In perhaps the best race, in a year of great racing, Pat Bliss managed a narrow and hotly contested win over the always tough Evan Margeson.
Once again the weather man kept all at the track guessing, however odds looked more favorable than had been the case in several races past, and that proved to be true as the light shower that fell early and hardly got the pavement wet, and was the only major threat of the day. It was good to see Glen Seidelman make the race after being able to repair major damage incurred at Ephrata two weeks earlier. Missing was Steve Hughes who had worked hard to get his Beast/Fontana #12 ready , bought an enclosed trailer, then sadly, came down with the flu. We all missed him and wish him a quick recovery and a lot of racing fun in the weeks to come. Allen Dixon was very disappointed to learn that neither of his cars would make the race after both had also absent two weeks earlier, at his own home track in Ephrata. Dixon has put a lot of thought and money into making this a supportive team for WMRA and all in the race club are hoping that his efforts will be successful in the remaining races of 2011.
The #98 of Pat Bliss was the second car on the track to take an official timed lap and it was a good one, quick enough to earn him fastest qualifier of the evening. Evan Margeson's car died as he took the green flag, a trip to the pits and a single timed lap after all other cars had qualified resulted in second fast time for the evening. Skeet Flake sat in the Churchill #79 and had his car slow and coast to a stop when the motor quit on him as he took the green flag, never to restart all evening.
A trophy dash for the Canadian drivers led off, and a surprising Billy bell got the lead at the start and was able to eke out a narrow win over McKenzie and Globe.
In the "A" dash Snake Livernash beat the crowd into turn one and never relinquished the lead.
The single heat consisted of the eight cars that remained competitive. From outside row one, Cole Tupling squeaked into the first turn as the leader, he was able to hold the position for two and a half laps and then hard charging Evan Margeson got by him going into turn three, he held the lead for three laps, then the car slowed and stopped going into turn one, he was pushed into the pits where it was learned that battery problems were the cause. When the green was waved Tupling took the lead, but it was precarious, Pat Bliss was all over him. In five clean extremely close laps of racing, Tupling managed to stay in front and pick up the win.
Cole Tupling sat on the pole for the start of the "A" main, Evan Margeson made a fast, clean charge from his fifth starting position to take the lead as the field crossed the starting line at the end of lap one. He was followed by Tupling, Bliss, Globe, McKenzie, Livernash, Crutcher, and Bell. Bliss pressured Margeson and got by, as the two touched, with neither driver flinching, or being adversely affected. But to say he got by, is not to say that Margeson gave up, by no means, as he attempted challenge after challenge, but to no avail, the Maples #98 performed flawlessly. Lap twenty one saw Billy Bell exit with a broken shock mount, five laps later Troy Globe exited with low oil pressure, the the final blow for the Brian Globe cars was when the #41 of McKenzie stalled on the track with drive line problems. When the green was again waved, Margeson made a tremendous start and actually drew along side Bliss going down the front strait, but Bliss maintained his slim lead only to receive more challenges from Margeson. It was only the final lap that Bliss got a lead of perhaps a car length and a half when the fans knew he would end up winning the event.
Qualifying: 1. Pat Bliss, Maples #98 - 12:655 2. Evan Margeson, Beal #50 - 12:700 3. Snake Livernash, Livernash #13 - 13:037 4. Kris McKenzie, Globe #41 - 13:155 5. Troy Globe, Globe #11 - 13:348 6. Cole Tupling, Seidelman #4 - 13:430 7. Brian Crutcher, Voss #45 - 13:555 8. Billy Bell, Globe #55 - 13:591 9. Skeet Flake, Churchill #79 - took green flag, stalled on track.
Kris McKenzie leads Cole Tupling by 33 points, each ran well in the last race but both dropped out during the event with mechanical woes. Missing was the ailing Steve Hughes who now has to guard against Brian Crutcher who had an excellent race, finishing fourth in the Main and has closed up to within 55 points of third ranking Hughes. Bobby Dempsey who has shown well each time out, was left high and dry as his car failed to appear and Billy Bell is now only 37 points behind him. There are five race dates remaining on the schedule, but one will be a "double header" at Wenatchee with no heats, and two main events, each paying enough points so it will be, in effect, a double points night. This is the event none of the rookies will want to miss, it could make or break any ones chances!
1. Kris McKenzie 583
2. Cole Tupling 550
3. Steve Hughes 401
4. Brian Crutcher 346
5. Bobby Dempsey 256
6. Billy Bell 219