

And always the innovator ProFormance brought in three PRO3 drivers and their race cars to run with the students in the mock race at the end of the second day. To all those involved it turned out to be a great teaching tool for the students as the PRO3 drivers pushed just enough to encourage the students to take advantage of what was in front of them.

Way different than racing against your classmates only. For Don and the staff what they saw in this combination was how well it worked and is something that should be included with the class. Keep an eye on the ProFormance website for the next class for your experience.

Over 330 images from several vantage points are now online and available – thank you very much for your support and purchases! – Click here to go to the photo album.

Weather Induced Coverage – Test-N-Tune & 4-Stroke Karts

Posted on March 20, 2016 by admin

20 March 2016 Kent, WA – Weeks of anticipation to get a run down the dragstrip has arrived. Winter upgrades and new cars need to be tested. There is only a month till the start of the 2016 E.T. Drag Racing Season, so these test and tunes can be very helpful.

Not so helpful though was Mother Nature as the weather pundits called for rain. We first got a round of “street” tires and then the “slick” tired racers got their shot at the track. Up next the motorcycles.

As normal track champion Joe Lind was first in the burnout box. Did I mention that water is needed to do your burnout? Water provided by the track in a controlled amount. Burnout completed and ready to “stage” Mother Nature started adding more water to the burnout box and everywhere else that matters to a drag racer.

There were no breaks in the rain and the test and tune is now history, so it was off to the PGP Motorsports Park for some 4-stroke kart racing – they have “rain” tires and the gear to keep you somewhat dry. We got there just in time to catch the last qualifying heat as the rain continued, throwing spray off the tires as they sped by.

Noted is the fact the lap times do not differ much between the dry or wet track surfaces – a testament to how well the rain tires work.

Throwing down some very steady lap times Derek Wang could not be caught and claimed the P1 spot. Standing in P2 young Mason Buck is showing the progression he has made over the past year and a frequent stander on the podium Zak Bothel picked up P3.

Two albums are available, one for the first Test-N-Tune event of the season, the other for 4-Stroke. Click on the links below to go to the photo albums.

Drag Racing TNT Images – Click Here

4-Stroke Kart Racing Images – Click Here

Final Fall/Winter High Performance Sport Driving Day At Pacific Raceways

Posted on March 19, 2016 by admin

19 March 2016 Kent, WA – For the final time of the Fall/Winter Season, The final High Performance Sport Driving Day sported a packed paddock of lappers here to take advantage of Pacific Raceways 2.25 mile track.

A packed classroom for the ProFormance Racing School of students helped boost the total over 60 entries.

One here to test their completed Viper, was Momentary Racing, who put the Viper through its shakedown laps monitoring everything with some pretty cool technology. The one thing Igor and Monica cannot monitor is the looks of the car going around the track. Had a lot of fun chasing the car to as many different locations I could photograph it from in what we called “diagnostics by photography”.
Showing how the car is “balanced” is a big part of getting the best lap times and doing it on a consistent basis. Wish them good luck in their upcoming endurance race.

For all others who took advantage of the last lapping event a ton of smiling faces and a new class of students now all legal to lap the tracks with others, have a safe summer and see you in the fall.

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

2016 Chump Car World Series

Posted on March 13, 2016 by admin

12 & 13 March 2016 Kent, WA – You gotta love this Chump Car race series. All kinds of choices with all kinds of minds working to be unique and yet be reliable enough to last for this once a year endurance race.

Working within the rules that apply to the “common” racer and his wallet vs. the mega bucks is the theme. Transform a $500 beater with all the required “safety” gear into a race ready themed team of drivers and hit many famous race venues for some hard core competition.

Many a gear head has watched road racing on the tube and thought “I can do that” if I only had the money.

This is your series, check into it, not “a lot” of dollars needed here. The diversity here is as wide as the themes the teams choose. If this has your attention go to the “Chump Car” web site for all the info you need to get started in a fast growing sport.

Two albums worth of images from all over Pacific Raceways road course are now available. The images are organized into two albums, make sure and look over both of them for the best shots. As always thank you for your support and purchases!

Chump Car World Series Images from Saturday March 12 –

Chump Car World Series Images from Sunday March 13 –

Winter Practice Tree Event- March 12th, 2016

Posted on March 12, 2016 by admin

12 March 2016 Kent, WA – The Winter Practice Tree Series keeps growing. The shift to The Sports Page set in motion the combination of good food and spirits with the competitive nature of drag racers, and it’s a lot of fun too!

Reaction to the tree is the ongoing challenge to cut that perfect light. Bragging no matter where starts with cutting a good light. Staying in shape to do so is that muscle memory gained from practicing, like anything you want to get better at it’s what you do. Many a racer has the hand held practice device to stay in tune but that’s by yourself, to stand next to someone to do the same adds that competitive edge to beat the other person in the lane.

Next up the real thing as the shift now goes to the track as the season is on the horizon with one important fact that will be missing and that is “no” drinking and racing that “is” legal for The Winter Practice Tree Series.

In the final race Jim Mabry took the practice tree and Amanda Jackson claimed the Pro Tree event. Absent from the final event do to a previous engagement Carl Thorsett is the overall winner this year.

Till the next Practice Tree have a wonderful season of racing.

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

High Performance Sport Driving Day – Feb 27th, 2016

Posted on February 27, 2016 by admin

27 Feb 2016 Kent, WA – As the start of the 2016 road course racing season at Pacific Raceways is about to begin race teams need information. Thus serious testing has begun on Pacific’s 2.2 mile road course.

55 cars turned out today to run lapping and of those a number of them were race teams out for a shakedown. On the track was Lamborghini, Audi, BMW, Subaru, Toyota, Dodge, Corvette, Jeep, Honda, VW and the Porsche team.

I’m sure I missed some but you get the picture, when the driving days come to the track you can see all kinds of car makes and models. Add to this the 13 students going through the ProFormance Class so they too may join the others in lapping Pacific’s 2.25 mile track.

Go to Pacific’s web site for more information on the next date.

Images of all these amazing cars are are now available – click here to go to the photo album. Thank you very much for your support and purchases!