Hornets, Bump-to-Pass on ‘Beat Down’ slate

YAKIMA, Wash. — Yakima Speedway hasn’t gone quiet for the season just yet.

Local racing standout B.J. Tidrick and Mike Valcich have rented the track Saturday and will stage the Yak Town Beat Down, an event with Hornets racing and full-contact Bump to Pass.

Former Fall Classic winners Mike Longton and Erick Hargraves will compete in Bump to Pass, which will contest its main event on a road course in the infield.

“Bump to Pass will be a demo-derby style race with full contact,” Tidrick said. “We hope it will be a different kind of event that will appeal to everybody. It should be a lot of fun.”

Racing is set to start at 2 p.m. with tickets costing $5.

A Classic Kid

19-year-old dominates in Tidrick’s car ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — While B.J. Tidrick could not win Sunday’s 22nd annual Fall Classic, as he did three years ago, the Yakima native settled for the next best thing.

Watching his car do it.

At the wheel of Tidrick’s black No. 72 machine that won the 2006 season finale at Yakima Speedway, Portland’s 19-year-old Joey Tanner completely owned the day by leading all but the early laps in a 200-lap Late Model race that lasted nearly four hours.

Staying at the front of a record-sized field that started with 39 cars and ended with 12, the precocious Tanner offered no opportunities for others on his way to the $10,000 winner’s check.

PHOTO GALLERY Click here for more Fall Classic photos

And this despite solid runs from runner-up Jason Fraser of Snohomish, the Apple Cup winner here in the spring, and third-place finisher Mike Longton of Moxee, who was gunning for a Fall Classic repeat.

“I can’t imagine ever driving a better car,” said Tanner, whose racing experience prior to this season was strictly on dirt tracks. “I knew the history of this car because I used to watch these races. Today, early on, we all knew we had something special.”

Like a proud father, Tidrick, who was Tanner’s crew chief, stood back and enjoyed the winner’s circle celebration that consumed both families.

“It’s so hard when you know you have a good car and you can’t drive it,” admitted Tidrick, who took the season off for financial reasons. “But Joey is a kid I trust, and he showed today what he can do. I didn’t think the car would be this dominant. I mean it was just launching off the restarts.”

Tanner, who started in fifth position, secured the lead on lap 28 and, shortly after, Fraser moved into second. With race officials using ‘cone’ restarts, Tanner would take the low line while Fraser went high for a side-by-side look at the pace-setter.

Didn’t matter.

With such a full field, the caution flag came out a lot — 15 times to be exact, not counting the 100-lap stop for tires and gas — but each time Fraser came alongside for the restart Tanner simply flew away.

“The crew and the car were perfect,” said Tanner, who was turning sub-20-second laps all race long. “It was just a matter of me not messing it up.”

While Fraser was looking for any weakness in Tanner’s run during the second half, the race for third was changing with every blink. With 50 laps to go the closest pursuers, in order, were Garrett Evans, Owen Riddle and Gary Lewis, but 13 laps later all had dropped out of the picture.

Riddle, the Naches driver coming off his second Late Model season title at the Speedway, was running a promising fourth on lap 162 when a sudden mechanical problem forced him off the track and into the pits.

Those late-race exits put pole-sitter Longton back in the hunt after a mid-race restart incident loosened his set-up. He moved into third with 34 laps left and held to the finish for a $2,500 paycheck.

“We got pretty loose toward the end and that was frustrating,” said the defending champ. “We had all the power, I just couldn’t get off the corners. But that’s how this race is — it’s long and you just never know. We’ll take the third.”

In Sunday’s earlier races, Mike Easley of Tumwater captured the 75-lap Street Stocks main, Selah’s Mel Patnode won the Hobby Stocks race and Prosser’s Rick Thompson was first in the Northwest Pro 4’s final.

