Swift Tools ET Series #9, United Nitro Funny Cars Part of Busy Day at Pacific Raceways

Posted on July 8, 2017 by admin

08 July 2017 Kent, WA – The Saturday marked for the 8th of July arrived, and along with the normal Super Saturdays line up the United Nitro Funny Car group came ready to play. Shooting for the top eight spots in these old school race cars made for a great show.

When counting the qualifying rounds these cars made a bunch of passes giving all those watching quite a show. Those around for the old 64 funny car days remember what these race dates are all about.

These ground pounders always get the people running to their seats to take in the action. Fitted with current safety equipment is really the only difference from their past days on the track. Legendary promoter Bill Doner who brought the 64 funny car events to then Seattle International Raceway now does it again to the original named Pacific Raceways.

With the aid of local racer Bucky Austin they put together a summertime event that has not been to the track in many years. The aroma and sounds of nitro at a non-national event gets you a tad bit closer to the action, besides its “old school” racing from the hay day of these funny cars. I have no clue as to another event next year but me and the thousands that came out for the event sure hope so as it is a great fit to the “Super Saturday” dates that are on Pacific’s schedule thru out the season.

LIST OF WINNERS

Funny Car – Bobby Cottrell
Top Comp – Kevin Heffington
Super Gas – Lloyd Flatum
Stock – James Boyce
Sportsman – Paul Young
Motorcycle – John Plaster
High School – Jeff Jackson Jr.

Lots of great images are now available – Old School Nitro Funny Cars too. Got to check out this week’s images! – Click here to go to the photo album.

Swift Tools ET Series #7 at Pacific Raceways

Posted on June 11, 2017 by admin

11 June 2017 Kent, WA – Sunday morning kicked off the first real race weekend for the drag strip. Overcast skies and cool temps to start, with mostly sunny weather was predicted for the rest of the day.

Racers got their time hit’s in and on to eliminations. Like clockwork the Pacific drag crew from the tower to the track made smooth work of the day’s race. Great work by all as always.

Go to the Pacific Raceways website to keep up on the race dates upcoming.

Images from Sunday are now available – click here to go to the photo album. Make sure and check out the images in Super Saturday’s album as well.

Sunday’s winners are:

Outlaw 10.5 – Mike Dowling
275 Outlaw – Daniel Rodrigue
BC Shifters – Paul Morgan
Super Pro – Jeff Havens
Pro – Brad Craig
Sportsman – Nick Douglas
Motorcycle – Chris Benda

Swift Tools ET Series Super Saturday at Pacific Raceways

Posted on June 10, 2017 by admin

10 June 2017 Kent, WA – 2017’s first “Super Saturday” at Pacific Raceways brought a “lucky” 13 classes to take in as a spectator. If you like a wide range of drag racing these Saturdays are for you and three of the classes are here for a two-day race weekend.

The Outlaw 10.5 and 275 Outlaw qualify on day one and race for the win in their 1/8th mile competition. When you can put up a 4.0 something at better than 180mph in the 1/8th mile that is scooting right along.

Two more of these Saturday dates upcoming so check the Pacific Raceways website for information.

Over 500 images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

A long list of class winners follows:

Super Pro – John Ermish
Pro – Rev. Robert Jackson Jr.
Sportsman-Kenny O’Keefe
MC – Mark Sires
HS – Lane Cavar
Jr. Lightning – Josh Schmanke
Jr. Thunder – Ryan Warnke
Stock – Brad Burton
Super Comp – Emmett McKillop
Super Gas – Garett Colletti
Super Street – Dustin Ward
Top Comp – Jeff Havens
BC Shifters – Rich Graves

Swift Tools ET Series #3 & All High School Drag Racing

Posted on May 6, 2017 by admin

06 May 2017 Kent, WA – When planning race dates some have more importance to finish then others. This is the case with the High School Drags. The winner gets a race date with Antron Brown on the Saturday of the Northwest Nationals. When Mother Nature washed out the “dragstrip” portion it was re-set for the next day during the Swift Tool event.

There was already a full plate of classes for the day so it would take some doing to run all the high school entries along with the E.T. racers. This fact was tested again by Mother Nature as she soaked everything overnight forcing a later start than normal as chilly wind slowed down the drying process.

