The weather forcast for May 2nd showed up at ERP Saturday night, May 9th and the rain delayed opening day started with sunshine and mid 70’s for Jerry’s Auto Supply Night! ERP has installed a nice transpoder system that works well and really helps the staff keep track of who is where. Car counts were good and a nice crowd was on hand for a truely fun evening of racing that began with Trophy dashes. The winners were:
Big Car- #95 Chris McCart, Ephrata
B Hornet- # Kyle Reed, Wenatchee
A Hornet- #37 Derrick Kapalo, Ephrata
B Mini Stock- #52 Dave Macken
A Mini Stock- #7 Adam Smith, Moses Lake
B Street Stock- #82 Daniel Hector, Ephrata
A Street Stock- #1 Mitch Kleyn, Quincy
B Hobby- #1x Richy Micus, Renton
A Hobby- #76 Pat Canady, Ephrata
As the track cooled off throughout the evening, racers readjusted their cars and themselves to be smoother, and everyone was getting around the quarter mile oval much better. The heat races proved that local short track racing isn’t much different than the top series we watch on TV. Lots of rubbin as racers try to work their way to the front made for a great night to be in the stands! Here’s the heat winners:
Hornet- #37 Derrick Kapalo, Ephrata
B Mini- #52 Dave Macken
A Mini- #88 Jeff Hector, Ephrata
B Street- #6 Troy Lannoye, Ephrata
A Street- #82 Daniel Hector, Ephrata
B Hobby- #25 John Klinginsmith, Marysville
A Hobby- #1x Richy Micus, Renton
After witnessing the fun during the heats, personally, I couldn’t wait for the Main Events to start. Good racing with a few cars for a few laps is great to watch, putting lots of cars out there for lots of laps can only be better! The Hornet main saw it’s share of dented sheetmetal as the faster cars made their way to the front. Evans, Ingram, Reed and Dallas White all raced hard, taking turns in the lead as Lance White slowly worked his way to, and through the lead pack to eventually take the win.
1st- #42 Lance White, Ephrata
2nd- #09 Dallas White, Royal City
3rd- #07 Josh Ingram, Wen
4th- #1 Charlie Larr, Ephrata
5th- #08 Kyle Reed, Wen
6th- #17 Larry Powell, Soap Lake
7th- #39 Evan Evans, Moses Lake
8th- #32 Terry McGraw, East Wen
9th- DNS- #37 Derrick Kapalo, Ephrata
The Mini Stocks Main was about staying out of trouble and making it to the end. Samatha Todd, the 18 year old 2nd year racer, started on the pole next to Bobby Baker, who started racing in 1971. Both ended up on the DNF list and before long Jeramy and Eddie Razey, Smith, last years champ Macken, Brown and Krieder took shots at the lead while Jeff Hector slowly worked his way forward. Soon it was Hector out front on a restart with Doug Brown on his bumper. Ten laps later, Brown’s tires had enough and Hector pulled away for the win.
1st- #88 Jeff Hector, Ephrata
2nd- #81 Doug Brown, Ephrata
3rd- #21 Jeff Krieder, Coulee City
4th- #18 Jeramy Razey, Moses Lake
5th- #52 Dave Macken
6th- #19 Eddie Razey, Ephrata
7th- #65 Robert Martin, Moses Lake
8th- #6 Kerrigan Clark, Moses Lake
9th- #7 Adam Smith, Moses Lake
10th- #07 Brian Lopes
11th- #44 Bobby Baker
12th- #71 Justin Dunagan, Ephrata
13th- #13 Samantha Todd, Odessa
Add 4 more cylinders, a lot more horsepower and drivers anxious to prove themselves on opening night and you have great racing and 4 DNF’s for the Street Stocks! Josh Hector and heat race winner Troy Lannoye started up front and Troy had no problem pulling away while the rest raced hard. As Lannoye drove under a caution flag, he slowed then pulled into the pits, soon returning, then departing with more problems. By this time, Kleyn, Morrison, Bretches, Stewart, Kirk and trophy dash and heat winner Daniel Hector were wrapped up in a great battle for the lead. All drove good races, but the smooth and steady Hector made it a 3 win night.
1st- #82 Daniel Hector, Ephrata
2nd- #64 Ron Stewart, Moses Lake
3rd- #1 Mitch Kleyn, Quicy
4th- #4 Brad Morrison, Moses Lake
5th- #41 Sam Todd, Odessa
6th- #9 Randy Pugh, Moses Lake
7th- #84 Josh Hector, Ephrata
8th- #6 Troy Lannoye, Ephrata
9th- #21 Skyler Lessman, Ephrata
10th- #12 Rick Bretches, Quincy
11th- #77 Robert Kirk, Wen
The Thundering Hobbies Challenge pits the Thunder Cars from WVSO against ERP’s Hobby class, and the racers made a statement Saturday night. This class is one you need to watch, the racing is that good! Toss in a small rivalry and fun is the result! Both sides have places on the track where they are faster than the competition, so bumpers take a beating. But the cars are built to take it, with several bouncing off walls and continuing on without repairs and finishing well. The perfect example was Russ Kain. His #6 Camaro spun out, had several run-ins with others but kept pushing forward, as other racers tires began to fall off, Russ was able to drive around everyone and win the event. Josh Mckenzie and Neil Nelson’s night went the same way and they finished right behind Kain. Crowd pleaser Pat Canady was pushed back in the pack several times, but kept fighting his way close to the front all race long. While nearly the entire field held their line on the bottom, the veteran Vern Huson steadily passed the field on the outside and finally battled for the lead, only to have something go wrong with the 77 car, and to the pits he went. Can’t wait for the next Challenge!
1st- #6 Russ Kain, Wen
2nd- #34 Josh Mckenzie, Wen
3rd- #42 Neil Nelson, George
4th- #7 Mike Sims, Wen
5th- #76 Pat Canady, Ephrata
6th- #25 John Klinginsmith, Marysville
7th- #83 Patrick Lyons, Wen
8th- #1x Richy Micus, Renton
9th- #79 Glen Hector
10th- #15 ?
11th- #18 Jason Ray, Ephrata
12th- #42x Bill Harvey, Wen
13th- #29 John Gouze, Wen
14th- #77 Vern Huson, Wen
15th- #59 Mark Bush, Wen
Most of you have seen bump to pass, the Big Cars at ERP throw a large tire onto the track to make it more fun! First car or truck to push said tire accross the finish line wins! Saturday night was the very first time Randy Melton was ever on a racetrack, and you couldn’t tell! The Moses Lake driver placed second in the trophy dash, saw his chance to hit the tire square and it caught his bumper and held on as he drove accross the finish line, twice! Also racing were Jay Kimble from Moses Lake, Lance White from Ephrata, Chris McCart from Ephrata and Jeramy Block from Ephrata. Thanks for the fun guys!
After many years of sitting in the stands for opening day at ERP, it was great to be a part of the show and I look forward to a summer of more!!!!! Saturday May 16th, racing will feature the Pro 4 Trucks, Youth Hornets, Mini Stocks and 360 Sprint Cars. Also, it’s 3 dog nite! Gates open at 5, racing at 6, hope to see you there!
Announcer, Keith Danson, ERP
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