Saturday night is the Midseason Championship at Evergreen Speedway, including the super stocks running on the five-eighths mile oval — the “big track” — for the first time this year.
Also slated to race Saturday night are the bomber, mini-stock, super figure eight and stinger eight divisions.
Below you’ll find a breakdown for the top four divisions, including points leaders, race winners, biggest surprises, what to watch for, upcoming schedules and my predictions for the rest of the season.
The local racing season at Evergreen Speedway started out great, with an — at the time — unseasonably warm night on April 12 and large car counts. The preseason promise to “throw races at fans left and right” looked like a good one.
Some of the best action seen this year has come in the heat races, newly installed at the start of the evening’s program.
But, as the season progressed the weather definitely hampered things, and there were some hiccups that seemed to slow the racing program down, often to a painful crawl.
New this year, double-file restarts have gotten a lot of attention. Not because of the racing, exactly, but because it has sometimes seemed like herding the cars into the correct order takes more laps than the races are scheduled to run.
At one point, track officials said the drivers were to blame by dragging feet or ignoring directions, and the drivers countered by saying track officials weren’t making correct decisions or giving them the line-up in a timely fashion.
The good news is the last set of races, on June 21, went much smoother and quicker, although the few cautions may have had more to do with that than anything else. Still, I’m optimistic that a corner has been turned and the rough patch has passed.
I like the heat races where they are, and I like the double-file restarts. If the weather continues to cooperate, and the procedural hiccups have indeed been smoothed out, the racing should only get better and more exciting down the stretch.
Top 10 in points: 1. Naima Lang, 433; 2. John Zaretzke, -5; 3. Mike Holden, -8; 4. Jeff Knight, -36; 5. James Mugge, -38; 6. Steve Ptacek, -59; 7. Tom Hughs, -66; 8. Scott LaCross, -89; 9. Daniel Moore, -132; 10. Fred Hall, -159.
Winners: Naima Lang has five wins, and Jeff Knight, Kelly Mann, and Shane Harding each have one.
Biggest surprise: Three-time and defending champion John Zaretzke does not have a victory yet his year. His three second-place finishes and strong runs in heat races have kept him just 5 points behind Naima Lang.
What to watch for: The battle for the championship looks to be between Lang and Zaretzke, although a run of poor finishes by either could put sophomore racer Mike Holden in position for an upset. Holden has run near the front throughout the season, and is just 8 points behind Lang.
Another factor that could impact the run to the title is the infrequent presence of non-points racers like Kelly Mann, Jason Fraser and Shane Harding. Mann and Harding already have wins this year, and Fraser usually runs well at Evergreen.
My prediction: I picked Lang to win the title at the start of the season, and I’ll stick with that now.
Upcoming schedule: July 12, 26 (Washington 500); Aug. 2, 16, 23, 30 (double-header); Sept. 13 (Washington State Championship; 20 (Northwest big-track Championship).
Top 10 in points: 1. John Carlson, 347; Nick Gunderson, -44; 3. Troy Seminar, -87; 4. Rickey Deitz, -88; 5. Doug Delfel, -101; 6. Bill Wade, -122; 7. Jerry Funden, -127; 8. Ryan Gunderson, -128; 9. Jake Repin, -164; 10. Nick Dunham, -179.
Winners: John Carlson has four wins and Nick Gunderson, Ricky Deitz, and Doug Delfel each have one.
Biggest surprise: It’s not a huge surprise that two-time and defending champion John Carlson is out front, but the margin of his lead may be. Although another race may be added to the schedule to make up for the July 5 event canceled to support a supermoto event, there isn’t a lot of time for other drivers to cut the gap if Carlson continues to run well.
What to watch for: Carlson could very well sew up his third title by the end of August. He said from victory stage on June 21 that his personal best for season victories was seven; he may improve on that this season.
But don’t count Nick Gunderson out. He said before the June 21 race that he wanted to be the first super figure eight driver to win a NASCAR ring — Evergreen drivers formerly in the Figure Eight Auto Racing (FEAR) club were required to join NASCAR this season.
If Carlson has a run of bad luck, Gunderson could be in position to make that happen.
My prediction: Carlson looks too strong at this point. It’s amazing how he and Ricky Deitz always start in the rear, yet magically appear at the front of the pack.
Upcoming schedule: July 12, 19; Aug. 16, 23 (Figure Eight Nationals); Sep. 6, 27 (Northwest Short Track Championship). Note: a race may be added to make up for the July 5 event canceled to support supermoto.
Top 10 in points: 1. Jim Foti, 432; 2. Lane Sundholm, -12; 3. Jill Lang, -42; 4. (tie) Casey Branch, -46/Frank Cowgill, -46; 6. Travis Blackwood, -48; 7. Joe Kneeland, -49; 8. Darrel Lutovsky, -55; 9. Russ Hales, -56; 10. Shawn Carlson, -117.
Winners: Jill Lang and Travis Blackwood have two wins apiece, with Jim Foti, Joe Kneeland, Clark Casey and Jerry Head each having one.
Biggest surprise: Finding defending champion Lane Sundholm near the top of the points list. Sundholm, who hasn’t found victory stage yet, has torn up some sheet metal this season. Still, those wrecks usually seem to happen during heat races, when points aren’t as important, and he runs strong in the main events.
What to watch for: The bombers have been a lot of fun to watch this season, with a lot of “short-track racing” every time they take the track. Expect the bumping and dumping to continue, which may benefit the smooth and steady Jim Foti, the current points leader.
But don’t count out No. 2 Sundholm or No. 3 Jill Lang, who was in the lower half of the top 10 just a few races ago after a “wreckers or checkers” first half. Former champion Travis Blackwood joins Lang as the only multiple winners this season, and is just a few points behind her even with a DNF on June 21.
My prediction: My early-season pick was Darrel Lutovsky, but I seem to have jinxed him as he has had a run of bad luck. This division is wide open, but I’m going to say history will be made again when Jill Lang joins her husband as a title winner at Evergreen.
Upcoming schedule:July 12, 26 (Washington 500); Aug. 2, 16, 23, 30 (NASCAR Night); Sep. 6, 27 (Northwest Short Track Championship). Note: a race may be added to make up for the July 5 event canceled to support supermoto.
Top 10 in points: 1. Mark Weedin, 277; 2. Chuck Richard, -4; 3. Andrew Schukar, -49; 4. Dale Creager, -74; 5. Brent Rohrer, -76; 6. Bob Edwards, -86; 7. Kris Harriss, -101; 8. Michael Fritz, -113; 9. Joe Hobbs, -121; 10. Rod Helmuth, -124.
Winners: Mark Weedin has four wins and Brent Rohrer has one.
Biggest surprise: After a tough-luck season in 2007, former champion Mark Weedin came into this season eager to race and win. That none of the other drivers has had anything to match Weedin is a bit puzzling, as the division is deep with talent.
What to watch for: The mini-stocks are always a good show, so anytime they run is worth watching. Weedin probably won’t win them all, and defending champion Chuck Richard and 2007 rookie of the year Kris Harriss are overdue to climb victory stage.
My prediction: I picked Weedin to win the title before the season started and I’ll stand by that. I believe Richard will make a run at him, but it will be too late.
Upcoming schedule:July 12, 19; Aug. 16, 30 (NASCAR Night); Sep. 6, 27 (Northwest Short Track Championship).
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