SUNDAY’S FALL CLASSIC RESULTS

Late Model — Joey Tanner, Jason Fraser, Mike Longton, Jared Vorse, James Mugge, Dave Garber, Jeff Knight, Naima Lang, Gary Lewis, Tim Gosch, Buck Noel Jr., Rick Suran, Garrett Evans, Owen Riddle, Mike Zamora, Amanda MacDonald, Kameron McKeehan, Shane Mitchell, Jay Sauls, Clint Habart, Roger Havich, Rod Schultz Jr., Shane Harding, Shane Biles, Jesse Brown, Jim White, Jeff Barkshire, Joe Constance, Scott Walker, Steven Howard, Ryan Wells, Dan Obrist, Mark Sundberg, Matt Stephenson, Brian Levant, Shelby Thompson, Darren Rupinski, Pete Harding, Rod Schultz Sr.

Northwest Pro 4’s — Rick Thompson, Bud Rumsey, Wayne Dillon, Bill McAdams, Ken Chandler, Johnny Rumsey, Robert Golden Jr., Kyle Latham, John Grosvenor, Kurt Madsen, Matt Melby, Rob Powers, Steve Thompson, Kameron McKeehan, Eric Kaas, Charles McDonald.

Hobby Stocks — Mel Patnode, Chris Van Amburg, Mike Valcich, Jerry Walker Jr., Rob Allen, Greg Taylor, Reese Kastl, Tom Wentz, Chris Richter Jr., Steve Kastl, Ed St. Mary, Jeff Stevenson, Doug Poirier, Thomas Benscoter Sr., Don Klang, Dan Fiscus, Dan Wilson, Mike Hill, Ron Morton, Jason Huffines, Vern Huson, Tyson Richter, Bobby Stewart Jr.

Street Stocks — Mike Easley, Gary Homad, Chet Beaman Sr., JC Wofford, Zack Beaman, Dusty John, Mike Van Amburg, Jeff Kneeland, Andy Beaman, Jason Ogle, Tony Huffines, Todd Connell, Josh Ingram, Donnie Krickemeyer, Randy Pugh, Richard Kerr, Brian Tischler, Roy Beaman, Mitch Kleyn, Frank Cowgill, Bill Rutherford, Randy Marshall Jr., Lane Sundholm, Ron Stewart, JD Moses.

Fall Classic Photo Gallery

Photos from Sunday’s Fall Classic auto race at Yakima Speedway in Yakima, Wash. All photos by Gordon King of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Longton on pole for Fall Classic

YAKIMA, Wash. — Mike Longton was plenty fast for one lap on Saturday. How he holds up for 200 circuits around Yakima Speedway will be determined today.

Longton’s qualifying lap of 18.988 seconds earned the Moxee driver the inside pole position for today’s Late Model main event in the 22nd annual Fall Classic.

Mike Zamora of Kennewick will start on Longton’s outside.

Pacing the big season-ending field was no problem last year for Longton, who won the race for his first Fall Classic title.

The Late Model field included a hefty 41 cars in Saturday’s qualifying. In all, the Fall Classic timed in 136 cars total in five racing divisions.

In addition to the Late Model finale, today’s main events include Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Northwest Pro 4s.

Snohomish’s Gary Lewis recorded the fast time in Limited Late Model qualifying at 19.264 seconds, but it was Lynnwood’s Naima Lang who came through in the 125-lap main event.

Lewis, a four-time champion on the Northwest Tour, led the first 42 laps and two more times later in the race. But Lang seized the lead on lap 88 and never relented.

Lang is the reigning Super Late Model champion at Monroe’s Evergreen Speedway, having won 11 of 18 races this season.

Garrett Evans finished second behind Lang and Jason Fraser was third. Longton was eighth.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

Limited Late Model final: 1, Naima Lang; 2, Garrett Evans; 3, Jason Fraser; 4, Dirk Stephens; 5, Dave Garber; 6, Shelby Thompson; 7, Mike Longton; 8, Brian Levant; 9, James Mugge; 10, Ryan Wells; 11, Ross Cooper; 12, John Zaretzke; 13, Dan Walker; 14, Gary Lewis; 15, Jim White; 16, David Smick; 17, Amanda MacDonald; 18, Ken Sleveland; 19, Andrew Zimmer; 20, Jeff Barkshire; 21, Chuck Dills; 22, Jay Sauls; 23, Mark Sundberg; 24, Rod Schultz; 25, Rod Schultz, Jr.; 26, Brea Lopez; 27, Craig Pfander; 28, Austin Hoye; 29, Bob Delorme; 30, Jeff Knight; 31, Chris Hart; 32, Rick Gerard.

