Full moon spooks drivers at Ephrata Raceway Park

Stewart takes first place in street stocks feature race

EPHRATA — According to racing folklore, there are several things superstitious racers believe to be foreboding of bad racing luck.

There are those who will not tempt fate by wearing or painting anything green, using the number 13, eating peanuts or chicken on race day, and racing under a full moon.

After the action at Ephrata Raceway Park on Saturday night, many race fans may now be firm believers in the lunacy a full moon exerts on a racetrack. After watching the mayhem of the trophy dashes and heat races, the ERP fans knew the main events were going to be remarkable.

The Pepsi Cola street stocks did not disappoint the crowd. Just after taking the green flag for the 30-lap feature event, Moses Lake driver and pole sitter Steve Lincoln suffered at the hands of the moon's gravitational pull as it yanked around the back end of his Ford Thunderbird. The spin occurred in front of the double-file pack in the middle of turn two. Most of the drivers were able to avoid hitting Lincoln. However, Bill Rutherford of Moses Lake had nowhere to go and collided with Lincoln's car, sending Rutherford's car into the air.

After a complete restart, John Marthini of Soap Lake led the field for the first two trips around the high-banked oval. But the fastest time setter, Ron Stewart of Moses Lake, came from the back of the pack to pass Marthini on the third lap.

Meanwhile, the battle for second place was underway between Dan Martin of Ephrata and Bart Hector of Othello. The two drivers raced door-to-door with Hector on the outside. Martin held the second spot until lap 19 when Hector moved into second.

One lap later, the yellow flag flew after a spin in turn two. The caution erased Stewart's commanding lead, putting Hector and Martin on Stewart's bumper with only 10 laps remaining.

Stewart set the pace back to the green flag. While Hector was looking for ways to get around Stewart, Martin was scheming against Hector. On lap 27, Martin pulled under Hector for the second spot and rallied to close the gap between himself and Stewart. Stewart was uncatchable, taking the checkered flag with Martin and Hector in his shadow. Ephrata drivers Terri McCart and Jeff Hector finished fourth and fifth.

The drivers of the Columbia Glass mini stocks were not immune to the whim of lunar mishaps. After controlling the ocean's tides, the moon had plenty of pulling power left to tug on the four-cylinder stockcars as they sailed into turns one and two on the first lap. Twice, the mini stocks had cars spinning and dashing around each other before reaching the backstretch.

Finally, the drivers overcame the lunacy to complete a lap, with Ephrata's Chad Moore leading. Moses Lake's David Mackin shot by Moore to take the lead on the third circuit. For 10 laps, Mackin enjoyed being in front. But Joe Smith, also from Moses Lake, caught Mackin and moved under him down the back chute.

Smith beat Mackin to turn three and assumed command of the 20-lap feature on lap 14. Smith went unchallenged for the reminder of the event to win. Mackin took second with Doug Brown of Ephrata trailing in third. Charles Larr and Glen Hector rounded out the top five.

Dallas White only needed five laps to move from the back of the field to take the lead in the Plummer/Janke State Farm Agents Youth Hornets 20-lap main event.

While safely in the lead, the action between Ephrata's Ana-Lisa Garcia and Damon Claibourn of Entiat kept the attention of the fans. Garcia's pink Volkswagen Rabbit is proving to be a formidable force on ERP's quarter-mile asphalt.

White cruised across the finish line with a big lead. Garcia was second, while Stephen Lodi of Ephrata was third. Dylan Adamson and Justin Dunagan came across the stripe in fourth and fifth.

Pepsi Cola Street Stocks

Fast Time: Ron Stewart, 15.90 seconds

C Dash: 1. Doug Hastings

B Dash: 1. Jeff Hector

A Dash: 1. Bart Hector

B Heat: 1. Jeff Hector 2. Brad Morrison 3. John Marthini 4. Doug Hastings

A Heat: 1. Dan Martin 2. Bill Rutherford 3. Terri McCart 4. Bart Hector

Main Event: 1. Ron Stewart 2. Dan Martin 3. Bart Hector 4. Terri McCart 5. Jeff Hector 6. Nick Sieg 7. John Marthini 8. Brad Morrison 9. Bill Rutherford 10. Sam Todd 11. Rick Bretches 12. Jeff Lodi 13. Doug Hastings 14. Steve Lincoln

Columbia Glass Mini Stocks

Fast Time: Joseph Smith, 16.78 seconds

C Dash: 1. Fred A. Moore

B Dash: 1. Chris McCart

A Dash: 1. Nick Gardner

B Heat: 1. Doug Brown 2. Chad Moore 3. Glen Hector 4. Fred A. Moore

A Heat: 1. Joseph Smith 2. Fred E. Moore 3. Nick Gardner 4. Josh Hector

Main Event: 1. Joseph Smith 2. David Mackin 3. Doug Brown 4. Charles Larr 5. Glen Hector 6. Robby Jackson 7. Gary Jackson 8. Chris McCart 9. Fred A. Moore 10. Bryon Allen 11. Chad Moore 12. Josh Hector 13. Kemp Reynolds 14. Nick Gardner 15. Fred E. Moore

Plummer-Janke State Farm Agents Youth Hornets

Fast Time: Dallas White, 17.76 seconds

Dash 1: Damon Claibourn

Dash 2: 1. Dallas White

Heat 1: 1. Justin Dunagan 2. Dylan Adamson 3. Michael Olsick 4. Steven Beck

Heat 2: 1. Dallas White 2. Ana-Lisa Garcia 3. Damon Claibourn 4. Kelly Olsick

Main Event: 1. Dallas White 2. Ana-Lisa Garcia 3. Stephen Lodi 4. Dylan Adamson 5. Justin Dunagan 6. Kelly Olsick 7. Michael Olsick 8. Damon Claibourn 9. Steven Beck

Nickel Saver Youth Cardboard Car Races

Ages 3-4: 1. Nicholas Johnson

Ages 5-7: 1. Michael Hector

Ages 9-11: 1. Patrick Hector

Ages 12-13: 1. Fernando Camarina

Best Appearing Cardboard Car: Nicholas Johnson