By Mare Easley WCSSS Media
The 46th Annual Apple Cup at Yakima Speedway will feature the Cars and
Stars of the West Coast Street Stock Series on April 14th and 15th. This
traveling group with race teams from all over the Western region will
start their eight race championship season with a 60 Lap Apple Cup Main
Event.
Although Yakima is 2011 WCSSS Season
Champion and defending Apple Cup Winner Mel Patnode’s home track, it
does not appear to be a cakewalk for the Selah Washington veteran in
2012. The bar has been raised and the teams have had a busy winter
preparing their hot rods. Nearly 30 Teams have already given notice that
they are ready to go racing.
“We have had inquiries from all over,
the economy has picked up and people want to race their Street Stocks”.
WCSSS Director Mike Easley stated. “New cars have been built for this
class bringing some great young talent, along with the veterans that
have been the mainstay of traveling Street Stock Racing”.
Goodyear
Tire “Rookie of the Year” competitors include Josh Childress of
Wenatchee, Darrin Goetz of Okanogan, Brad Morrison of Moses Lake, Bart
Hector Jr of Ephrata, Dan Walker of Longview, Scott Rupert of Spokane,
Wes Sayre of Portland, Barry Mueller of Yakima and Steve Woods of Graham
among others. “All these guys are top notch drivers and bring a LOT to
our show.”
Also expected are Yakima area drivers Todd Connell, John
Fortenberry, Andy Beaman, Terry Cook, Rich Peters, Zack Beaman, and
Chris Hart. Shane Brim and Josh Ingram from Wenatchee are both very good
at Yakima’s half mile oval. Then there is the Moses Lake Posse, led by
veteran wheel man and 2011 WCSSS Main Event Winner Ron Stewart. He
brings a big smile and just about the entire town with him when he goes
racing. His friends Randy Pugh, Kelly Hellewell and Bill Rutherford
compliment this group of gentlemen racers. Bryon Goetz tows from
Okanogan each race for the love of the sport, and after finishing 2nd
the last two Yakima Speedway Fall Classics he thinks his new Race Car
will just be the ticket for that elusive first Yakima Win. Also expected
include Kip Elliott of Spokane and Gary Flammang of Everett both 2011
WCSSS Main Event Winners.
The long tow awards will have to go to
either Vern Morgan of Kalispell or Curt Adams of Port Angeles. Mike
Saylors of Tumwater is also expected along with long time West Richland
competitor Brian Teschler.
The West Coast Street Stock Series
continues on May 12th @ Stateline Speedway, June 9th @Evergreen
Speedway, back to Yakima for a July 7th date, South Sound Speedway July
28th, Wenatchee Valley Super Oval August 11th, The Dennis Smitham
Memorial on September 1st @ South Sound and conclude with our
Championship race September 8th @ Spokane County Raceway.
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