ALGER, Wash. — It started out as a race called Thunder In The Valley, back in 1990, a reason to give the 360 sprint cars a race to call their own. After all, the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup had an 18-year head start on them at Skagit Speedway.
Today it is called the Bobʼs Burgers and Brew 360 Nationals and this year the 19th annual event will be Friday and Saturday, Aug. 1-2. It is one of the highest paying non-sanctioned purses that 360 sprint car racers will run for on the West Coast in 2008, with the winner taking home $10,000 out of an overall purse of $60,000.
Over the span of the first 18 years, some very popular and famous drivers have etched their name in the Skagit Speedway record books.
Previous winners of the event include one of Skagit Speedwayʼs all-time most winning drivers, Marc Huson, who won the first event in 1990 and came out of retirement to win it again in 2005. Steve Kent and Jason Solwold are three-time winners. Rick Fauver and Jay Smith are two-time winners.
Other nationally known drivers including Roger Crockett, Shane Stewart and Chad Hillier are winners of the event. Travis Rutz won in 2006 and other single winners include Jamie Cobby and Bobby Burrow.
This year the only past champions in the field are expected to be Rutz and Rick Fauver. Rutz sent a clear message to the field that he is playing to win, as he won both the 360 and Outlaw 410 main events at last week’s Skagit Speedway 2008 Foothills Toyota Tundra Racing Series event.
Fauver recently returned to competition in a new car with a new number F1 but historically is very fast in any car he jumps into.
There may be more than 50 cars at this yearʼs event, with Jayme Barnes trying to become the first driver in history to win Dirt Cup and 360 Nationals in the same year. Former 360 Nationals podium finisher Barry Martinez will race a 360 sprint for the first time this year and two-time defending 360 sprint champion Steve Kilcup is also in the field.
Ticket information and other details for the Bobʼs Burgers and Brew 360 Nationals are available online at www.SkagitSpeedway.com .
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