MONROE — Kole Raz may not have taken the checkered flag, but he took home the grand prize from Summer Showdown.
The 11th edition of Evergreen Speedway’s premier race ended in controversy as Raz was awarded first place in Saturday night’s Super Late Models main event following the awards ceremony, as presumptive winner Preston Peltier’s car failed post-race tech inspection.
Raz, who hails from Lake Oswego, Oregon, crossed the line in second place in the 150-lap race, which took place on Evergreen’s 5/8-mile track. But he inherited the top spot after Peltier was disqualified, thus claiming the $25,000 first-place check. Deer Park’s Haeden Plybon was elevated to second and Naches’ Tayler Riddle moved up to third.
Peltier, the Brighton, Colorado, driver who’s dominated Summer Showdown since 2017 by winning four of the previous five main events, led the final two-thirds of Saturday’s race and breezed to apparent victory, despite starting in the No. 19 position because of an early exit from his Friday night heat race. However, an incorrect part was found on his car following the race, leading to the disqualification.
Raz, the pole sitter, led the first third of the race, then ran second to Peltier the rest of the way, finishing well ahead of Plybon. Raz also won Evergreen’s Mark Galloway Shootout in June, meaning he was crowned in the track’s two biggest events thus far this season.
In Friday night’s Pro Late Model main event, Wenatchee’s Thomas Stanford bided his time before taking the checkered flag for the second straight year.
The first 72 laps of the 100-lap race were run under green, with the track’s Pro Late Models points leader Naima Lang building a substantial lead, while top qualifier Peltier moved up to third after starting 11th. However, Peltier and Lang crashed out of the race on laps 74 and 75, respectively, to open the door.
Meanwhile Stanford, who started seventh, found himself in second following the resulting series of cautions, then passed Plybon for first on lap 77. Plybon made another run at Stanford following a restart on lap 87, but Stanford began pulling away with five laps remaining and won unchallenged to take home the $12,000 prize. Plybon finished second, Chris Davidson took third.
Stanford did not enter the Super Late Model race, meaning no driver had a shot at the $40,000 bonus for winning both the Super Late Model and Pro Late Model races. Plybon earned a $5,000 bonus for finishing in the top three in both.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
