Lund survives, wins drama-filled street stock race in Ephrata

Ray, Hector, Pirnat also take checkered flags on Saturday

EPHRATA - Saturday night at Ephrata Raceway Park, the Northwest Outlaw Street Stocks put on a race with more twists and turns than a Shakespeare play.

Dave Lund of Arlington evaded mishaps and maladies, adding yet another main event victory at ERP's paved oval. Jason Ray, a recent newcomer to the Jerry's Auto Supply hobby stocks, stayed out front to take the checkers. Likewise, Ephrata's Jeff Hector dominated the Columbia Glass mini stocks. The Plummer/Janke State Farm Agents youth hornets saw Devin Pirnat of Wenatchee earn the main event win.

If William Shakespeare could have peered into the future to witness stock cars on a short track and then tried to write a play based on what he saw, he would not have been able to match the drama that unfolded on Ephrata's quarter-mile track.

Ephrata's Dustin Kagle jumped out to the early lead in the 75-lap feature. Immediately, the cars stuck in the outside groove began falling back and were looking for room to fall in line with the cars on the inside. Around lap 15, the pack had lined up nose to tail with Kagle leading the charge.

Bart Hector was one of the racers who went backwards after being shanghaied in the high groove. Once the high groove was clear, Hector ventured to the high side and began an impressive dash to the front. In less than 10 laps, Hector had moved from the middle of the 22-car field to the lead, passing Kagle as the pair exited turn four on lap 25. The Othello driver was dominant, displaying the ability to pass anywhere on the track and extending his big lead. It looked like it was going to be Hector's night.

Then fate intervened in dramatic style. Hector had cooked his right rear tire while rocketing to the front. He was banking on the likelihood that a caution period would occur, giving him an opportunity to cool his tires. But the yellow flag wasn't unfurled until lap 45. By then, it was too late. Amanda MacDonald of Ephrata had reeled in Hector's ailing Camero and ducked under him going into turn three on lap 44 for the lead.

Just after MacDonald assumed the point, Casey Merril of Yakima spun on the front stretch. After a brief caution period, MacDonald began pulling away with less that 30 laps remaining. She quickly came upon lapped traffic and was negotiating through the mess with ease.

With less than 15 laps in the contest, MacDonald encountered slower cars racing side by side. She moved high to get around Moses Lake driver Bill Rutherford. As she did, fate appeared yet again.

Rutherford went high to get around a car in the low groove. However, MacDonald was outside of Rutherford. Simply put, there was not enough pavement for a three-wide exit out of turn four. Rutherford and MacDonald made contact and their stock cars became locked together. The two cars screeched to a halt just past the line, ending MacDonald's quest for the victory, which appeared to be a sure bet.

While fate dealt harshly with Hector and MacDonald, it was extending a warm welcome to Arlington's Dave Lund. Lund patiently maneuvered his race car into the second position and was able to capitalize on MacDonald's misfortune. Lund was at the right place at the right time, taking over as the race leader with only a handful of laps remaining.

However, the closing laps would not be as easy as a walk on a beach for Lund. Mike Easley of Olympia and series point leader Kevin Carver of Spanaway sat in second and third, respectively, as the field resumed green flag racing. Lund held off Easley and Carver to earn the victory, bringing his number of feature wins at ERP to four. Easley and Carver finished right behind Lund. Wenatchee's Jason Ogle took fourth while Michael Knutson of Quincy held on for the fifth spot.

Jeff Hector of Ephrata dominated the Columbia Glass mini stock 30-lap main event. After diving under Soap Lake's Nick Gardner for second, Hector quickly caught up with Chad Moore of Ephrata. On lap four, Hector zoomed past Moore down the backstretch for the lead.

Fred E. Moore of Ephrata and David Mackin of Moses Lake ran strong and were able to move toward the front. However, nobody was able to keep up with Hector's pace. Hector went on to earn a landslide victory over second-place finisher Fred E. Moore. Third went to Gardner. Mackin and Fred A. Moore of Ephrata finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Jason Ray recently joined the fray of the Jerry's Auto Supply hobby stocks. After starting on the inside of row two, Ray assumed the lead after pole sitter and race leader Derrick Kapalo was black flagged for rough driving.

Ray set a pace fast enough to keep second-place racer Patrick Canady of Ephrata and Stuart Barger from trying a pass on the outside. The hobby stocks ran nose to tail for a majority of the event with Ray crossing the finish line for the win. Canady and Barger settled for second and third. Chris Costlow of Odessa and Gary Creech of Ephrata took the fourth and fifth spots.

While the Outlaw Street Stocks had a lot of drama, they did not have exclusive rights to it. There was plenty of drama in the Plummer/Janke State Farm Agents youth hornets main event.

