What could be better to cap off a week of great weather than a weekend chock full of racing? This is another of those weekends where whatever type of racing you’re into — ovals, dirt, asphalt, late-models, sprints, drag racing, open-wheel, national, international or local — you can scratch that itch.
LOCAL
At Evergreen Speedway the Super Late Model division will race in the first of two doubleheaders — “Let’s play two,” as Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks would say — scheduled for this season. Joining the late-models on a packed night of racing will be the Super Figure 8, Stinger 8, Street Stock and Mini-Stock divisions.
Don’t forget, too, that many of the Mini-Stock drivers will be at Everett’s Imagine Children Museum with their racecars from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Joining them will be motocross world-record long jump holder Ryan Capes.
With just two weekends before the 38th annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, Skagit Speedway’s regulars are hitting their stride. Defending champions Barry Martinez (410 sprints) and Brian Kirkpatrick (360 sprints) won last weekend’s feature races, and Cory Swatzina won his third Outlaw Hornet feature of the season. Those three divisions plus the Sportsman Sprints are back in action this Saturday at the Alger track.
The ASA Northwest Late Model Tour continues to thrive in its inaugural season, and heads to the heat of Yakima Speedway this weekend for the fifth of 11 scheduled races. Among the favorites to win the 125-lap event on the half-mile oval are local veterans Gary Lewis and Jason Fraser of Snohomish, and Kelly Mann of Monroe.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
All three of NASCAR’s top series will be in action and at separate venues this weekend. The Cup racers will be on the triangular track at Pocono, the Nationwide Series races at Nashville Superspeedway and the always-exciting Camping World Trucks join the IndyCar series at Texas Motor Speedway (note to self: ask trucks rookie Tayler Malsam to try to get me A.J. Foyt’s autograph), making an interesting pairing for fans.
The NHRA is in my old backyard, running all four top divisions in the Route 66 Nationals at Joliet, Ill., and Formula One races in the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul. Closer to home, the NASCAR Camping World Series West will be at Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Ore., for a 150-lapper.
SCORECARD/PICKS
Last weekend I correctly picked Ron Capps to win the NHRA Funny Car event in Topeka, Kan., and Scott Dixon to take the IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile. By notching the Funny Car pick, I’m left with just NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle and the two figure-eight divisions at Evergreen Speedway to complete my Grand Slam of Prognostication.
Maybe it’s the warm weather or the fact that I think I’m ahead of schedule on picks, but I’m feeling pretty lazy this weekend. Therefore, all of my picks are drivers sitting in third place in their respective points standings (Ed: How many times are you going to use this gimmick?).
That means I’m going with Jeff Knight (Super Late Model), Steve Peters (Super Figure 8), Joe Kneeland (Street Stock), Jon Roberts (Mini-Stock) and Josh Young (Stinger 8) to win at Evergreen Speedway. I know the late-models are running twice; but I can’t pick two No. 3’s so let’s just say Knight wins one of the two.
For NASCAR, I’ll go with Jimmie Johnson for the Pocono 500 (Sunday, 11 a.m., TNT), Jason Leffler for the Federated Auto Parts 300 (Saturday, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2) and Matt Crafton for the Winstar World Casino 400 (Friday, 6 p.m., SPEED).
Third in the standings or not, I like David Mayhew to win the West series race in Oregon and Kelly Mann in the Northwest Late Model Tour event in Yakima.
Keeping with the theme, let’s say Eric Fisher Jr. (410 sprints), Shane Broers(360 sprints), Devin Barnes (Sportsman sprints) and Tyler Ketchum(Outlaw Hornets) win at Skagit Speedway.
Dario Franchitti is my choice for the IndyCar Bombardier Learjet 550k (Saturday, 6 p.m., VERSUS), and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing will take the Turkish Grand Prix (Sunday, taped-delayed at noon, Fox).
For the NHRA’s Route 66 Nationals, let’s say Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel), Ashley Force-Hood (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) win the Wallys (Sunday’s final rounds, 1 p.m., ESPN2).
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