Hobby Stocks — B Dash: Chris Richter, Jr., Rob Allen, Ron Morton, Steve Kastl. A Dash: Jason Huffines, Jeff Stevenson, Chris Van Amburg, Mel Patnode.

Street Stocks — B Dash: Jeff Kneeland, Andy Beaman, Lane Sundholm, Rich Balderson. A Dash: Chet Beaman, Dusty John, Zack Beaman, Mike Easley.

Fast times — Late Model: Mike Longton 18.988. Limited LM: Gary Lewis 19.264. Pro 4: Steve Thompson 20.167. Streets: Zack Beaman 21.289. Hobbys: Mel Patnode 22.493.

TODAY’S LINEUP

Fall Classic 200

1. Mike Longton; 2. Mike Zamora; 3. Jeff Barkshire; 4. Jared Vorse; 5. Joey Tanner; 6. Jason Fraser; 7. Rod Schultz, Jr.; 8. Shane Harding; 9. Gary Lewis; 10. Shelby Thompson; 11. Scott Walker; 12. Owen Riddle; 13. Shane Mitchell; 14. Garrett Evans; 15. Pete Harding; 16. Rod Schultz, Sr.; 17. Jay Sauls; 18. Naima Lang; 19. Brian Levant; 20. Rick Suran; 21. Steven Howard; 22. Jim White; 23. Dan Obrist; 24. Shane Biles; 25. Mark Sundberg; 26. Jesse Brown; 27. James Mugge; 28. Dave Garber; 29. Jeff Knight; 30. Cling Habart; 31. Joe Constance; 32. Matt Stephenson; 33. Buck Noel, Jr.; 34. Darren Rupinski; 35. Kameron McKeehan; 36. Amanda MacDonald; 37. Ryan Wells; 38. Chuck Dills; 39. Jim Johnson; 40. Bob Delorme; 41. Tim Gosch.

Speedway Survivor

Longton returns to defend Fall Classic title ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — Racing at the front in the Fall Classic has always been the ultimate test of attrition. The season’s last charge into Yakima Speedway’s bullring, the best drivers in the region swapping paint and a bunch of money to chase.

To the hardy survivor of 200 laps go the riches and a winter’s worth checkered-flag memories.

Mike Longton, B.J. Tidrick and Erick Hargraves — all locals — have each found a way to persevere in these October marathons, taking turns winning the last three events. But with the 22nd annual Fall Classic set for this weekend, all three have found the attrition impacts winners, too.

Longton, the defending champion, is breaking in a new car that remains largely untested, ’06 winner Tidrick will be the crew chief for 19-year-old Joey Tanner and ’07 champ Hargraves will indeed jump in a car — but head out of town.

Does that mean the big checks will be handed out to visitors like Pete Harding and Garrett Evans, who dominated the early years of the Fall Classic with seven wins? Not necessarily since Longton thinks he’s not far from hitting the right setup and veteran ace Jeff Jefferson is in the field.

“Last year we had such a good car and we got out front early. It was just about perfect,” recalled Longton, who is coming off a promising Northwest Tour season that was spoiled when that “perfect” car was nearly destroyed. “Now, with the new car, we’re still working out the bugs. I feel like it’s a fine-tuning thing, so we’re close.”

Longton debuted the new car in the Tour’s season finale in Yakima two weeks ago and placed eighth. He’ll get more laps on it Saturday in the 125-lap Limited Late Model race, which precedes Sunday’s featured 200-lapper.

“If I had the same car as last year I’d feel 100 percent more confident,” Longton admitted. “But if we hit the right setup we could win it. While we’re still working some things out, we’re not thinking about a top 10 run, we want to win it again.”

