Margeson muscles up for midget win at ERP

EPHRATA - Saturday night proved to be a boon for racers leading the point battles in their respective divisions.

The Washington Midget Racing Association point leader, Evan Margeson, tightened his grasp on the series championship by winning the Midway Beverages feature event at Ephrata Raceway Park. Likewise, Paul Dart seized another main event win in the AllState Electric CROW sprint cars in his bid to be the 2007 season champ.

Royal City's Stuart Barger powered his way to the front to take the win in the Jerry's Auto Supply hobby stocks, extending his points lead. Race fans were able to witness open wheel racing's past with the Golden Wheels and the Vintage Sprints paying their last visit to ERP this year.

The WMRA pulled into Ephrata for its second-to-last event of the season. Tacoma driver Evan Margeson came into the race with a 197-point lead over Brea Lopez of Vader, Wash. After heat racing action, Margeson found himself starting the 35-lap main event from the inside of row two, right behind the pole sitter, Ken Ferris of DuPont, Wash.

Coming to the green, Ferris got a great start; too good according to the WMRA flagman. The flagger turned on the caution lights as the pack was in turns one and two. As the midgets dashed down the backstretch, some drivers checked up after seeing the yellow lights while others stayed on the gas. Margeson clipped Ferris while going to the inside. Margeson's car came off the ground a foot or two before spinning and coming to a rest at the entrance to turn four.

Ferris spun and stalled as well. WMRA officials moved Ferris to the back for the restart. The call was a windfall for Margeson, who was now on the pole.

Margeson led the pack to the green with Dallas Melby of Ravensdale, Wash. on his outside. The pair stayed side by side until they exited turn two. Margeson pulled ahead with Melby and Lopez trailing closely.

The second caution of the race came after Doug Kammerzell stalled on the back chute on lap four. Mayhem reigned at the restart as the field bunched up exiting turn four. Matt Stone, Stuart Birkinbine, and Brad Curtis all spun on the front stretch. Curtis' midget made contact with the wall and was done for the night.

When racing resumed, Margeson, Melby, and Lopez stayed 1-2-3. After a brief caution on lap 22, Margeson began to distance himself from the field. With time running out before the checkered flag, Lopez dogged Melby in an attempt to take the second position. However, Melby was able to thwart Lopez and hold the No. 2 spot. With only a few laps to go, Spanaway's Tony Seidelman snuck by Lopez for third.

Margeson crossed the finish line with a two-second advantage over Melby. Seidelman and Lopez flew across the stripe nose to tail for the third and fourth positions. After starting from the back of the field, Ferris worked his way toward the front and finished the race in fifth place. Ephrata driver Eric Hector had a good night, finishing first in a heat race and sixth in the main.

The AllState Electric CROW sprint cars took to the high-banked, quarter-mile asphalt oval with Paul Dart holding a 103-point advantage over Kurt Myers of Wilson Creek. Dart set the fastest qualifying time of the day with a lap of 12.65 seconds.

However, Dart would be challenged by Othello driver Mike Fought and Kevin Burck of Ephrata. Both drivers qualified with times in the high 12-second range. The rest of the field qualified within four-tenths of a second of each other

In the Midway Distributing 30-lap main event, Adam Roduner of Quincy took the early lead and led the first nine laps with Whitney Nolan of Wenatchee in second. Dart picked off cars one by one until he took the point on lap 10. While Dart set a blistering pace, Roduner, Nolan, and Burck challenged each other.

No one would be up to the task of catching Dart, who earned the victory in dominant fashion. Roduner took second with Nolan and Burck in third and fourth. Robbie Patterson of Soap Lake rounded out the top five.

Stuart Barger has been a force to reckon with in the Jerry's Auto Supply hobby stocks. The Royal City driver has won a majority of the main events this season with patience and clean driving tactics.

Barger started the 20-lap main event on the inside of row three. A first-lap caution sent Billy Smith to the pits briefly. When the green flag waved to restart the race, Barger quickly shot to the front to assume the lead on lap No. 2.

As the season has progressed, the margin of performance has narrowed significantly in the hobby stock division. With cars running so equally, passing has become much more difficult.

With Barger in the lead, Odessa's Chris Costlow sat in second. Ephrata driver Patrick Canady and Jason Ray of Quincy ran third and fourth. Smith and Derrick Kapalo battled for fifth.

At the halfway point, Canady spun. The incident did not draw a caution as Canady was able to get moving quickly.

With three laps to go in the race, Smith was able to get by Ray for the third spot. The pack ran nose to tail until Barger powered under the checkered flag for the win. Costlow, Smith, Ray, and Kapalo finished the race second through fifth, respectively.

The Golden Wheels and Vintage Sprints took part in the open wheel festivities, bringing a large group of beautifully restored vintage midgets and sprint cars from all over the Pacific Northwest. While the old-time race cars are historic showpieces of yesteryear, they were packed with horsepower and put on a great show for the fans.

AllState Electrical Inc. Columbia River Sprint Cars (CROW)

Fast Time: Paul Dart, 12.65 seconds

B Dash: 1. Adam Roduner

A Dash: 1. Donnie Kudrna

B Heat: 1. Kevin Heer 2. Robbie Patterson 3. Adam Roduner 4. Whitney Nolan

A Heat: 1. Donnie Kudrna 2. Paul Dart 3. Kevin Burck 4. Kurt Myers

Main Event: 1. Paul Dart 2. Adam Roduner 3. Whitney Nolan 4. Kevin Burck 5. Robbie Patterson 6. Kurt Myers 7. Kevin Heer 8. Donnie Kudrna 9. Tom Beierman 10. Mike Fought

Washington Midget

Racing Association

Fast Time: Tony Seidelman, 13.372 seconds

B Dash: 1. Brad Curtis

A Dash: 1. Evan Margeson

B Heat: 1. Eric Hector 2. Chris Peterson 3. Brad Curtis 4. Stuart Birkinbine

A Heat: 1. Kenny Ferris 2. Evan Margeson 3. Dallas Melby 4. Brea Lopez

Main Event: 1. Evan Margeson 2. Dallas Melby 3. Tony Seidelman 4. Brea Lopez 5. Kenny Ferris 6. Eric Hector 7. Troy Globe 8. Chris Peterson 9. Bobby Bird 10. Matt Stone 11. Stuart Birkinbine 12. Brad Curtis 13. Doug Kammerzell

Jerry's Auto Supply

Hobby Stocks

Fast Time: Stuart Barger, 16.32 seconds

B Dash: 1. Fred Moore

A Dash: 1. Stuart Barger

Heat: 1. Fred Moore 2. Jason Ray 3. Billy Smith 4. Patrick Canady

Main Event: 1. Stuart Barger 2. Chris Costlow 3. Billy Smith 4. Jason Ray 5. Derrick Kapalo 6. Fred Moore 7. Patrick Canady