Fought wins at Ephrata raceway

by Kelly Hart<br> Special to Herald
| July 26, 2010 1:00 PM

EPHRATA — Race fans at Ephrata Raceway Park were treated to a hot evening of racing action both on the track and with soaring mid-summer temperatures. With temperatures hovering near 100 degrees Main event winners include Mike Fought in the 7-UP 360 Sprint Cars, Colton Fisher in the Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornets, Derrick Kapalo in the Ephrata Pioneer Muffler 2 Pure Stocks, Skyler Leseman with the Pepsi Cola Street Stocks and Bobby Wheeler, Jr. in the visiting Vintage Modifieds.

Fought stalked early race leader Whitney Nolan repeatedly putting pressure on the leader. Nolan was having his best evening of the year and on a few different laps actually pulled away from Fought. Fought took advantage of a slight wobble in the middle of turns 1 and 2 and drove underneath Nolan down the back stretch for the lead. At the checkered flag it was Fought, Nolan, Adam Smith, Joe Smith and Jatender Veenstra. Fought set fast time and won the Heat race. Veenstra won the Trophy Dash keeping Fought from a clean sweep in the 7-UP 360 Sprint division.

The upper hand in the Pepsi Cola Street Stocks belongs to Leseman. Leseman won his second Main Event in a row. He also set fast time during qualifying. James Stratfull seems to be getting a handle on his car as well, taking home Trophy Dash and Heat race victories.

The Ephrata Pioneer Muffler 2 Pure Stock class featured wins from Jacob McGraw in the A Trophy Dash and A Heat race. Dustin Kapalo returned to racing action at Ephrata Raceway Park with wins in the B Dash and B Heat. Setting fast time was Dallas White. Kapalo won the Main Event.

For the Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornets it was a non-point night to honor their friend Tayler Blackburn. Blackburn, the 2009 class champion, passed away from injuries in a non-racing auto accident last week and the drivers showed up run some laps and show support for the family. Colton Fisher set fast time and won the Heat Race and the Main Event. Tyler Redin spoiled the clean sweep with the Heat Race win.

Visiting Ephrata Raceway Park were the Vintage Modified Racing Association teams. Eight cars and drivers made their way from southwest Washington to compete on the quarter-mile paved oval. It was a great night for Bobby Wheeler, Jr. as he won the Main Event going away. Jim Jones was the Trophy Dash winner and Mike Clother won the Heat race.

Saturday, July 31 is Fan Appreciation Night at ERP. All fans will pay just $5.25, family passes for 2 adults and 3 kids are $20.00 and kids 5 and under get in free. Race reports and other information are always available at EphrataRacewayPark.com.

Results July 24

Kim Janke State Farm Agent Youth Hornets

FAST TIME: 44 Colton Fisher 17.733

DASH: 99 Tyler Redin, 44 Fisher, 32 Chase Kirk, 20 Mykkal Mulalley

HEAT: 44 Fisher, 99 Redin, 32 Kirk, 20 Mulalley

MAIN: 44 Fisher, 99 Redin, 32 Kirk, 20 Mullaley

LAP LEADERS: 20 Mulalley 1-2, 44 Fisher 3-12

Ephrata Pioneer Muffler 2 Pure Stocks

FAST TIME: 09 Dallas White 17.760

B DASH: 21 Dustin Kapalo, 20 Mike Mulalley, 9 Michael White, 32 Terry McGraw

A DASH: 28 Jacob McGraw, 8 Bradd Arneson, 37 Derrick Kapalo, 09 D. White

B HEAT: 21 Dustin Kapalo, 9 M. White, 62 Jeremy Larsen, 20 Mulalley, 25 Terry Collins

A HEAT: 28 J. McGraw, 37 Derrick Kapalo, 09 D. White, 32 T. McGraw, 8 Arneson

MAIN: 37 Derrick Kapalo, 09 D. White, 28 J. McGraw, 32 T. McGraw, 8 Arneson, 89 Glenn Hector, 9 M. White, 20 Mulalley, 62 Larsen, 21 Dustin Kapalo, 63 Nathan Schell, 25 Collins

LAP LEADERS: 63 Schell 1, 37 Derrick Kapalo 2-15

Pepsi Cola Street Stocks

FAST TIME: 21 Skyler Leseman 16.280

DASH: 4 James Stratfull, 18 Jason Ray, 12 Rick Bretches, 21 Leseman

HEAT: 4 Stratfull, 21 Leseman, 12 Bretches, 46 Terry Osborn, 18 Ray

MAIN: 21 Skyler Leseman, 18 Ray, 46 Osborn, 12 Bretches, 1 Darrell Van Dyke, 4 Stratfull

LAP LEADERS: 18 Ray 1-2, 21 Leseman 3-20

7-UP 360 Sprint Cars

FAST TIME: 78 Mike Fought 13.068

DASH: 96 Jatender Veenstra, 78 Fought, 25 Whitney Nolan, 2 Adam Smith

HEAT: 78 Fought, 7 Joe Smith, 2 Adam Smith, 96 Veenstra, 25 Nolan

MAIN: 78 Mike Fought, 25 Nolan, 2 Adam Smith, 7 Joe Smith, 96 Veenstra

LAP LEADERS: 25 Nolan 1-17, 78 Fought 18-20

Vintage Modified Racing Association

DASH: 03 Jim Jones, 21 Paul Fields, 22 Bobby Wheeler Jr., 26 John Mustered

HEAT: 7 Mike Clother, 21 Fields, 03 Jones, 88 Bert Rux, 26 Mustered

MAIN: 22 Bobby Wheeler Jr., 21 Fields, 7 Clother, 32 Jeff Petterson, 03 Jones, 26 Mustered, 88 Rux

LAP LEADERS: 32 Petterson 1-5, 22 Wheeler Jr. 6-25