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Winter Practice Tree Series – Feb 27th, 2016

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Practice Tree Series 2-27-16 00127 Feb 2016 Kent, WA – When Pacific Raceways and The Sports Page set the dates for the Winter Practice Tree Series this date had nothing special set for it.  That all changed last weekend when Kenny O’Keefe’s race car was destroyed in a garage fire.

The ’69 Chevelle has been Kenny’s race car since the mid ‘80s. This was his baby and to lose it all at once is a hard hit for anyone to take.  Pacific’s racing “family” is large and ready to help when someone needs it and this night became Kenny’s night for that help.  Tonight there was a donation jar and all the cash from Pacific was donated to Kenny.  Toss into that a raffle for a bike put together by Kathy Mahoney of “The Sports Page” adding to the Kenny Ka$h jar.

Somewhat lost to the night is the fact that Carl Thorsett doubled up again on the nights races. Congrats to him and a big thank you to all those who came out to support a long time Pacific racer and his quest to get back to the burnout box and beyond.

Practice Tree Series 2-27-16 040Added note:  Carl Thorsett’s Pro Tree winner picture provided by Bracket Stars and from Sandi O’Keefe a big thanks to all those who helped raise over $1000 and a growing Go Fund Me site.

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

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Kenny O’Keefe

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509501422 Feb 2016 – The pictures of Kenny O’Keefe’s Chevelle show the transformation from “street” car to pure “race” car from the mid 80’s to date last season.  As most all racers know, the off season is time to prep for the next year, and as the 2016 season draws near so does the anticipation to test those changes.   It’s like sending your child off to school each year seeing the progression each year this is Kenny’s child that has improved every year.

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Many rounds of racing have gathered many trophies’s and class championships over the years showing everyone Kenny is a force not to take lightly when you line up next to him. Enduring parts breakage over the years is every bit a part of racing and Kenny has had his share and always bounced back for the next race.

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The change that confronts him now will be a hard one to bounce back from, see over the weekend a fire destroyed the garage and its contents including the “race car”.  We do not know the details but what was showed on the local TV stations it was a hellish fire.  I have not talked to Kenny yet, though I know he is a fierce competitor and has the tenacity to bounce back from this setback.

See It Imagery expresses its sorrow for your loss Kenny and wish you the best of luck for your return to the dragstrip.

4-Stroke Racing Series Event At Pacific Raceways

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4-Stroke Racing Series 2-21-16 13521 Feb 2016 Kent, WA – This “Daytona Day” brings the LO-206 racers to the track for another in the race series.  Aside of wanting to watch the Daytona 500 in Florida the weatherman had predicted a storm cell right around the time the “finals”.

With these factors coming into play the schedule was tweaked a little to at least beat the weather. This was mainly due to the fact that the racers had to finish the three heat event on the tires they started with.

Clear, chilly and dry equals “slicks” not “rain” tires and they were the proper choice for today. Lapping the track in a little over 70 seconds says the grip was good and these times showed it. Its how in racing one can go the fastest lap and in the final race not make the podium, that’s racing.

4-Stroke Racing Series 2-21-16 336The podium placers standing in a downpour are Zak Bothel in first, Craig Collins in second and Derek Wang taking third.

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

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Winter Practice Series Event #3 – February 13th, 2016

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Winter Practice Tree Series 2-13-16 04813 Feb 2016 Kent, WA – Mid-way thru the Practice Tree Series brings the racers out of the rain, though most at this time of the season most are in their shops preparing for the upcoming race year out of the rainy weather anyway.

Today it was not quite the record number as the last race but more towards normal. There was an hour of practice and then it was down to business.  Also nice to see was “wives and girlfriends” joining in along with “non-racers” in a mostly “super-pro and pro” racers.

Adult beverage in one hand and the other on the button is not out of the ordinary as this is the “only” way to drink and race at the same time.

Gaining a little ground Carl Thorsett lost in the final to Tony Arthur. In the final of the “pro” tree race Paul Young picked up the prize.

Paul Young photo courtesy of “Bracket Stars”.  The next race is on February 27th 2016.

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

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Winter Practice Tree Series Event #2 – Jan 30th, 2016

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Winter Practice Tree 1-30-16 05930 Jan 2016 Kent, WA – As the word gets around about the fun and food combination at “The Sports Page” for the Winter Practice Tree Series the lineup for practice has grown to new lengths.  A record number on the “ladder board” showed right away for sure what the number of people in line to practice.  Add that the payout to the winner at the end of the night, the more entries the bigger the prize made for quite a night!

Husbands and Wife’s along with Boyfriends and girlfriends adds up to “Family”. The gatherings here for the practice tree is no different than at the track it’s all about family fun and entertainment. What may not be known is the night is really a “two” race night.

The normal full tree for the “Practice Tree” then afterwards a “Pro tree” winner takes all event. And because the possibility exists can you say “double-up”. A “rare” feat to say the least and this night Carl Thorsett was in that rare air sweeping both events with some pretty quick reaction times a lot of them starting with a zero.

Out the door with the “spoils” and high fives and hugs for the winner as another “family” night comes to a close. To join in this fun see Pacific’s web site for the next date. See you there.

Images of all the fun and the cash are now online – click here to go to the photo album.

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Pacific Raceways 2015 Awards Banquet

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Pacific Raceways Awards Banquet 1-23-16 04123 Jan 2016 Kent, WA – It was a packed house for the 2015 awards banquet for the class champions at Pacific Raceways on Saturday.  Some were first time champs, another a re-peat winner, a two class winner and a brother and sister accepted their hardware.

