Weather doesn't stop racing at Ephrata Raceway Park

EPHRATA — Terrible weather interrupted fun outdoor activities all over the state this Labor Day Weekend, but did not stop Ephrata Raceway Park from racing on Sunday. Saturday evening included a few qualifying laps and lots of rain, by Sunday at noon the Sprint cars had the wings off and got underway with qualifying while more rain loomed to the southwest.  Jeff Bird had his No. 92 car sorted out and was quickest with a 13.95 run.  Heats were fairly uneventful and finished like this:

 Heat 1: 1) Dixon Helgeson, Otis Orchards, Wash.; 2) Whitney Nolan, Wenatchee, Wash.; 3) Joe Smith, Moses Lake; 4) Butch Duren, Chenney, Wash.; 5) Steve Prior; DNS:  Randy Dubois Rich Fast.

 Heat 2: 1) Tony Berry, Spokane, Wash.; 2) Kurt Myers, Wilson Creek; 3) Rally Root, Monroe, Wash.; 4) Tom Beierman, Ephrata; 5) Scott Aumen, Dunkin, B.C. 6) Todd Lolkus, Ephrata; 7) Rod Stump, Moses Lake, DNS.

 Heat 3: 1) Jeff Bird, Lake Shawnagan, B.C.; 2) Mike Fought, Othello; 3) Bobby Bird; 4) Bob Witte, Ephrata 5) Kevin Burch, Ephrata; 6) Kevin Witte, Ephrata; 7) Britt Lorentzen, Lake Tapps, Wash. DNS

 The 30 lap main event was very eventful. As expected, the rain cleaned the track of it’s useful rubber and everyone should have been driving with an egg under their right foot. That wasn’t the case as the caution flag got a workout from the start and after 25 minutes, only 11 laps had been completed under green, so the officials cut the event to 25 laps, and racing resumed. The local drivers did very well with Mike Fought, Todd Lolkus and Kurt Meyers in the top five, but it was Jeff Bird who said he only used half throttle to take the win. Here are the results:

 Main Event: 1) Jeff Bird; 2) Fought; 3) Lolkus; 4) Meyers; 5) Dubois; 6) Nolan; 7) Berry; 8) Smith; 9) Beierman; 10) Helgeson; 11) Bobby Bird; 12) Burch; 13) Root; 14) Kevin Witte; 15) Fast; 16) Bob Witte; 17) Aumen; 18) Stump.

 Then the rain started and sent all to cover, but lasted a short time. Then the crew with some help from the sun and 53 mph winds dried the track.

Then just like it was planned, the winds settled down, cars hit the track for practice, the fans came back and had a good time under the blankets and dressed like it was December. Tough fans we got. The Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornets were ready to race, the Ultimate Challenge 125 ended up being five local Street Stocks racing 40 good laps, and the NSRA Cast Iron Nationals running the race that got rained out at the beginning of the season. Bart Hector Jr. rolled his No. 68 Youth Hornet twice last time out and returned to have a great night winning his trophy dash, Heat and the Main.  Mitch Kleyn repaired his No. 1 after a bad first lap crash at Yakima two weeks before to post fast time with a 15.87, and Jeff Bird proved that with the wing on or not, he was the quickest of the day with a 13.12 qualifying run. Trophy Dashes were up next and here’s who won:

Youth Hornets: Derick Burck, Ephrata

Ultimate Challenge: Ron Stewart, Moses Lake

B NSRA: Tony Berry, Spokane

A NSRA: Craig Deaver

 Heat races were next and it was looking like Craig Deaver and Jeff Bird were going to be the two cars to beat in the main as Deaver backed up the Trophy Dash win by taking his heat, then Bird won his to back up his fast time in qualifiing.  Bart Senior won his heat, but the No. 1 Kleyn car sat out the race to save tires since no points were involved. Then Bart Junior continued on his way to a three-peat by leading the way in his heat for the Youth Hornets.  Here’s how they finished:

 Youth Hornets: 1) Bart Hector Jr, Ephrata; 2) Taylor Blackburn, Ephrata; 3) Jatender Veenstra, Royal City; 4) Kelly Olsick, Soap Lake; 5) Dylan Adamson, Moses Lake; 6) Bobby Bailey, Ephrata; 7) Chase Kirk, Wenatchee; 8) Derick Burck, Ephrata.

Ultimate Challenge: 1) Bart Hector, Othello; 2) Ron Stewart, Moses Lake; 3) Randy Pugh, Moses Lake; 4) Josh Hector, Ephrata; 5) Mitch Kleyn, Quincy — DNS.

NSRA 1: 1) Craig Deaver; 2) Austin Anderson; 3) Whitney Nolan; 4) Randy Dubois; 5) Bobby Bird; 6) Kevin Witte, Ephrata.

 NSRA 2: 1) Britt Lorentzen, Lake Taps; 2) Kurt Meyers, Wilson Creek; 3) Scott Aumen, Dunkin, B.C.; 4) Joe Smith, Moses Lake; 5) Kevin Burck, Ephrata; 6) Tom Beierman, Ephrata.

 NSRA 3: 1) Jeff Bird, Lake Shawnagan, B.C.

 The stages were set for the main events with the sun out, no real chance of rain, a cool track and lots of moisture in the air to keep the engines happy.  Youth Hornets points leader Blackburn needed to keep the No. 68 car in his sights to keep his lead, Hector, Stewart and Kleyn were all capable of winning the Ultimate Challenge, and 16-year-old Austin Anderson was running on the tail of Deaver in the Sprints with locals like Myers, Fast, Fought and Lorentzen proving that they could run with the quick Sprints from out of town, and Bird was still the car to beat. But the theme of the day was parts letting go under the stress of hard racing close to the end of the season.  Bailey and Burck got bit in the Youth Hornets, Stewart’s engine let go in the Ultimate Challenge, then Fought, Berry and Bird’s cars had issues during the main to open the door for all to go for the win. Here’s how they finished:

Youth Hornets: 1) Hector; 2) Blackburn; 3) Veenstra; 4) Olsick; 5) Adamson; 6) Kirk; 7) Bailey; 8) Burck.

 Ultimate Challenge: 1) Kleyn; 2) Bart Hector; 3) Pugh; 4) Josh Hector; 5) Stewart — DNF

 NSRA: 1) Deaver; 2) Anderson; 3) Aumen; 4) Vincent; 5) Fast; 6) Nolan; 7) Burck; 8) Meyers; 9) Lorentzen; 10) Dubois; 11) Jeff Bird; 12) Smith; 13) Bobby Bird; 14) Beierman; 15) Witte; 16) Root; DNF: Berry, Fought.

 Congratulations to the winners on Sunday and thank you to all the racers, fans and everyone at Ephrata Raceway Park for toughing it out all weekend, the racing made it all worthwhile. Still two race nights left, hope you can make at least one. Next Saturday, Sept. 12, the weather looks great and we will be racing the Northwest Legends, Youth and Adult Hornets, Mini Stocks and Streets Stocks. Gates open at 5 p.m., racing at 6 p.m.