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<< Previous   of   Next >> Courtesy Tom Hughs  (click to enlarge) Dan Boys, of Aldershot, England, and girlfriend Sarah Clark stand next to the super stock car he rented to race at Evergreen Speedway on May 10 in Monroe, Wash.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, May 11, 2008 Evergreen Speedway notes: English driver returns to Monroe By Scott Whitmore Herald Writer MONROE — There was no doubt who won the “long haul” award on Saturday at Evergreen Speedway. Given to the driver who had traveled the longest distance to race, Dan Boys of Aldershot, England, won it hands down. Traveling with girlfriend Sarah Clark, Boys took a holiday from his job with Symantec, the maker of Norton Anti-Virus software, and came to Evergreen to race a late model in the super stock division. This is the fourth straight year that Boys has made the trip to Monroe to race. Why come all the way to Washington state when there are many tracks on the East Coast, closer to home, with similar programs? “I don’t know anyone there,” Boys said with a smile. “(Here) I know the track and I know the people.” The 28-year-old Boys has been racing for 10 years, mostly open-wheel cars in England. He met Evergreen super stock driver Tom Hughs some years ago while racing in Idaho, and the two have kept in contact. With Hughs letting him know when a car is available for rent — this year Boys will be driving Tom Mathews’ No. 38 super stock — Boys schedules his vacation, or holiday, and comes to Evergreen to race. “Everyone knows everyone, its like a big family,” Boys said of Evergreen Speedway. “It sounds cheesy, I know, but its definitely an attraction for coming here.” Boys and Clark, who works in human resources for Innovex, will travel to Vancouver, B.C. during the week and return to the speedway on May 17 for his second and final race of the year. In England, Boys raced open-wheel Formula Ford cars. He said there were very few local tracks similar to Evergreen Speedway, and outside of a few touring or sport car series, all the racing was open-wheel. Boys said fans of NASCAR are few in England — he likened it to a “cult following.” He went on to say, with a grimace, that some of his countrymen believe the Tom Cruise movie “Days of Thunder” is an accurate depiction of American stock car racing. Asked which he racing preferred, open-wheel or late model, he didn’t hesitate. “I would love to drive a Formula One car,” Boys said. “Outside the U.S. everywhere else in the world follows Formula One — that is the pinnacle.” In honor of Boys, “God Save the Queen” was played in addition to the Canadian and U.S. anthems at the beginning of the evening’s racing program. Memorial lap: Before the evening’s races there was a memorial lap and moment of silence in honor of Harry Deegan. Deegan, a veteran of 20 years in the U.S. Navy and 27 years with the Post Office, was well-known at Evergreen Speedway. He helped found the Figure Eight Auto Racing (FEAR) club and raced in the foreign stock division for 22 years. He also helped found the Washington Association of Demolition Drivers and served as an official and flagman at Spanaway Speedway. Deegan died of lung cancer on Dec. 2, 2007, leaving behind his wife, Barbara Sue Deegan, six children, seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He was 71. “Harry loved a good door-to-door race,” track announced Kelly Hale said during the tribute. “Even if it was for last place.” Hale also related the story of Deegan’s first racing adventure. While serving in the Navy in 1957 in California, Deegan was offered the chance to drive a sprint car in a heat race. He ended up flipping the car. What Deegan didn’t know was his superior officer was in the crowd. The following Monday, Deacon was called before his superior officer and ordered not race again while on active duty. If he did, Deacon was told, he would be court-martialed for endangering government property. Birthday boys: Defending mini-stock champion Chuck Richard and former champion Mark Weedin are good friends in addition to being fierce competitors. Weedin’s 46th birthday was on May 4, and Richard turned 40 on May 5. Although this year was an exception, Weedin said the past few seasons the two would be racing on the birthday of one of them. “It seems we always have a little extra something to go for,” Weedin said. “One year (Richard) offered me money to let him win.” It’s your hobby, not mine: Right before qualifying for the mini-stock main, Weedin declared he wanted to set the track record and felt he had the car to do it. Weedin said the last time the mini-stocks raced, on April 12 for the season-opener, his fastest lap was 18.93. But then he looked doubtful about that number, and turning to his wife, he asked for confirmation. “I don’t have this stuff memorized,” Kim Weedin replied with a shake of her head. Don’t worry, be happy: Bomber division driver Darrel Lutovsky has had a rough start to the season. But on Saturday night Lutovksy was all smiles in the pits before the heat races. Why the change? “Just because I can’t do anything else,” Lutovsky said. “We’re going to have a good night … we had a rough start but the pressure’s off so I’m going to have fun.” Last week he didn’t finish the feature main, and on Saturday night he waved off a question about his finishes in the previous two races, saying “Don’t bother.” Home of the mini-stocks? 2007 mini-stock rookie of the year Kris Harriss and his wife, and fellow racer, Mindy Harriss picked the home they live in because of the large garage and workshop. It seems now that garage has become somewhat of a mini-stock central. Travis Bliven of Marysville and Jon Roberts of Bothell, two drivers returning to race in the mini-stocks, built their cars in the Harriss’ spacious garage. Bliven, who works with defending champion Richard, had raced in the mini-stock division for four years but took last season off. Roberts last raced in 2004. At one time low car counts negatively impacted the mini-stock division, but both drivers said they were pleased with the division’s growth. Family affair, take two:Mini-stock driver Rod Helmuth drives the No. 05 Volkswagon Beetle. “I’m an old-school guy,” Helmuth said. “This is what I started out with.” Helmuth’s daughter, Jade Baumann, who just turned 16, drove the No. 06 mini-stock on Saturday, and finished third in the B main. Because Aren Loiser decided to take the trophy instead of move up to the A main, Baumann was able to move up. Helmuth said it took him a month-and-a-half to put Baumann’s car together. Next up? A car for his other daughter to race. Cool cats: The national anthems of England, Canada and the United States were performed Saturday night by the Monroe High School Jazz Cats. The Jazz Cats also gave the command to start engines before the super stock feature main.

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