Before we get started, let me say that this Saturday is also championship night at Skagit Speedway. Thanks to Kelly Hart for reminding me and sending in a preview, which you can read RIGHT HERE.
Also, don’t forget our two local drivers, Tayler Malsam and Carl Skerlong, will be in action this weekend.
Skerlong, of Mukilteo, Wash., will be taking part in the inaugural Atlantic Championship race at the New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sunday.
Malsam, originally from Sammamish but now living in Mill Creek, Wash., will be in Indiana for the ARCA RE/MAX Series Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 at Salem Speedway.
OK — preliminaries are done, so let’s move on.
I have no clue.
Just thought I’d let you know that right of the get-go.
This Saturday at Evergreen Speedway the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state championship is up for grabs, as the Super Stock division races 125 laps.
Defending champion John Zaretzke and current leader Naima Lang are separated by 16 points. The arguments for and against each are:
— For Lang: (1) Having a breakthrough season, with seven feature wins including his first-ever in the division; and (2) Has run very well on the five-eighths mile oval, with a dominating win and an oh-so-close second-place. Against Lang: (1) Sometimes it’s harder to be the one chased and he’s had a target on his back nearly all season; and (2) he’s been in a mini-slump, with no wins since Aug. 2.
— For Zaretzke: (1) He is peaking at the right time, with three straight wins and five victories in past six features races including one at South Sound Speedway; and (2) a three-time track champion and first-ever Washington NASCAR champion, he knows what it takes to win titles. Against Zaretzke: (1) The hard work his team put in getting Zaretzke back to victory stage hasn’t been tested yet on the five-eighths mile oval; and (2) he needs to finish nine places ahead of Lang to repeat as state champion.
I think Jason Fraser, who edged Lang for the victory in the first five-eighths event this season in late June — the same race that featured seven solid laps of door-to-door racing between the two — will play a major role in how things play out.
I’ve heard from one person that Fraser — who is good friends with Lang and shares car setup magician Jesse Jensen with him — may block Zaretzke to help Lang.
I don’t think that will happen. I don’t know Fraser very well, but from the few talks we’ve had I think he will be trying so hard to win that helping anyone else out will be far from his mind.
This is looking to be a great race, and one I’m definitely looking forward to watching.
But who’ll win? I’ve got no clue.
The Chase is on! From here on out the reward will be to the driver who is the most consistent, so the early money is off Kyle Busch, right?
I don’t think so.
As someone once said, I don’t think “Rowdy” knows what he doesn’t know, so he’s not going to over-think things. He’ll continue to do what he’s been doing, which was good enough for eight Cup wins.
And I think he’ll let everyone else know that he’s not going away anytime soon with a pair of victories in New Hampshire: in the Craftsman Truck race on Saturday and the Cup race on Sunday.
How upset do you think Lewis Hamilton is? After all, he won the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend only to have Formula One officials take the victory away by penalizing him for cutting across a turn.
That dropped Hamilton to third, and put Felipe Massa, who was awarded the victory, just two points back in the championship standings.
McLaren has appealed the penalty, but in the meantime I think Hamilton is mad enough that he’s going to win the Italian Grand Prix early Sunday morning at Monza.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
