Tag Archives: #jimdoyle

Toys For Tots – NW Toy Drive at Pacific Raceways

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02 Dec 2018 Kent, WA – Each December the Pacific Raceways property plays host to some very generous people. The annual NW Toy Drive benefiting Toys for Tots, is 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 2.25 mile track a “lead/follow” run was overseen by ProFormance Racing School 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 was 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 of all the fun, and Santa too are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

AM Skills, Novice HP & PM Lapping at ProFormance Racing School

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01 Dec 2018 Kent, WA – Word continues to 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.

Images from all the courses today are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

Full Day For ProFormance Racing School

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10 Nov 2018 Kent, WA – Chilly and damp air from the fog bank that surrounded the area greeted the students for today’s ProFormance Racing School class.

Mother Nature and her ways in the northwest had the last classroom of students going thru the exercises in the rain, today nothing but dry pavement and sunshine. To this it makes no difference the weather the teaching is the same though Don Kitch will tell you the rain will help some grasp what is being taught a little easier.

If you could be on the same page as “Mother Nature” going thru the class in both sunny and dry and wet and rainy you would have covered 90% of the weather driving conditions in the northwest.

For all those new drivers and those driving a new auto to them will gain mostly thru the seat of their pants with some visual ques what to do and, how to re-act when confronted with out on the hi-ways and bi-ways.

Lots of great images today – click here to go to the photo album.

Contact ProFormance Racing School for your class to better driving.

Final Test-N-Tune of the 2018 Season at Pacific Raceways

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20 Oct 2018 Kent, WA – The end of the season for the dragstrip at Pacific Raceways is a test and tune/gambler race, and as always weather permitting. This day started at daylight with 100% humidity and visibility less than 1/8th mile and the sun no where in sight until the fog lifts.

The previous few days this was the pattern between 9 and 10 am then the fog was gone and things warmed up nicely to the 60’s. This day however “Mother Nature” had other plans for the 175 plus racers and the area around the dragstrip, though just a few hundred feet in elevation it is sunny and warm while here it is, see your breath chilly and you can see barely a mile.

Track temps now in the 60’s with “street” tires only running the track and little by little warming the surface as the sun is now peeking thru the fog aiding in the process to prep the track for cars with the “slick” tires to make runs.

With the sun out nicely and everyone having made a run, it was time for the “Gambler”. The race is one run only and the “best package” takes the cash.

Two “winners” emerge, electronic and non-electronic, each earning a “GIFT” package of Bardahl products provided by sales representative Renea Berger who shared the winners circle with the electronics winner Mary Burckhard and drag strip manager Ed Garfield.

Taking home all the way to Mission, BC in the non-electronics class is Chris Stone in his ’68 Dart laying down a 0.040 package. Congratulations to both winners and see you sometime mid-March for the next TnT.

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

West Coast Grudge Season Ends With A Bonus

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13 Oct 2018 Kent, WA – The West Coast Grudge Series ended their 2018 season with a bonus day of racing. The last date was added after the last race was rained out and it turned out to be a great move for the racers and spectators alike.

Pairing up with a test and tune date already on the docket brought over 200 entries eager to hit the instant green and 1/8th mile distance, and many hit speeds over 150 mph.

A huge thing for the series is the spectators that come out and watch these wicked machines do battle – the stands filled with more people than all the previous dates put together, it was great to see that and I am sure that the great weather that “Mother Nature” provided helped.

To all those involved in bringing this series to the northwest, Congrats to all your hard earned efforts and a job well done. From an idea born from Mike Bader and Dave Stolz and grabbed by the horns, Willy Peterson and his gang have built a series that will continue to evolve as the years go by.

We will see more and more bad fast cars and trucks to the Northwest and “Instant Green” racing.

Over 500 great images of these amazing cars are now available – click here to go to the photo album.  As always thank you for your support and purchases!!

WINNERS
Mike Thielen in Outlaw 10.5
Daniel Rodrique in Skinny
Dan Hermann in Stick
Eric McLaughlin in 6.50
Kenny O,Keefe in 7.50
Brad Craig in the 8.50 class

Test-N-Tune & Gambler at Pacific Raceways

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07 Oct 2018 Kent, WA – October racing in the northwest or as some say the “Northwet” is always a gamble. Todays ability to go on the smart phone and see what the weather is doing and forecasted to do just about to the second can be a blessing or a curse.

Adding to that the direction from which the weather is coming can by just a scant mile be totally different. This became the factor in in which the date became a “rainout” as Pacific Raceway was just inside the border of rain/no-rain and just enough came down to make it un-safe and irritate everyone.

Here are the images from today’s rain-shortened day – click here to go to the photo album.

The weather though looks good for the Oct. 13th date and the 20th is too far away and this is drag racing in the “Northwest” at its best.

National Dragster Challenge & King of The Track at Bremerton Raceway

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06 Oct 2018 Bremerton,  WA – Rolling on to the raceway property with the sun out bright after a day long down pour the day before is always a great sight for the eyes.

