PRDC at Pacific Raceways

23 Aug 2017 Kent, WA – The last mid-week race for the season greeted all with summer weather that speaks drag racing. Mostly sunny and just into the seventies gave the bike riders a break when all leathered up.

Joining the motorcycles, the lanes had a steady flow of cars out for a test and tune. Some of those testing for the upcoming weekend as a number of classes are still up for grabs.

As for the bikes tonight former track champ Jake Havens stepped out of his pickup truck and it’s sitting position to his Hayabusa to earn the top spot and its winnings this evening.

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

LODRS Returns to Pacific Raceways For 2nd Race of the Season

20 Aug 2017 Kent, WA – There was plenty of action at this season’s “Regional” event at Pacific Raceways. The event got started with a test and tune on Thursday, then ran thru to the finals on Sunday running like a clock the whole weekend.

With no issues with the weather a better weekend of racing would be hard to find. A “shootout” was run on Friday in line with qualifying; the shootout saw Shawn Herbst grab Top Comp class. Super Comp saw Kyle Seipel earn the top spot. In Super Gas Dean Petersen from Courtenay, BC picked up a companion for the ride home and local racer and sponsor Ron Buckholz from Tacoma added a Super Street win to take home.

Taking home the “Wally” trophies on Sunday were:

Top Alcohol Dragster – Shawn Cowie
Top Alcohol Funny Car – Shane Westerfield
Competition Eliminator – Jeff Lane
Super Stock – Justin Lamb
Stock – Rick Green
Top Sportsman – Robert Strohm
Top Dragster – Paul Nero
Super Comp – Trevor Harkema
Super Gas – Chris Cannon
Super Street – Ron Buckholz
Sportsman Motorcycle – Dan Partridge
Super Pro – Lloyd Flatum
Pro – Ryan Warter

There is a complete event folder with four albums of images for the weekend. So many images we lost count – click here to go to the event folder, and please enjoy all four days of racing images!

7th Annual Hot August Nights at Renegade Raceway

16 Aug 2017 Yakima, WA – Going to Renegade Raceway from here in Enumclaw has a couple of options. Going up over Snoqualmie pass on I-90 is the common path most folks will go, and this is true because the early drag racing season begins there.

Summer time though you can head right out of Enumclaw on Hwy. 410 for the slower but much shorter drive over, and a whole lot better view as you climb around Mt. Rainer. Near the summit you can stop at and enjoy Tipsoo Lake with the mountain in the background.

Cresting the pass and now in Eastern Washington, coasting at 50 mph on the newly surfaced roadway though off in the distance smoke is filling the sky. A couple of months of no rain and high temps have made everything tinder dry. When you approach a temp sign “smoke over roadway” you know you are getting into it.

Passing thru and seeing how close the fires were to the roadway and the helicopter with water bag just over your head now you know how lucky you are to have gotten thru as the emergency and local officers had started the closure process. Lucky me now on to Renegade.

Never having been to this event I had a few hours to spend with no real agenda in mind. It’s always good to go over and watch Derrick Snelson and his “Warhawk” jet funny car and a much better treat was to see Ed “The Outlaw” Jones and his wheel standing “Stage Coach”. Fresh off running at Firebird Raceway, The G-Man nitro funny car all here to put on a show for the many folks that come out on a Wednesday night.

Combining a “box-no box” race and a test and tune gave everyone plenty to take in. Got to thank Sara and Derrick and crew always good to see you there and for everyone else check the Renegade website for the date next year for a hot August night.

Images of all the racing and some great shots of the Mountain and the action on the drive over are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

Swift Tools ET Series Race #12

12 Aug 2017 Kent, WA – The road to the E.T. Finals and track champions got a bit clearer at the end of race number 12 of the Swift Tools ET Series at Pacific Raceways. Add to this it was also a “Super Saturday” and the last of the season and everything turbo in the Buick world with a “Turbo Thunder” event.

Super Saturday with this many classes to run takes the planning and execution by track manager Ed Garfield and his drag crew. This came to focus in the combination of smart driving by Lane Cavar after pitching a rod when he pulled to the wall, kept the oil trail short and aiding in the very fast clean up by the drag crew to back to racing and finishing before curfew.

Tons of great pictures for this event – click here to view them. As always thank you for your support and purchases!!

WINNERS

Super Pro – Greg Linne
Pro – Nick Douglas
Sportsman – Kenny O’Keefe
Motorcycle – Chris Benda
High School – Lane Cavar
Jr. Lightning – Josh Schmanke
Jr. Thunder – Ryan Warnke
Jr. Street – James Ryland
Stock – Scott Burton
Super Comp – Darral Petitt
Super Gas – Bernie Plourd
Super Street – Dustin Martin
Top Comp – Tory Lea
Turbo Thunder – Robert Hainline
Turbo Open – Gurts Singh

Swift Tools ET Series Make-Up Race at Pacific Raceways

11 Aug 2017 Kent, WA – Having dates that you can use in case of early season rain-outs is a must. Here in the northwest the early season races are in the hands of Mother Nature and she likes to keep it green around here. Now with the E.T. Finals on the horizon the makeup date comes into play and the points count for those in the hunt.

