07 July 2017 Kent, WA – Starting off a big weekend of racing at Pacific Raceways was the Friday night “instant” green for The Cars of the 253 and Car Club with their pack of members sporting their daily drivers and pure race cars.
Running their series on Fridays thru the season the car club members gather pretty much together in the upper “bowl” area of the track. This club of racers has also grown over the years as word spreads of the fun with family and friends and the “common” bonds they share. Not easy to be a repeat winner with the diversity in the club’s race cars. This fact really gives no one an edge and it can be anyone’s night to win.
Coming out on top this night Craig Smith and his ’95 Camaro edged out Bill Cadle and his ’64 Polara.
Also building is the “new” class called “The Cars Of The 253”. Running on selected dates, The Cars of the 253 also use the “instant” green start for racing. Only running to the 1/8th mile the reaction to the green can and will catch you off guard. With “no” amber lights counting down to green to set you up you have to be ready once both are staged. Brain to finger or thumb on a button or foot on the brake pedal “will” really test your reaction to the green. Those that cut some pretty good lights under the “normal” tree are finding a bit bigger number on their time slip. Adding to the fact once you get that slip you get “no” info on who you raced. Call someone out, pair up and hit the tree with first to the stripe the winner. This is pure “heads up” racing at its best taken from the streets to the “safety” of the dragstrip.
Top of the list tonight is Lloyd Flatum and his ’01 S-10. Next race for this group is Aug. 11th.
Rounding out the evening was the United Nitro Funny Cars (UNFC) setting up for their race on Saturday; the teams got their first qualifying hit. There is nothing like “nitro” sounds reverberating around the track. The class is the combination of Bill Doner and Bucky Austin bringing the United Nitro Funny Car event to the track. Not quite the “64” funny car event from Doner’s past here at the track but a big event none the less.
Also not the nitro funny cars you see at the national event held each summer at Pacific Raceways these are “old school” race cars like they raced back in the day. Yes they “do” have current safety equipment on the cars and a little help from the lessons learned from the technology developed since these cars ran in their heyday.
Top of the field going into Saturday is Mark Sanders throwing down a 5.677 et at 224.81 mph.
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07 July 2018 Kent, WA – It was a packed line up on the schedule today with the rain-out qualifying scrubbing the first round, with at least three rows of haulers toting those funny cars somewhat harking back to the 64 funny car days of the past.
Northwest legends Bill Doner and Bucky Austin lead the way and their past connections with the funny car shows in mind they put together a program that those who witnessed those days and the “nitro” junkies of today totally enjoyed.
In between the funny cars the Swift Tool Series class racers enjoying a great sunny day of racing picking up points towards the E.T. Finals to be held Labor Day weekend in Boise. Round after round they went until the little bugger “Murphy” showed up and as we all know his monkey wrench has many sizes.
When the time clock ran out these classes finished, Dawsin Ridge in Jr. Storm, Dustin Ridge in Jr. Thunder, Jordan “JoJo” Dooley in Jr. Lightning, Trenton smith in Jr. Street and the big winner and unbeaten this season in UNFC Bobby Cottrell left second but finished first over Jason Rupert.
The unfinished Swift racers will finish their race the next day.