This race weekend is loaded with “lasts”. The last race to earn points in the E.T. series towards track championships and to qualify for the “King of the Track” also it is the last race weekend for Bremerton Raceway season and the last weekend for Gordon and Barb Howell overseeing the operations of the racetrack and in this position changing the schedule for the KOT from the next day to this day because of the impending weather for that day.

Smart move as the next day became a “rainout” as far as racing but the big winner this day was Russell Lopeman who heard his name announced for the trailer giveaway presented by Freeway Trailers and Bremerton Raceway.

Challenge winners and KOT are Jeremy Sears in Super Pro, Mike Evans in Motorcycle, Brian McGinnis in Pro, Brian Thompson in Sportsman, Dawsin Ridge in Jr. Thunder, Charlie Burkevics in Jr. Lightning, Dustin Ridge in 2nd Chance Lightning and Congrats to Thomas Vickers in winning “King of the Track”.

All in all a great way to end the season at Bremerton Raceway and I have to add a huge “THANKS” to Gordon and Barb over the years for the help covering your work and enjoy your time away from the track.

Lots of great images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

Full Day of Classes at ProFormance Racing School

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05 Oct 2018 Kent, WA – As fall and winter driving is upon us the changes to your driving style come about. Slick surfaces just jump up in the roads after baking all summer long. Now in a classroom warm and dry as the rain comes down outside and you hear that your day is not ruined because of the rain, as a matter of fact it will help you grasp what the instructors are trying to teach you.

In this case the rain is an aid and not a deterrent. The skills you gain from taking the class can and will help your driving here in the great “Northwet” season. Contact ProFormance Racing School for your date to become a better driver in the rain.

Great group today at ProFormance Racing School – images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

33rd Annual Bi-Mart Fall Classic at Woodburn

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23 Sept 2018 Woodburn, OR – The last big event at Woodburn Dragstrip is now in its 33rd year and the draw to racers and spectators alike was huge! With each day being its own race day, the amount of classes (25 over the two days) brings a wide range of race cars and trucks to the famous dragstrip. Adding to the mix the Outlaw 8.5 and 10.5 bring their high-powered cars to the track for some 1/8th mile racing.

BB/Funny Cars, Pro Nostalgia and a pair of jet funny cars put on a show for the spectators along with a race among themselves to get a winner.

With the entries for both days racing ran into the darkness turning on the newly finished light pole behind the burnout box. This is a race weekend you need to mark on your date book for next year as it is a great show of race cars and horsepower.

Tons of images from all 3 three days are now available – click here to go to the photo albums.

SATURDAY WINNERS

Danny Wargnier in Top Gas
Jarod Anderson in Hot Rod
Brian Horn in Street Machine
Jimmy Heriford in Street Rod
Paul Carbaugh in Stick Shift
Ron McBee in Gasser
Dave Mueller in Inline/Flathead
Steve Cooper in Run Tuff
Don DePeel in ET Motorcycle
Bob Osborne in Harley
Ty Anderson in Super Comp
Gary Erickson in Super Street
James Boyce in Stock/Super Stock
Ryan Bese in Jr. Lightning
Logan Scrivner in Jr. Thunder.

SUNDAY WINNERS

Greg Howland in BB/Funny Car
Marc Pruett in Pro Nostalgia
Paja Agotonovic in Outlaw 10.5
Michael Dunks Jr. in Outlaw 8.5
Tony Arthur in Super Comp
Jess Dale in Super Street
Dave Barcelon in Stock/Super Stock
Don Burgoyne in Dragster/Roadster
Donny Richards in Super Pro
Chris Stone in Pro
Jimmy Heriford in Sportsman
Terry Holloway in ET Motorcycle
Jeff Lilly in Pro Mod
Gene Hegle in Quick 8
Austin Varner in Jr. Lightning
Lindsey Miller in Jr. Thunder
Terry Holloway is King of the Track.

Congrats to all the winners at this years Fall Classic. Also need to thank Dave and Jack for the jump to get my dead battery going and to Jay Bird good luck on your new adventure to the east of the Mississippi river.

5th Annual Cornwell Tools GM Nationals

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15 Sept 2018 Kent, WA – September racing in the northwest can be anywhere from a sunny and 80-degree day or 50 degrees and rain or anything in-between. Last year it was high overcast skies and a completed race – this year though “Mother Nature and Murphy” had other plans.

The driver’s meeting finished and it was off to time trials for the four classes set for this event. Nearing a dozen passes into time trials the drops on the windshields began, not a downpour, not even really rain but just enough to make a prepped track un-raceable.

To all just enough to irritate those using the dragstrip and car show entries grabbing their shammies to get rid of it. Such is the waiting game with “Mother Nature”.
With a break in the rain and the track dry though it is now only 1/8th mi. race due to safety then that partner to “Mother Nature” reared its ugly head on the first pair down the track with the left lane dropping rear end parts on the starting line. It was a mad scramble to clean the mess and get back to time trials as the window of no rain was closing in on the area.

A great job by the track crew in dealing with the “Murphy’s Law” portion of the day in the cleanup but to no avail as the rain returned and ruined all the good work to get back to racing to all but the Cornwell Tools trucks as three pair took a trip down the track and had to be a highlight for the drivers.

Let’s hope the weather next year is on the better side and the cohorts that invaded the event stay away.

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