A field of former sprint-car champions will compete this week at Skagit Speedway to crown a new title-holder.
Drivers from the Northwest Sprint Challenge Series (NSCS) will make their second and final appearance of the season at the Alger track, racing alongside local competitors in the 18th annual 360 Nationals on Friday and Saturday.
The two-day race concludes the annual NSCS Northwest Speed Week, a nine-day, seven-race event that began at Gray’s Harbor Raceway and will end at Skagit for the first time.
“This event will bring together champions from many different organizations and events, from Skagit, the Dirt Cup and the (NSCS),” Skagit owner Steve Beitler said. “This field is one of the stoutest for the 360 Nationals in some time.”
Defending 360 National champion Travis Rutz will be joined by fellow Skagit racers – and former track champions – Steve Kilcup, Barry Martinez and Travis Jacobson will compete for the $10,000 winner’s share of the $60,000 purse.
Former 360 National champion and current NSCS points leader Roger Crockett leads a strong field of out-of-towners, including two-time Dirt Cup champion Jonathon Allard from Chico, Calif., former Dirt Cup champion Shane Stewart from Bixby, Okla., and Canadians Jeff Hodgson and Marc Dupperon.
Drivers will compete on Friday – earning points for qualifying times, 10-lap heat races and three mains – that will be used to set the field for Saturday’s events. Gates open at 6 p.m. on Friday and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.
The top 16 drivers after Friday qualify for Saturday’s A main, with Nos. 17-32 locked into the B main and Nos. 33-48 in the C main. The top four drivers in the C main will move up and the top six in the B main will advance.
Drivers outside the top 48 in points on Saturday will compete in a last-chance main for four starting spots in the C main.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday with the opening ceremony set for 7:30 p.m.
“The fans are definitely going to see some great racing on both nights,” Beitler said.
Also at the end of Saturday night’s A main event the NSCS Northwest Speedweek champion will be announced and presented an additional $2,000 in prize money.
Skagit Speedway will host the first annual 360 Nationals tailgate party from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday at the track. Fans can meet the drivers, see their cars and enjoy music and food.
Rain outs: Racing at both Skagit and Evergreen Speedway in Monroe was rained out this past weekend.
Beitler said the weather turned at Skagit just as cars were set to take to the track for practice laps, ruining the efforts of the track maintenance crew who worked hard to get the surface ready for racing.
Fans at Evergreen – from the safety of seats in the covered grandstand – enjoyed a truck demolition derby.
Evergreen has full night of racing planned: Variety is on the schedule this Saturday at Evergreen Speedway.
The top-tier NASCAR Whelen All American Series super stocks and third-tier mini-stocks are set to run in addition to the hornets and both classes of figure-eight cars, the super figure eights and the stinger eights.
Maintenance and officiating crews will be kept busy as fans can expect to see racing on three, and possibly four, different tracks at the Monroe speedway.
In addition to the figure-eight races, the super stocks will run on the big five-eighths mile oval and the mini-stocks on the three-eights mile oval. The hornets may run on the Evergreen road course, or join the mini-stocks on the smaller oval.
Point leaders
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at Evergreen Speedway: Super stocks-1. John Zaretzke 290, 2. Naima Lang 230, 3. Shane Harding 228, 4. Roger Habich 222, 5. Darin Stordahl 214; Bombers-1. Jill Lang 546, 2. Darrel Lutovsky 543, 3. Lane Sundholm 539, 4. Jim Foti 538, 5. Craig Rowalt 528; Mini-stocks-1. Chuck Richard 345, 2. Mark Weedin 334, 3. Joe Hobbs 338, 4. Kris Harriss 310, 5. Bob Edwards 276.
Skagit Speedway: 410 sprints-1. Brock Lemley 882, 2. Barry Martinez 862, 3. Danny Bullock 774, 4. Josh Edson 736, 5. Steve Kilcup 685; 360 sprints-1. Steve Kilcup 887, 2. Jason Bloodgood 855, 3. Rod Perkins 852, 4. Cory Chamberlain 838, 5. Danny Kirkpatrick 825; Sportsman sprints-1. Kevin Smith 950, Eric Fisher 918, 3. Kelleigh Johnson 868, 4. Glen Reinstra 819, 5. Matt Vandersys 807.
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