With four consecutive top-five finishes, Tidrick has been the most consistent driver in recent Fall Classics. But high racing costs and a desire to mentor Portland-based Tanner steered him into the pits this season.

“It’s difficult to see someone else race my car, but Joey is someone I trust,” Tidrick said. “I’m OK with it. With what it costs to race these cars — tires, fees, fuel — we had to back off financially this season.”

In Tidrick’s car, Tanner won the Northwest Tour’s rookie of the year award and finished fourth overall.

“We had some good runs and a little bad luck,” Tidrick noted. “This weekend, though, I know we’ve got a good car and a great team. The Fall Classic takes patience — be nice to the car and be nice to the tires. That’s what I’ve learned, and Joey gets that.”

Hargraves is just two years removed from his Fall Classic victory, but the 2009 season has been mostly a forgettable one. He ended up 12th in the NWT standings with a high finish of third, but engine problems and dwindling finances slowed the campaign.

“It’s just been a rough year, just crazy,” he said. “Every time we were in a big race something would break or fall apart. And we just ran out of money to keep fixing it. The car we’re running is 19 years old and that’s probably three-quarters of the problem.”

Hargraves, who hopes to rebuild the car and race a full season in Yakima next year, has always loved the Fall Classic and competed very well in it. Which is why it would be too tough simply to watch.

“I’ve had seven or eight years in a row of winning a trophy, either a main event or trophy dash,” he said. “It’s such a great event, but without being able to race I think I’ll just leave town and see some friends.”

IN THE PITS — This year’s Fall Classic has been reduced from three days to two days, eliminating Friday’s events and the Race of Champions.

Saturday’s lineup will be anchored by the Limited Late Model main event, which for several drivers will be the first race of a weekend doubleheader.

The other divisions include Hobby Stocks, Street Stocks and the Northwest Pro 4’s. After Saturday qualifying, heats and dashes, those main events will precede Sunday’s 200-lap Late Model feature.

• In addition to Longton, Harding and Evans, other former Fall Classic winners in the field are Jeff Barkshire (2005) and Chris Hart (1990). Barkshire hasn’t run the October race here since his win four year ago, but he’s a major threat having recorded two top-five finishes on the NASCAR Camping World West circuit this year.

• Gary Lewis and Jeff Jefferson have combined for seven Northwest Tour titles but neither has won a Fall Classic. Both are in the field and in good form. Lewis capped his fourth NWT championship two weeks ago in Yakima, and Jefferson finished second on the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series.

• History shows that Longton’s pursuit of a repeat will be tough. Only Harding (97-98-99) has won consecutive Fall Classics. Brian Pepper has won the last two Street Stocks races, and Randy Marshall Jr. was last year’s Hobby Stocks winner.

• Gates open both days at 11 a.m. with racing at 1 p.m.

Sprint Cars Head to State Fair Dirt Track

YAKIMA, Wash. — The Fair’s open and the dirt’s flying.

Holding with its annual tradition, the ASCA Northwest Region will stage its sprint-car season finale during the first two days of the Central Washington State Fair today and Saturday.

Admission to State Fair Raceway is free for fairgoers. Racing is scheduled to begin at approximately 6 p.m. each day.

Roger Crockett of Medford, Ore., holds a 60-point lead over Jared Ridge of Snohomish heading into the back-to-back final races.

“We have a little bit of leeway,” Crockett said in a series release. “I’m not going to be too concerned with being conservative. It’s a pretty good track for us. Generally, we do pretty well.”

Last weekend, Crockett won the 360 sprint championship at Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon — his first since claiming the Eugene Speedway title in 1995.

Crockett, 28, has won 22 features, including four Northwest Region races.

Local report — Lewis wraps up ASA Northwest Tour crown

With his lead for the season title in the ASA Northwest Tour down to a single after qualifying, Snohomish’s Gary Lewis grabbed hold of the crown Saturday at the Yakima Speedway.

Lewis won the 150-lap main event, taking the lead on a late restart.

Wenatchee’s Brent Harris, who cut Lewis’ two-point lead in half by being the top qualifier, faded in the main event and finished fourth.