After a fine meal of either fish or ribs, track manager Ed Garfield touched on the accomplishments this season and thanked his crew and the many volunteers who helped out this season. General manager John Ramsey also pointed to a fine season and the track improvements that are coming with the permitting process.

Then taking the mike was the “the Bob and Ray show”, they got things going with Jim Ronan presenting the Jr. Racers awards. Having a part in this as he sponsored Cole Dickhoff this season he also crewed for his champion sister for her final race as a Jr.  Next season she jumps into a bigger and faster dragster. Brother and sister champions in the same season, does it get any better for a family?

Ed Hauter presented the awards for the Super Saturday winners and had a little help from his grandson bringing some chuckles from the room. The big winner of the season had to be “Mighty Joe Lind” who picked up the hardware for the Wednesday night Urban Custom Bike series but also the E.T. bike class to go along with the trip to Pomona as the NHRA Division Six motorcycle representative.  Out of a soft spoken man is a take no prisoners when in the beams, kudos to you Joe.

Now on to next season for bigger and better things!

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

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High Performance Sport Driving Day – Jan 23rd, 2016

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High Performance Sport Driving Day 1-23-16 09023 Jan 2016 Kent, WA – Rain, Rain and more Rain had the attention of all here at Pacific Raceways for the HPSDD lapping day. It was a great day for wet road driving and what you can learn in a safe manner.

No racing though – here it was all about safely controlling your car at faster than freeway speeds. What does your car really do when you slam on the brakes at speed or what happens while turning in an evasive manner? All things you can learn in a controlled and safe way and today with less than ideal conditions. What you learn here will pay dividends on the hi-ways and bi-ways as there it’s not always ideal conditions.

To put yourself thru these driving exercises contact ProFormance Racing School on the Pacific Raceways web site.

Images are now available in the photo gallery – click here to go there.

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PNW Super Comp Association Banquet – Jan 16th, 2016

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Pacific Northwest Super Comp Assn. Banquet 1-16-16 02116 Jan 2016 Tacoma, WA – In sports there can be no ties, and such was the case in the 2015 for the Pacific Northwest Super Comp Association going into the last race of the season.

Geared up for the last race down at Woodburn looked good on Friday then Mother Nature threw a couple of curve balls that no one seen coming.  We all woke up Saturday morning to wind, not a breeze but wind that was bending the trees and blowing anything not nailed down to the north end of the property.   It was truly a very unsafe racing condition and the powers that be at Woodburn agreed for the first time to cancel a race for wind.   Everyone thought – OK we got Sunday, and we can do this.

The second curve came in the form of heavy rain in the middle of the night and would not let up till the end of day.  Now there was a scramble to find a date to break the tie in the standings. A date was picked and the racing began to crown a champ.

For Tom Gresham and Dale Green the cards were laid out. Tom had the odds in his favor; Dale has to win the race to claim the crown. Then fate jumped to Dale as he took out Tom in the first round and the march to the final was on.  Dale did what he needed to do and claimed the race and the championship all in one final race.  Great job Dale and good luck in the 2016 season to all the players.

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Awards aside rules business and the schedule were finalized and the announcement that See It Imagery will provide photography services for the 2016 season.

Banquet Images of all the fun at Shilo Inn in Tacoma are now available. See you for the 2016 season!

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1st High Performance Sport Driving Day of 2016

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High Performance Sport Driving Day 1-9-16 38309 Jan 2016 Kent, WA – As anyone in the northwest knows the weather can be deceiving and five minutes in any direction conditions can be polar opposite. This day showed how one end of the track can be brightly lit by the sun and less than a quarter mile away completely socked in by fog.

That fog as it rolled in and out created a number of black ice spots on the track surface that had the Pacific crew salting and brushing away the ice.

As in any motor event at the track the 9:00am start had to be pushed back slightly to be sure the safety factor was in place.

Six students and forty lappers on the grounds hatched a little help for the Pacific crew. After a rain the dragstrip will engage the help of the racers to drive over the wet and help rid the surface of the moisture. The plan worked like a charm and the lappers were soon out doing what they loved and what they brought to lap with you can only imagine.

A pair of Caterham G7 cars out to give them a test. A Lotus, a Lamborghini, Corvettes, Mustangs, Audi, BMW, and a number of Porsche models taking advantage of this day. One of those Porsche models, a yellow convertible in the student lanes stood out over the rest including the dark “Hellcat”.

Driving that Porsche, 21-year old Nina Chepovska celebrating both Christmas/Birthday gifts for something she has longed to do for some time, go thru ProFormance Racing School. What she learns about her car and herself is a testament to the schools teaching and instructors.

Go to the ProFormance web site and see what they can do for you and your ride. Next date is January 23rd 2016.

Images of all the action are now online and available for purchase – click here to go to the album.

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Winter Practice Tree Nationals #1 – Jan 2nd, 2016

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Winter Practice Tree Series 1-2-16 02402 Jan 2016 Kent, WA – The Pacific Raceways 2016 season started at the Sports Page in Auburn for the Practice Tree Series with help from Bracketstars. Filling up a corner of the bar with friends and families the 20 entries paired off and attacked the tree.

No different than at the track, the chiding and ribbing along with the good luck to each other prior to racing though here it is the “only” way you can drink and race legally. In the end the winner of “Pinks” David Wakefield fell to Jason Beggerly in a close match.

It was great to see owner Joe Mahoney and his staff who are always great hosts with a menu to match. See you on the 30th of Jan. for the next race.

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

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