Once started the Pacific Raceways drag crew run thru the classes like clockwork finishing the last race one minute before curfew.

Images of all the drag racing action for both the Swift Tools ET Series and the All High School Drags are now available – Click here to go to the photo album

The long list of “winners” are as follows:

Burnout contest: Abbie Hagen
Tug-O-War: Kelli Temeyosa
Super Pro: Wally Cronin
Pro: Brian McGinnis
Sportsman: Veronica Hodgson
Motorcycle: Jim Were
Jr. Storm: Raylee Higgins
Jr. Thunder: Ryan Warnke
Jr. Lightning: Selena Lenihan
High School: Lane Cavar
HS Alumni: John Dickinson Jr.
Pro Street: Ken Sihota
Outlaw 8.5: Sherry Rohr
Outlaw 10.5: Ron Pease
Open Comp: John Eldridge

Swift Tools ET Series #2 at Pacific Raceways

Posted on April 15, 2017 by admin

15 Apr 2017 Kent, WA – Try as we may, beating “mother nature” is no easy task. The forces of nature will say at times “beat this issue”. Such was the case for the Swift Tool and High School races today. Hours spent drying the track surface by the Pacific Raceways drag crew became like wiping your brow on a hot day, wiped dry and not long later, more moisture. With the sun going in and out of the clouds it became a battle of wills.

Either all sun or all clouds would dry the track in a few hours. With winter hour’s still in effect it became apparent that time would not allow the race to be completed so it was “rained out” and the last few hours turned into a “test-n-tune for those that wanted to wait until the track dried for a couple “hits”.

As all of this drying and waiting the Hagen twins Abbie and Angie with parents Steve and Kim put on an 18th birthday party for their “girls”. The “tax-day twins” as the track announcer calls them were in “dual” mode as they also take part in the high school portion of the Swift Tool Series. Although the “series” race was rained out they did get to make a TnT pass showing their family and friends what their “sport” is all about.

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

Swift Tools ET Series Gets Season Underway

Posted on April 2, 2017 by admin

02 Apr 2017 Kent, WA – Kicking off the drag racing season in the northwest spring can bring a host of weather conditions. The overnight downpour left a big task to the drag crew drying and prepping the track. Beat the water they did but a later than normal start finally got things underway.

Two hits for all to start the day then into racing for real. A brief light shower both brought about no racing and pushed the “Sunday” curfew to the limits. Try as they did when “Mother Nature” dictates what you can do you just do your “best”.

So close they came, finishing three of the six classes leaving two “finals” and one “semi” to run.

The three class winners are in Jr. Lightning Josh Schmanke grabbed the trophy while also licensing for a Super Comp ride. In Jr. Lightning Ryan Warnke came out on top while Brian Thompson put his Mustang in the Sportsman Class “Winners Circle”.

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

Final Swift Tools ET Series Event of 2016 & King of the Track at Pacific Raceways

Posted on August 27, 2016 by admin

27 August 2016 Kent, WA – The final race of the 2016 Swift Tool E.T. series brought a packed house of racers ready to do battle.

Fighting for points to take over a top spot or just improve their position in the standings it is all the same, WIN. Throw in a few who were just testing for next season saw some very close finish line wins and losses. Win or lose all those who took part in the season series had a good time out with friends, family and fellow racers.

Picking up the trophy’s this last race are Fred Hoffman in Super Pro with past Division champ Robert Steffen getting the win in Pro, also a packed Sportsman class saw long time racer Rick Green get the trophy and last year’s track champ Joe Lind picked up another trophy for his case.

In what has to be the feel good win of the season Kenny OKeefe after losing his long time race car to a fire, starting over with a replacement and going back to the Sportsman class instead of Pro that he ran with the destroyed car claimed the “King of the Track” banner and a huge boost after suffering a great loss. Great season Kenny.

Till next year have a great “off” season.

Over 300 images are now available – click here to go the photo album. Thanks for your support and purchases!!!