Jared Vorse of Lacey was second and Wenatchee’s Garret Evans finished third. Local drivers Owen Riddle of Naches (fifth), Yakima’s Jeff Jefferson (sixth) and Moxee’s Mike Longton (ninth) also finished in the top 10.

Also winning  season titles were Mel Patnode, who defended his Sportsman title, Zack Beaman winning Rookie of the Year and the Super Streets title and duplicating that feat in the Pure Stocks was Ron Pepper.

The Speedway season concludes Oct. 3-4 with the 22nd annual Fall Classic. Ticket information, entry forms and purse payouts are available at www.YakimaSpeedway.us.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS

At Yakima Speedway

H&H FURNITURE PURE STOCKS

Fast time: Jay Younker 24.295.

A Dash: Ron Pepper, Younker, Jeff Liebert, Terry Cook.

B Dash: Tyson Richter, Rob Allen, Joe Estep, Derek Raptcheff.

Heat: Cook, Younker, Estep, Richter, Allen.

Main: Ron Pepper, Younker, Cook, Liebert, Estep, Allen, Richter.

Lap Leaders: Pepper 1-30.

BURGER RANCH SPORTSMAN

Fast time: Mel Patnode 23.298

Dash: Jeff Stevenson, Thomas Benscoter Sr., Patnode, Don Klang.

Heat: Stevenson, Patnode, Benscoter Sr., Klang, Dan Wilson.

Main: Thomas Benscoter Sr., Patnode, Stevenson, Wilson.

Lap Leaders: Benscoter Sr. 1-3, Patnode 4, Benscoter Sr. 5-20.

RJ’S TIRE FACTORY SUPER STREETS

Fast time: Mike Easley 21.493.

A Dash: Mike Van Amburg, Zack Beaman, Easley, Randy Marshall Jr.

B Dash: Chet Beaman Sr., Dusty John, Andy Beaman, Mike Pepper.

Heat: Dusty John, Marshall Jr., Pepper, Z. Beaman, C. Beaman.

Main: Mike Easley, Van Amburg, Marshall Jr., Z. Beaman, C. Beaman Sr., John, Pepper, A. Beaman.

Lap Leaders: Easley 1-50.

IRACING.COM ASA NW LATE MODEL TOUR

Fast time: Brent Harris 19.112.

Dash: Mike Longton, Owen Riddle, Harris, Gary Lewis.

Main: Gary Lewis, Jared Vorse, Garrett Evans, Harris, Riddle, Jeff Jefferson, Jay Sauls, Longton, Mark Sundberg, James Mugge, Joey Tanner, Christopher Kalsch, Martin Stanwood, Harold Raczynski, Amanda MacDonald, Kelly Mann, Brad Stanwood, Alan Cress, Erick Hargraves, Chris Hart, Zach Niessner, Pete Harding, Shelby Thompson.

Lap Leaders: Evans 1-25, Jefferson 26-47, Lewis 48-56, Jefferson 57-98, Vorse 99-132, Lewis 133-150.

BASEBALL

BBNW Fall League

HANFORD 7-1, TEAM YAKIMA 6-10: At Hanford, Team Yakima split their doubleheader with Hanford in their Fall Ball opener. They lost the first game in eight innings but came back in the nightcap for the victory.

Levonte Allen was the winning pitcher in the second game and struck out five, and teammate Scotty Wilson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Yakima Highlights

Game 1: Jake Monson 2-3, run; Levonte Allen 2-3, RBI; Andrew Richardson 1-2, 2 runs.

Game 2: Josh Kloster 2-4; Jens Jensen 2-4; Scotty Wilson 2-3, 2 runs; Carson Peprea 2b, 2 RBI; Levonte Allen 5 k’s.

9/18/09 This Week on Track

YAKIMA SPEEDWAY

Who’s racing: ASA Northwest Tour season finale, season championships for Super Streets, Pure Stocks and Sportsman.

When: Saturday. Gates open at 4 p.m., racing at 6.

