Ephrata raceway opening night entices fans

EPHRATA - Racecars flashing by, burning oil and tire smoke filling the air - those were sights, sounds and smells fans were treated to as Ephrata Raceway Park roared to life for the 2008 racing season on Saturday night.

Opening night on the high-banked quarter-mile oval featured the ground pounding, 500 horsepower winged sprint cars in the "Cast Iron Nationals" that drew entrants from throughout the Pacific Northwest, Montana and British Columbia. The event also featured the 50-lap "Desert Dust 50" for the Limited Late Model series, a touring series of late model racers that visit tracks in Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho.

Ephrata Raceway Park is owned and operated by the Witte family, a family rich in racing history with brothers Rock, Bob and Mike - all veteran open wheel racers. Bob Witte piloted the number seven winged sprint car in Saturday's race finishing eighth in the 30 lap main event.

Making his return to the announcing booth after a four-year absence was veteran announcer Kelly Hart.

"He knows more about Pacific Northwest racing than anyone around," track owner Bob Witte said.

"There's no better race track around," Hart said. "It's the best place to be on a Saturday night."

Auto racing is a family sport and that is evident at E.R.P. as the "family fun bus" fills up with kids excited to tour the pits to see the race cars and make a lap around the track.

Rita Witte, who oversees the daily operations of the speedway, believes racing "brings families together" and "gets kids off the street on a Saturday night".

Boys and girls age 14 to 17 have an opportunity try their hand at racing in the Youth Hornet division, a division that "builds confidence and teaches sportsmanship" and "allows kids who don't fit the traditional sports mold to experience competition" Bob Witte said.

Third generation driver Mike Fought of Othello calls the track "challenging" and is concerned about the high cost of fuel and how it will affect his racing future.

"We're not going to race a full season anywhere, we're going to race where we can," Fought said.

Mike's father John Fought, a second generation driver, started driving at the speedway when he was 16 years old.

"I've been around a long time," he said and he too called the track "a challenge."

Ephrata Raceway Park is a multi-use facility hosting both auto and moto cross racing on a track constructed in the infield that "brings a completely different audience," Rita Witte said.

Races run through September and a schedule can be found online at www.ephratracewaypark.com.

Editor's note: Miles Douglass is a former announcer for the E.R.P.

Sprints

Fast time: 76 Andy Alberding 12.84

Trophy Dash 1: 42 Doug Peter, 50 Rich Hill, 25 Whitney Nolan, 11 Rich Leighty

Trophy Dash 2: 12 Jason Thomas, 28 Tom Beierman, 32 Kurt Myers, 7 Bob Witte

Trophy Dash 3: 96 Donnie Kudrna, 76 Alberding, 55 Jeff Bird, 01 Rally Root

Heat 1: 32 Myers, 96 Kudrna, 11 Leighty, 71 Kirk Eklund, XX Russell Root

Heat 2: 12 Thomas, 78 Mike Fought, 25 Nolan, 55 Bird, 7 Witte

Heat 3: 76 Alberding, 42 Peter, 28 Beierman, 3d Doug McLees, 50 Hill

Main: 76 Alberding, 55 Bird, 78 Fought, 96 Kudrna, 25 Nolan, 50 Hill, 3d McLees, 7 Witte, 11 Leighty, 32 Myers, 28 Beierman, 01 Rally Root, XX Russell Root, 42 Peter, 71 Eklund, 10 Branden Skeeter, 12 Thomas

Lap Leaders: 25 Whitney Nolan 1-4, 55 Jeff Bird 5-8, 76 Andy Alberding 9, 55 Jeff Bird 10-25, 76 Andy Alberding 26, 55 Jeff Bird 27-34, 76 Alberding 35-50

Limited Late Model Racing Series

Fast time: 10 John Boyatt 14.68

Dash 1: 00 Chuck Swope, 3 John Pokorny, 27 Josh Burland, 7 Tracy Burland

Dash 2: 68 Tim McDougald, 10 Boyatt, 40 Dylan Caldwell, 30 Bob Hays

Heat 1: 3 Pokorny, 00 Swope, 7 Berland, 77 Vic Beard, 27 Josh Burland

Heat 2: 10 Boyatt, 40 Caldwell, 71 Chris Schlat, 30 Hays, 21 Rick Gerard

Main: 10 Boyatt, 30 Hays, 77 Beard, 3 Pokorny, 1 Mitch Kleyn, 08 Jeff Mullins, 27 Burland, 71 Schlat, 00 Swope, 21 Gerard, 40 Caldwell, 7 Burland

Lap Leaders: 71 Chris Schlat 1-4, Boyatt 5-50

Mini Stocks

Fast time: 52 David Macken 16.65

Dash 1: 6 Josh Hector, 5 Robby Jackson, 7 Joe Smith, 44 Charles Larr

Dash 2: 84 Doug Brown, 8 Fred Moore, 78 Jeff Hector, 52 Macken

Heat 1: 81 Pat Brown, 19 Eddie Razey, 95 Chris McCart, 99 Gary Jackson, 18 Jeremy Razey

Heat 2: 7 Smith, 52 Macken, 6 Hector, 8 Moore, 44 Larr

Main: 52 Macken, 6 Hector, 8 Moore, 18 Razey, 95 McCart, 41 Brian Hahne, 1 Nick Gardner, 99 Jackson, 65 Robert Martin, 44 Larr, 84 Brown, 19 Razey, 38 Andrew Sonnenburg, 81 Brown, 71 Justin Dunagan, 5 Jackson, 78 Hector

Lap Leaders: 81 Pat Brown 1-3, 44 Charles Larr 4-24, 7 Joe Smith 25-26, 52 Dave Macken 27-30