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

Keeping Pace

ASA NWLMT Readies for Road Racing at Pacific Raceways

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

The iRacing.com American Speed Association Northwest Late Model Tour moves from its normal oval racing to the high speed 2.25-mile 10-turn road course at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington.

Courtesy: Scott Ellsworth, ASA NWLMT Media Relations

Marysville, WA (June 22, 2009): On Saturday and Sunday June 27 & 28 the iRacing.com American Speed Association Northwest Late Model Tour moves from its normal oval racing to the high speed 2.25-mile 10-turn road course at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington. The second annual NOS Energy Drink Road Course Challenge will be a point’s race towards the 2009 championship. The speeds will be in excess of 180mph on the long front straight for the Super Late Model Stock Cars.

The 2008 winner of the event will return to defend. Gary Lewis (Snohomish, WA) anxiously awaits the opportunity. Lewis is also in the points chase for the 2009 ASA NWLMT championship. In third and 17-points out of the lead with five races remaining, Lewis will be much favored to repeat as winner of the series’ only road course race of the season. 

Lewis will have plenty of competition with last year’s second place finisher Jason Fraser (Snohomish, WA) pre-registered. Fraser has been patiently waiting to get back on the road course, he feels he has the car and talent to unseat Lewis’ stronghold at Pacific Raceways.

Long time Tour competitor Pete Harding (Surrey, B.C.) is registered and has experience at road racing.

Road racing specialist Jason Fiorito (Mercer Island, WA) hopes to show the circle track racers a thing or two about road racing by using his extensive knowledge of his home track.

The three rookies in the ‘Port Cities Racecar Rookie Challenge’ will be seeing and racing on a road course for the first time. Leader for the title and also very much in the series’ championship chase, Joey Tanner (Portland, OR) says he is a bit apprehensive. “I have been practicing my shifting, but I wish I had a chance to go to a road racing school before this big race”. The other two in the rookie challenge Amanda MacDonald (Ephrata, WA) and Alan Cress (Albany, OR) are also heading onto unchartered territory.

The feature on Sunday will be 40-laps on the 2.25 mile circuit. It will be broken into two segments with the first portion being 30-laps. Drivers and crews will then go to work making adjustments and fueling for the final 10-lap shootout.

The 150mph US National Extreme Karts are scheduled to be a part of the big weekend. In addition the Car Toys After Shock Stage will have continuous entertainment for the fans.

Super Late Model Stock Cars, Karts, Live Music, Prizes, Giveaways and plenty of Food awaits the race fan on Saturday and Sunday June 27 & 28 at Pacific Raceways.

Who: iRacing.com ASA Northwest late Model Tour – US National Extreme Karts

What: NOS Energy Drink ‘Road Course Challenge’

Where: Pacific Raceways – Kent, Washington 2.25-mile 10-turn road course

When: Saturday June 27 gates open at 8:00am practice at 9:30am. Qualifying for the feature will conclude the full day of activities. Sunday June 28 gates open at 8:00am with practice sessions before the feature races starting at 12:00pm.

For more information and tickets contact Pacific Raceways at 253-639-5927 or their web page www.pacificraceways.com



Keeping Pace

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