Point leaders — Northwest Tour: Gary Lewis 1055, Brent Harris 1053, Kelly Mann 992. Super Streets: Chet Beaman Sr. 375, Zach Beaman 366, Dusty John 317. Pure Stocks: Ron Pepper 594, Jeff Liebert 559, Jay Younker 558. Sportsman: Mel Patnode 614, Thomas Benscoter Sr. 560, Don Klang 476.

Address: 1600 Pacific Ave., Yakima.

Track information: 248-0647 or www.yakimaspeedway.us

RENEGADE RACEWAY

Next racing: Sept. 26-27. Gamblers Weekend.

Track information: 877-4621 or www.renegaderaceway.com

STATE FAIR RACEWAY

Next racing: Sept. 25-26. ASCA Northwest Region season finale.

Track information: www.yakimaraceway.com

Dexter wins Canadian race

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — Ron Dexter of Selah made the final race of the ARCA West Late Model series a personal highlight, winning the Superseal 150 at the Auto Clearing Motorspeedway.

Dexter started the 24-car race on the outside pole and outdrove Trevor Emond of Alberta to the finish line in the series finale. Brian Johnson Jr. won the eight-race season title, which included six events in Canada and two in Montana.

Local report–Central football moves up

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington’s football team moved up to No. 4 in one national poll and No. 5 in another Tuesday, and quarterback Ryan Robertson has been named GNAC offensive player of the week for his performance in the Wildcats’ most recent win.

The Wildcats (3-0), who host Azusa Pacific on Saturday, equaled their highest ranking in the program’s 11 seasons as an NCAA Division II program in the coaches poll at No. 5 while jumping to No. 4 in the D2Football.com rankings.

Robertson, a redshirt freshman, was 21-for-36 for 256 yards and four touchdowns in CWU’s 34-10 win Saturday over West Texas A&M.

AUTO RACING

D’Amico wins Modifieds title

Duane D’Amico captured the season-ending Modifieds race and also walked off with the season title Saturday night at State Fair Raceway.

The Stock cars division drew the biggest field with nine in the main, which was won by Travis McKinney. John Raney was the season champion.

Other season champs included Wayne Griffith (Hornets) and Peppie Rojas (Bump to Pass).

Modifieds — Heat: Duane D’Amico. Trophy dash: Pat Merritt. Main: Duane D’Amico, Rick Sjogren, Pat Merritt, Eric Zahler, Zane Harris, Larry Buchanan.

Stock cars — Heat 1: Blair Shoemaker. Heat 2: Larry Tracy. Trophy dash: Travis McKinney. Main: Travis McKinney, John Raney, Steve Latt, Vaile Thompson, Dylan Dow, Bryan Corrigan, Brent Townley, Brice Carter, Dan Howard.

Hornets — Heat: Eric Carver. Trophy dash: Eric Carver. Main: Eric Carver, Sylvia Stahl, Randy Raney, Justin Tracy, Wayne Griffith, Mark Stahl.

Bump to Pass — Heat 1: Merle Stiltner. Heat 2: Julie McAlpin. Trophy dash: Brian Tracy.

Jalopy Race — Main: Bobby Trujillo, Matt Chapple, Daric Shoemaker, Jason Trujillo, Peppie Rojas.

Division champions

Stock cars: 1. John Raney; 2. Blair Shoemaker; 3. Larry Tracy. Modifieds: 1. Duane D’Amico; 2. Rick Sjogren; 3. Pat Merritt. Hornets: 1. Wayne Griffith; 2. Sylvia Stahl; 3. Kristi Tracy. Bump to Pass: 1. Peppie Rojas; 2. Merle Stiltner; 3. Bobby Trujillo.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

YVCC to host scouts Thursday

Yakima Valley Community College’s baseball team will hold a scout day Thursday at Parker Field for various regional pro scouts and cross checkers, coach Ken Wilson has announced.

The Yaks will divide their squad into two teams for the scouts and will begin performing at noon.

Wilson also said representatives from the Parker Youth & Sports Foundation will present the program with a donation.

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