When you have sunny skies, a group of racers that chose Evergreen Speedway to hold their 50th anniversary celebration, 5 divisions of racers and a hot crowd in the grandstands, it makes it easy to appreciate what a special place we get to call out home track!
The FSCRA celebrated 50 years of racing both under the grandstands and out on the track this past Saturday. It was amazing to see the memorabilia that former FSCRA members brought for fans to check out. From programs created in the 60’s, hundreds of pictures from all the greats that ran with this club over the years to an assortment of cars from back in the day, jackets, banners, to several DVD’s and tapes showing how exciting the racing was back then. Tony Deegan and all the people who made the Foreign Stock Car Racing Association so special hit it out of the park with what they provided fans to appreciate truly deserve a huge Thank You for what they did Saturday.
The West Coast Vintage Modifieds started the main event action. Kyten Jones started off the race leading the first nine laps until Bobby Wheeler Jr. used a move on the outside to pass Jones and managed to hold the lead until the checkered flag waved. Robert Rux brought his car to the line to finish 2nd with Kyten Jones finshing 3rd.
The FSCRA Super 4’s were up next for their 25 lap main. Federal Way’s Kayla Pittman led the first 6 laps until John Grosvenor took over the lead and never looked back on his way to the win. Tom Pinkowski was listed as the driver of the 2nd place finisher, and I have to apologize for not noting whom was behind the wheel, but I do know that Max Shroeder finished 3rd!
The Interstate Battery Hornets took to the road course for their 25 lap main event, Steve Garka lead the first 4 laps of the race. Cody Hoopes took his 10X car past Garka and led until a caution came out on lap 17. Point’s leader Mike Ridley came into contact with another car causing the entire right side door skin to come off the 66. Mike did an impressive job working through traffic to assume the lead for good on lap 21. Ridley finished 1st, last week’s winner Scott Hunt took 2nd and Cody Hoopes hung on for 3rd.
The Buzz Inn Steakhouse Stinger 8’s were up next for a 30 lap race. Coming into the race, 2nd generation driver Brandon Lindberg was 4th in division points, behind Matt Sommerville (1st), Lance Ograin (2nd) and Cody Hoopes (3rd). Lindberg did a wire-to-wire job on the field for his first win in 2015. Sommerville finished 2nd and Lance Ograin took 3rd. The race was an emotional one for Ograin, as he and his family lost Lance’s Grandfather Dick Ograin a few days earlier. The rooting section in the grandstands consisting of the Ograin family and friends were loud and proud as Lance paid a fitting tribute on the victory platform.
The Monroe Grocery Outlet Super Stock Figure 8’s finished up the night, with several new cars with familiar names behind the wheel. It was good to see Rich Groshong back running on the F8 course once again. Point’s leader Quenton Borreson set fast time earlier in the day, causing him to have to start at the back of the field. Bill Fleischacker led some of the early portion of the race along with Eric Allision until Doug Delfel took the lead on lap 10. Allison got the lead back 2 laps later only to get passed by Borreson who had drove his way through the field. Delfel re-assumes the lead one lap later and holds it until a wreck involving Devin Jenkins and Quenton Borreson on lap 15. Jenkins hit Borreson in the left rear quarter of the 17 car, but Quenton managed to get his car restarted and soldiered on. Doug Delfel eventually won this wild race, with Borreson managing to finish 2nd and Tony Hill finished 3rd. The top 3 came up to the Angel of the Winds Winners Circle, but Borreson was feeling the after effects of his incident with Jenkins. Quenton told me that he can’t recall ever getting hit as hard as this time, and he’ll be dealing with some sore ribs for a while, but a nice break in the schedule will have the “One Armed Bandit” healed up and ready to go when the division races again on July 11th.
Coming up this weekend is an event being billed as “The Biggest Race of the Year” and rightfully so! The 4th Annual Evergreen Speedway Summer Showdown starts off with Budweiser Speedweeks, including the Summer Showdown Karting Challenge being held at TRAXX Indoor Raceway in Mukilteo on Wednesday June 24th from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. There will be a pizza party and no host bar. You can register by contacting Shonda at 360-805-6100 or by email at shonda@evergreenspeedway.com.
Thursday the 25th will be practice on the 5/8’s for Showdown teams only. Practice is free to those in the grandstands and will run from 4:00 to 8:30 PM. Northsound Racing will be broadcasting their show live from practice from 5:00 to 6:15 PM. If you can’t make it to practice, you can listen to Northsound Racing on FOXSPORTS 1380-KRKO Radio. There will be a BBQ after practice for the teams practicing that night.
Friday June 26th will start at 4:30 with qualifying for the Summer Showdown Super Late Models along with qualifying for the Les Schwab Street Stocks and Foster Press Mini Stocks. Opening ceremonies start at 7:00 PM, then we will start the 25 lap Super Late Model qualifying races, along with 30 lap main events for the Street Stocks and Mini Stocks.
Saturday will start with qualifying for the Northwest Pro 4 Alliance cars at 2:30. After that, there will be a Showdown drivers and spotters meeting at the flag stand. The Showdown Last Chance Qualifier race will go off at 4:00 PM for 50 laps. The 40 lap Main Event for the Northwest Pro 4 Alliance cars starts at 5:30. Opening ceremonies for the Summer Showdown will begin at 6:30 and the feature event, the 200 lap Summer Showdown will begin after that.
We are honored to have as our Grand Marshall for this epic event, Delisa “Mama” Lynch, known to Seattle Seahawk fans as the mother of Hawks running back Marshawn Lynch. “I’m so excited to be coming back to Evergeen Speedway this weekend” Mama Lynch said on Northsound Racing last Thursday. “I know that the fans are so excited to have an event like this occur in their backyard and I’m honored to be a part of it”
For tickets for this event, go to www.evergeenspeedway.com or call the speedway office at 360-805-6100. Make sure and bring your radio to the Speedway and tune to 101.9 FM for a unique way to get coverage of the event and live play by play along with pit reports.