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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Keeping Pace

ASA NWLMT Ready for Heated Yakima Speedway

 (The Spokesman-Review)
(The Spokesman-Review)

The Better-All Auto Sales 125 will feature the best super late model racers in the Northwest. The .500-mile Yakima Speedway oval has always proven to be an excitement rich track for the super stars to strut their stuff.

Courtesy: Scott Ellsworth, ASA NWLMT Media Relations

Marysville, WA (June 3, 2009): The iRacing.com American Speed Association Northwest Late Model Tour is heated up and raring to go at Yakima Speedway in a warm Yakima, Washington on Saturday June 6. The Better-All Auto Sales 125 will feature the best super late model racers in the northwest. The .500-mile oval has always proven to be an excitement rich track for the super stars to strut their stuff.

 

The former Late Model Challenge Series and the former Northwest Tour melded in the off season and now provide the race fan only one premier super late model stock car series in the northwest.

 

Yakima Speedway will be race #5 of the 11 race season for the iRacing.com ASA NWLMT. The current point standings for the first ever championship of the new series is as tight as the racing will be Saturday night. The top five in points are separated by a total of 33-points.

 

Local drivers that have entered are led by the 2008 Yakima Speedway Late Model Champion Mike Longton (Moxee, WA). Longton is fresh off a win at Mission Valley Speedway in Polson, Montana two weeks ago. Longton is currently fifth in points. Another local that has experience and a slew of wins at the fabled history laden racing facility is Erick Hargraves (Toppenish, WA). Hargraves grew up at the track and is as comfortable there as any veteran. Hargraves is fourth in points. Another local to watch will be Owen Riddle (Naches, WA).

 

Pete Harding (Surrey, B.C.) considers Yakima his home track and has won many times on the .500-mile oval during his 40-year racing career.

 

In addition to the great local talent the season point leader Brent Harris (E. Wenatchee, WA) has yet to get a win this season with two seconds and a third so far this season. Gary Lewis (Snohomish, WA) has won a feature this season on the ASA NWLMT circuit. Yakima has been a track that fits Lewis’ style of driving. Lewis is only 13-points behind Harris. Another driver that likes the tricky oval is Kelly Mann (Monroe, WA). Very much in the championship hunt Mann is 18-points behind of Harris.

Who: iRacing.com American Speed Association (ASA) Northwest Late Model Tour plus local divisions.

What: The Better-All Auto Sales 125 presented by Better Haul Auto Transport (125-laps .500-mile oval) plus local division races

Where: Yakima Speedway – Yakima, WA (ASA Member Track)

When: Saturday June 6, 2009 with racing beginning at 6:00pm

 

For more information contact Yakima Speedway at 509-248-0647.

 

Drivers Registered as of 6/3/09

Pete Harding – Surrey B.C.

Erick Hargraves – Toppenish, WA

Brent Harris – E. Wenatchee, WA

Jason Fraser – Snohomish, WA

Jared Vorse – Olympia, WA

Marty Wason – Chelan, WA

Owen Riddle – Naches, WA

Mark Sundberg – Seattle, WA

Gary Lewis – Snohomish, WA

Mitch Franklin – Puyallup, WA

Harold Raczynski – Duvall, WA

Joey Tanner* – Portland, OR

Amanda MacDonald* – Ephrata, WA

Josh Roberts – Ephrata, WA

Alan Cress* - Albany, OR

Don Vickery – Seattle, WA

Kelly Mann – Monroe, WA

Mike Longton – Moxee, WA

Jay Sauls – Puyallup, WA

Brad Stanwood – Portland, OR

*Port City Racecars Rookie of the Year Challenger



Keeping Pace

Motorsports correspondent Doug Pace keeps up with motorsports news and notes from around the region.