Super Saturday at Pacific Raceways

Posted on August 13, 2016 by admin

13 Aug 2016 Kent, WA – The final Super Saturday of the season drew just over a baker’s dozen from 300 entries. Sixteen different classes for the racers to fit into have many thinking of the SS trophy sitting on the shelf.

With just five dates in the season you do not get many chances to get one. Also in the mix was the WCSA and their high powered hotrods racing to the 1/8 mile. As a spectator you can’t beat the wide range of cars in a number of heads-up racing. The winners list is long.

Over 400 great images of all the Super Saturday action are now online – click here to go to the photo album.

Super Pro – Emmett McKillop
Pro – Brian McGinnis
Sportsman – Larry DeCamp
Motorcycle – Mark Sires
Stock – Jody Lang
Super Comp – Darral Pettit
Super Gas – Glenn Paine Jr.
Super Street – Dustin Ward
Top Comp – Mark Campbell

Jr. Storm – Jaslyn Bean
Jr. Thunder – Luke Cavar
Jr. Lightning – Kennedy Krier

Open Comp – Craig Castagno
Outlaw 8.5 – Sherry Rohr
Outlaw 10.5 – Outlaw Trucking
Pro Street – Gene Fleury

Swift Tools ET Series #11 at Pacific Raceways

Posted on July 30, 2016 by admin

30 July 2016 Kent, WA – As the season draws closer to its end the scramble to maintain your position in the standings is on the serious side now for the Swift Tools ET Series at Pacific Raceways.

Those lurking just behind you should you stumble are right there though I don’t see any stumble from the high school leader. Lane Cavar is a natural when it comes to racing and has shown it by winning in multiple classes though his huge lead has lessened the past two races, put on the trailer by each of the Hagen twins. Lane you could say is somewhat of a leader in the younger generation showing the talents that they have and the older racers know that they have to be on their game. He could be the first one to have two spots on the “wall of winners” at the track.

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

The list of winners for this combination of classes on another “Super Saturday” are:

Super Pro: Fred Hoffman
Pro: Brian Thompson
Sportsman: Larry DeCamp
Motorcycle: Joe Lind
Jr. Storm: Jaslyn Bean
Jr. Thunder: Luke Cavar
Jr. Lightning: Korban Lewis
Jr. Street: John Hawes
Stock: Brian Seaberg
Super Comp: Dale Green
Super Gas: Kyle Colletti
Super Street: Dustin Martin
Top Comp: Lane Cavar

Swift Tools #10 & Diesel Drags & Show at Pacific Raceways

Posted on July 17, 2016 by admin

16 July 2016 Kent, WA – Overcast skies and comfortable temps greeted all those who came to race or just to watch a great day of racing at Pacific Raceways. For those racers and spectators alike got the treat of watching “big rig” diesel trucks motor down the dragstrip, and it was event #10 of the season for the Swift Tools ET Series.

It was quite a sight watching blowing smoke out the stacks seeing how quick and fast the bid diesels could go.

Somewhat of another sight though not as in plain sight to all were the Hagen twins racing in the high school class. When together with their father it becomes clearer as their Dodge cars stand out. Take away color and a Wash. Plate and you have “three” peas in a pod, and they were having a great time doing so, pure “family” fun and racing at its roots. More on Angie later.

Closing out the race day the Diesel rigs were cut loose on the dragstrip and the fat part of the road course next to the strip. These prepared big rigs ran some pretty respectful times but the show where the doughnuts they were doing – now that would rival any winner on a circle track. To throw those heavy rigs around throwing tire smoke enough to hide the truck inside is quite a sight. Many cheers and posts to social media show the hit they were, great show.

To the list of winners I get to add a new one in “Big Rig” Ron Buckholz proved he can win in most anything and in the Diesel class Colton Christensen claimed the trophy.
For the Swift Tool #10 race Mark Johnson got the win in Super Pro with Brad Craig bringing his family to the winners circle. Larry DeCamp out lasted the field in Sportsman and continuing his winning streak Chris Benda put another Motorcycle trophy on the shelf and what had to be the upset of the race had to be the afore mentioned Angie Hagen taking out multi-class winner and points leader Lane Cavar.

Lots of images from the final event of this busy weekend – click here to enjoy them, and thank you for your support and purchases!