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In the Pacific Northwest hardbody racing community, the Sportsman Class could be considered the middle weights. Weighing in around 9 to 10 ounces, they are typically about 1 to 2 ounces lighter than the NASCAR Class cars which could be considered the heavy weights. Although the Sportsman cars are lighter, the NASCAR class are generally faster and better handling. If you've never raced in one of these hardbody events, you are truly missing out! This Sportsman race provided the 20 participants with all the competition and excitement they could ask for! Some of the wrecks, collisions, and get offs during the race were spectacular!

The race was split into two segments. The first round consisted of 4 minute heats, and was used to establish the starting grid for the second segment. In the first round Bob jumped out to a good lead, with the next closest racer seven laps behind him. Bob's car was dialed in as was Bob (no surprise there)! The next five racers were all within three laps of each other. For those of you not counting, that would be the top six! The next eight racers stayed within just 15 laps of each other. Over 70% of the field was in a position to win going into the second segment of the race! But first, FOOD!

We took an hour for a lunch break after that first segment. My wife Diane made us some of her (now famous) Sloppy Joes. The spread she laid out also included cold cuts, cheese, potatoe salad and macaroni salad. I think everyone ate pretty well (at least I hope so)! During lunch I put together the starting line up for the second portion of the race. Racers first segment lap totals would be added to the second portions lap totals to determine the overall winner. Racers were entered into the starting line up based on their finish position in the first segment. In the second portion of the race, each racer would be on the track competing with racers that were their closest competitors to that point.

The second portion of the race consisted of 2 rounds of racing, with 4 minute heats making up each round. It did not take long after the green flag dropped for things to get exciting! I don't know if it was the lunch or what, but it got wild! Some of the most exciting moments were provided by Stuart getting hit in the bank and taking a high altitude route to the lower straight, where he was immediately hit again! Then there was Bryan's barrel roll over the top of another car coming out of the bank! Not to be out done by Geof who took a full throttle blast down the lower straight and into the bone yard, sending scrap bodies and pieces flying! And those are just the highlight I can remember! The racing action was intense throughout the second and third rounds. Bob was still in the lead, but he was not gaining as much ground on the rest of the field.

Things settled down somewhat in the last round of racing. Everybody was more focussed and laying down better lap times. Then within the last few minutes of the race it looked like Stuart was going to be out due to chassis breakage. But when it was pointed out to him how close the positions still were, Stuart returned to the track with his crippled car. Although he was unable to make a good race pace with the front axle assembly nearly broken off his chassis entirely, he did manage to complete enough laps to keep him in the top 10! What an effort! At the checkered flag it was Bob Nak, followed by Flyin' Bryan, with Howie in third. Just one lap behind Howie in fourth was Steven. Oh and Stuart? By getting back on the track he was able to stay within just two laps of eighth place, finishing in nineth one lap ahead of tenth place! Here are some other didbits I feel are noteable: Hersch drove one of the best races I have seen from him to this date! By the end of the race he and his car were dialed in and turning some impressive lap times! Plus, he finished the race without failures of any kind! Steven's son Greyson, at ten years of age performed very well on a track he had never raced on. Geof did an excellent job not only racing his first race on this track, but also turn marshalling! And a big thanks to Douglass for continuing to stick around and turn marshall even after he was out of the race! I could continue to mention everyone that was in attendance for one thing or another. You guys are all my good friends, and I appreciate each and every one of you coming to this race! You guys make all this worth while!

Here are the final results:

Best of Show Award went to Bob Nak

1st   Bob Nak                  522 laps
2nd  Flyin' Bryan              507
3rd  Howie                       504
4th  Steven Dragin' Man    503
5th  BH Bill Henry            495
6th  Al   Meat                 485
7th  Herb                     475
8th  Bill                       471     
9th  Stuart Stew Meat   469
10th  Terry                  468
11th - tie  Bart               456
11th - tie  Ken Gear Loose 456
13th  Mike G.                    426 (Mike had to leave early missing his last heat race in the red lane).
14th  Hersch                   424
15th  Frank                  415
16th  Tim M.                403
17th  Geof                   360
18th  Greyson              306
19th  Tim Timba           134  (Tim only raced through the first round).       
20th  Douglass             DNF  (Unfortunately, Douglass had a motor failure during practice before the green flag).