Along with the makeup race, Car Club, High School and the Grudge racing group that came out in force. Formally called “The Cars of the 253” it’s good to see how much it has grown during the season.

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

WINNERS

Super Pro – Dave Wakefield
Pro – Dan Herrmann
Sportsman – Art Kirby
Motorcycle – Andre Westmoreland
High School – Lane Cavar
Jr. Lightning – Josh Schmanke
Jr. Thunder – Cole Dickhoff
Car Club – Larry DeCamp

Super Saturday at Pacific Raceways

29 July 2017 Kent, WA – Scheduling out fourteen classes and running them is what the Super Saturday events are all about. There is a race class for everyone to see our local sportsman drivers take on the dragstrip alongside another racer.

Over 500 images today – click here to go to the photo album.

Long day and a long list of winners:

Super Pro – Jason Beggerly
Pro – Scott Lewsley
Sportsman – Kenny Okeefe
Motorcycle – Jim Were
High School – Jeff Jackson Jr.
Jr. Lightning – Josh Schmanke
Jr. Thunder – Cole Dickhoff
Stock – Dave Barcelone
Super Comp – Tony Arthur
Super Gas – Dan Davis
Super Street – Todd Sims
Top Comp – Yeshua Wilcox
Open Comp – Paige Castagno
Outlaw 8.5 – Sherry Rohr

 

Goodguys 30th PNW Nationals Drag Racing

28 July 2017 Kent, WA – Each year towards the end of July the GOOD-GUYS Rod & Custom Association comes to the northwest, packing the Washington State Fair Events Center with an indoor car show with many more outside on the property. Early hot rods of all kinds from an era that produced many of the modern components that are in use today. What is old is new and what is new can be old and car owners show this in car shows and at the Friday Night Drags at Pacific Raceways.

The cars are divided into just five classes depending on the year and or elapsed time. Throw in a few exhibition cars and you have the making of a great time at the track. When announced mark on your date book and check it out then take in the weekend at the fairgrounds.

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

WINNERS
Hot Rod 1 – Greg Kent
Hot Rod 2 – Dan Bennett
Comp – Norm Braedt

EXHIBITION WINNERS
Funny Car – Bobby Cottrell
Fuel Alt – Bryan Hall
Pro Mod – Garrett Richards

PRDC at Pacific Raceways

26 July 2017 Kent, WA – The bikes are coming! The mid-week bike race is growing and bringing those who would not normally drag race their bikes.

Getting a pure street bike to launch from a dead stop takes a bit of trial and error. Thanks though to those who take part at every event helping those new to the track and race series. Add to this a test and tune in between the bike runs can also bring new drivers to the track.

Not just something to do on a Wednesday afternoon/evening, pure race cars use this time to check out a new combination or just to check things out for the upcoming weekend race. And to this degree you never know who with what race car is going to show up in the middle of the week.

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

The next race is Aug. 23 see you then.

PRDC Winner – John Plaster

VW Nationals Continues To Grow

16 July 2017 Kent, WA – Bringing everything VW to Pacific Raceways for a swap meet, car show and drags has just about everything that you could and can do to autos and motors. Turn it into a “rat rod” by chopping it up or throw the motor into a dragster and see what happens. If you can think it you can do it weather you scrimp and gather parts and pieces for your creation or just take your wallet out and get what you are looking for its all VW.

Walking the car show you see the diversity in what can be done with the auto be it “new” or from “decades” ago. With the engine in the rear many of the drag racing “bugs” do need wheelie bars or risk dragging the exhaust on the track, and yes they will hike those front tires into the air at the flicker of “green” from the tree.

This the 3rd annual event at Pacific has drawn more and more each year and next year’s event in the planning already is a date for your smart phone and it’s date reminder, find it when posted for next year and put it in as a reminder to check this action on the track and what comes from those minds in the car show portion of this event.

Lots of images from all over the grounds today – show, racing and more. Click here to go to the photo album.

CLASS WINNERS

Quick 8 – Wayne Davis
Pro – Karl Sorensen
Sportsman – Jason Kitzman
Run Tuff – Robert Goshin

 

Swift Tools ET Series Event #10 at Pacific Raceways

15 July 2017 Kent, WA – With just three races left in the season points are becoming a must for those at the top of their class standings. Staying at the top and protecting your lead takes a dedication drive that comes from within.

Becoming a winner in an E.T. series takes more than just showing up and being first to the stripe. All that time you put into the prep in your garage or shop not seen by others is not too far off from the “spring” training or the camp you attend in football.

Doing the same thing over and over so that you react and not think brings you closer to what most will think, “Are you a machine”.

Unlike a machine the “human” part is the most important and the most varied. Getting your head into the game and keeping it there with all the distractions that surround you takes that prep that you put into it long before you head down the track.

Images from the 10th stop in the Swift Tools ET Series are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

Those grabbing the trophy in their class are:

Super Pro – Dale Green
Pro – Rob Lindley
Sportsman – Gordon Rust
Motorcycle – Jim Were
High School – Mackenzie Van Horne