From Andrew Kunas
ELMA, Wash. – The NorthWest Wingless Tour sprint car series and Grays Harbor Raceway made it clear they were going to try to get the show in on Saturday night, no matter what weathermen around the region were saying. Unfortunately, the weathermen won as the evening’s program was rained out after the completion of the first heat race.
Despite the likely hood of a rainout, sixteen teams rolled into the Grays Harbor Raceway pit area on the slim chance of getting the show in. Quilcene, Washington’s J.J. Hickle, making his first start without the wings, was impressive as he set fast time in qualifying as he toured the 3/8-mile, high-banked clay oval in 15.071 seconds.
Kyle Mehner, who sits fourth in the NWWT point standings, held off Hickle to win the lone heat race run. Hickle, Steve Vague and Theo McCarty clinched spots in the trophy dash event that ended up not happening. Light rain was falling at the finish of that first heat race and it intensified as the second heat race was lining up. The green flag was never thrown and cars were ordered off the track as the rainfall got worse and track officials eventually declared a rainout.
NWWT registered teams will not receive any points for Saturday’s rained out event.
The NWWT will return to Grays Harbor Raceway on June 18th and again on August 26th and 27th for the 3rd Annual Big E Non-Wing Challenge. The series will make one more visit to the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds facility on September 17th.
The next scheduled event for the NorthWest Wingless Tour sprint car series is Saturday, May 21st when the series makes its inaugural appearance at Skagit Speedway, located just north of Burlington, Wash.
More information on the NorthWest Wingless Tour sprint car series can be found online at http://www.nwwinglesstour.com.
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NorthWest Wingless Tour sprint car series
Grays Harbor Raceway
Elma, WA
May 14, 2011
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS (will not be counted in season totals)
16 cars
Fast qualifier: 7a J.J. Hickle, 15.071 seconds
Heat 1 (10 laps): 1. 7k Kyle Mehner, 2. 7a J.J. Hickle, 3. 08 Steve Vague, 4. 24 Theo McCarty, 5. 36e Eddie Isackson, 6. 15d Dan Dunlap, 7. 41 Ryan Bothwell, 8. 04 Brad Rhodes.
Cars scheduled to start Heat 2: 7d Randy DuBois, 64 Mark Nichols, 36c Corey Esteban, 11 Gary Davis, 22 Mike Romig, 29 Robbie Vaughn, 54 Jesse Gable, 9p Jared Peterson.