For the second time this season, Dylan Adamson spun on the front stretch, rolling over his car. After one full revolution, Adamson sat on the track right-side-up. He started the car and sped off to keep from losing positions. The ERP fans erupted in amazement. Surely, Adamson will have a special award at the end-of-year banquet in November.

Several youth hornets from the Wenatchee Valley Super Oval towed to ERP. Their appearance at the track seemed to spur on a rivalry between the ERP and WVSO drivers.

Dallas White of Othello and Jared Ingram of Wenatchee raced door-to-door for the second position. White seemed to be a little greedy and didn't want to share the asphalt with Ingram. The flagman warned him several times, but to no avail. After some unnecessary contact, White was parked.

After the restart, Stephanie Patty of Wenatchee was leading with Ingram in second and Jessie Hector in third. While going into turn three, Hector made hard contact with the rear of Ingram's car. Hector was given an early invitation to the pits for the rest of the night.

Unfortunately for Ingram, his car was suffering from the wounds he received in the skirmishes with White and Hector. Sparks were flying from the steel-belted radial tire mounted on the right-front, signifying that the tread was running low and that a blown tire was imminent. After a strong run, Ingram pulled into the pits and was done for the evening.

Devin Pirnat of Wenatchee and Austin Schooler of Moses Lake were able to get by Patty in the late stages of the race. Pirnat crossed the finish line first with Schooler, a rookie, behind him for the second spot. Patty finished third with Damon Claibourn of Entiat taking the fourth spot. Soap Lake's Kelly Olsick filled out the last of the top five finishers.

Northwest Outlaw

Street Stocks

Fast Time: Dave Lund, 15.53 seconds

B Dash: 1. Casey Merril

A Dash: 1. Mike Press

B Heat: 1. Bob Greiner 2. Amanda MacDonald 3. Gary Flammang 4. Ron Stewart

A Heat: 1. Gary Homad 2. Aaron Nevers 3. Kevin Carver 4. Dustin Kagle

Main Event B (top six transfer to Main Event A): 1. Bill Rutherford 2. Josh Wells 3. Terri McCart 4. Casey Merril 5. Tom Wentz 6. Jeremy Creech 7. Glenn Hastings 8. Jeremy Lodi 9. Mike Wall 10. Steve Sawyer 11. Mike Easley 12. Mitchell Wood

Main Event A: 1. Dave Lund 2. Mike Easley 3. Kevin Carver 4. Jason Ogle 5. Michael Knutson 6. Mike Press 7. Amanda MacDonald 8. Dustin Kagle 9. Aaron Nevers 10. Gary Homad 11. Mark Gernlein 12. Ron Stewart 13. Bob Greiner 14. Duane Chapman 15. Gary Flammang 16. Terri McCart 17. Casey Merril 18. Josh Wells 19. Jeremy Lodi 20. Steve Sawyer 21. Bart Hector 22. Bill Rutherford

Jerry's Auto Supply

Hobby Stocks

Fast Time: Stuart Barger, 16.31 seconds

Dash: 1. Jason Ray

Heat: 1. Derrick Kapalo 2. Gary Creech 3. Jason Ray 4. Chris Costlow

Main Event: 1. Jason Ray 2. Patrick Canady 3. Stuart Barger 4. Chris Costlow 5. Gary Creech 6. Derrick Kapalo

Columbia Glass

Mini Stocks

Fast Time: Fred E. Moore, 16.82 seconds

B Dash: 1. David Mackin

A Dash: 1. Doug Brown

B Heat: 1. Nick Gardner 2. Robby Jackson 3. Chad Moore 4. Fred A. Moore

A Heat: 1. David Mackin 2. Doug Brown 3. Joseph Smith 4. Fred E. Moore

Main Event: 1. Jeff Hector 2. Fred E. Moore 3. Nick Gardner 4. David Mackin 5. Fred A. Moore 6. Gary Jackson 7. Chad Moore 8. Josh Hector 9. Doug Brown 10. Robby Jackson 11. Charles Larr

Plummer/Janke State Farm Agents Youth Hornets

Fast Time: Jesse Hector, 17.73 seconds

B Dash: 1. Evan Zema

A Dash: 1. Jared Ingram

B Heat: 1. Stephanie Patty 2. Evan Zema 3. Colton Dana 4. Dylan Adamson

A Heat: 1. Jared Ingram 2. Austin Schooler 3. Jessie Hector 4. Dallas White

Main Event: 1. Devin Pirnat 2. Austin Schooler 3. Stephanie Patty 4. Damon Claibourn 5. Kelly Olsick 6. Jared Ingram 7. Kelly Olsick 8. Colton Dana 9. Evan Zema 10. Michael Olsick 11. Stephen Lodi 12. Dylan Adamson 13. Ana-Lisa Garcia 14. Jessie Hector 15. Dallas White