Back at it!!!…It is Sunday April 18, 2010 and ProSoundAudioServices is on the way to the historic, and "Racey" Alpenrose Bowl Speedway for the Season opener for the Portland Quarter Midget Racing Associations (PQMRA.Com) just S.W. of the "City of Roses"…….All I can say is WOW!!!…what a day as the weather gave us unseasonably warm weather, blue skies, and a just about a perfect 70 degree day, just what the Race Doctor ordered for all of the winter weary Quarter Midget drivers and their race teams…….The turn out was on the was on the small side, but the Racing was was fast and furious as 40 drivers put on one heck of a show, on a day that couldn’t have been scripted any better…….
It was awesome to hear the familiar clanging of wrenches, the hiss of air hoses, and the smell of warm rubber as the crews were hard at work prepping for opening day race action!…..Most teams were anxious to try out the new series "spec" Hoosier tires after having been spoiled by some very good and very quick VEGA tires in 2009…..Honestly, most teams came to grips with infamous Hoosier’s…as Qualifying was all about determining new track records in the various classes equipped with the new "Money Saver" rubber….In JR. NOVICE, Caeden Rogers was the first driver to figure things out as the 7 year Milwaukie, Or driver stopped the watches at 7.843 establishing a new track record and winning the feature event…One of the many ‘Female Phenoms’, Amanda Sundin from Vancouver, WA finished in the runner- up spot, and First timer Bailey Barney of Eagle Creek, OR took home the the 3 podiam spot after leading a majority of the way…The small but hard charging Tucker Resch from Beaverton, OR was 4th, and the twin to the winner..Rylie Rogers took home the 5th spot….In SR. NOVICE, Christina Vasquez didn’t let the fact that she was the sole competitor in the class slow her down…The lady Portlander, set a new track record with a 8.037 second effort and took home the feature event honors……Next up was the JR.LITE 120’s…Elijah Crane from Beaverton, OR bested the efforts of one fast female….Teagan Fischer lapping the bowl in 6.998 seconds to the flying female’s 7.351 second effort….But it was the flying female, Teagan Fischer from St. Helens, OR taking home the win in the "A" feature…….
Several classes due to the light turn out were qualified separate but combined for race action…such was the case for HEAVY HONDA & SR. HONDA…..In the Heavy division it was Eagle Creeks"Lightin" Lindsay Barney picking up a new track record as she ripped off a 6.517 second lap…and Beavertonion Brandon Cartales not far off as he stopped the clocks at a 6.625….but it was ALL"Lightin" Lindsay Barney as she took home the quick time award and the "A" main event honors in the Heavy Honda division…In SR. HONDA it was veteran driver Kaleb Krieger from Forest Grove gaining yet another track record award with a 6.416 second effort, .3 tenths of a second was all that separated the 4 qualifiers in the class and it was Krieger besting the 3 Dendy brothers Zach, Chandler, and Kurtis of Portland to add yet another victory to his already stacked resume…
In SR. STOCK, it was "Sizzlin" Simon Buchan from Vancouver, Wa taking home a new track record (6.255) and the Main Event win…..JR. HONDA the made in America, Wicked Quick, and Built for speed driver Harrison Canfield set the track record with a 6.850 effort and making an absolutely amazing David Copperfield magic trick in turn one on the the last lap to take home the win NOT just once but twice as Canfield also took home quick time and a track record in JR. STOCK going around the historic Bowl in 6.359 seconds….Alisha Miller of Warren, OR..Teagan Fischer, Elijah Crane, and Joseph knotts all put in outstanding performances to make the the JR. HONDA class one of the most competitive classes of the day…..In LITE & HEAVY GX160 it was The "Madman" Tyler Walker taking home the track record, nipping "Sizzlin" Simon Buchan with a time of 6.131 to Buchans 6.227……..It was "Sizzlin" Simon taking the"A" feature win after the "Madman" got caught up in a late race squirmish…..In HEAVY GX160 action…Young gun"Rocket" Ross Mahoney took home the track record, going around the paved oval in 6.320 seconds, but in the end it was "LIghtin" Lindsay Barney from Eagle Creek, making a late race pass on Mahoney to take the win….Brandon Cartales had a tough break as he went hard into the turn 2 wall ending his day just over half way in the Main Event….and in the last 2 classes World Formula Briggs and JR. HALF, it was "Sizzlin" Simon Buchan of Vancouver taking the home track record honors in WORLD FORMULA BRIGGS with a blistering 6.108 second lap…but it was "Rocket" Ross Mahoney of Oregon City, taking home both track record as well as overall fast time of the afternoon honors with a "white hot" lap of 6.105 seconds around the historic paved bullring in the JR. HALF division…..
So as they say….More isn’t always better, as ALL of these future superstars Male & Female a like put on one "Helluva" show….I’ve been around alot of racing, and people pay 50 bucks a ticket or more, and they NEVER see racing like what this fine young racers (and their "UNSUNG" handlers) put on in this season opening event….All in ALL it was an outstanding opening event, sure there were some hitches in the ole’ giddy up along the way, but it’s all part of what makes the sport of oval track racing the best racing in the world….along with the fine young drivers and their amazing families that bleed motor oil right along with them….Way to to PQMRA!!!!!…I’ve always said…the racin’ is great…but what makes it great is the people involved…and the PQMRA club has some of the most gracious race folk I’ve ever had the joy to be around…Hospitable, Generous, and Kind hearted folks….all doing the same thing for the same cause….the love of racin’….Gotta love it!!!!….
And one last shout out then I gotta go…..Congrats to Keegan Walmer, former PQMRA driver on his latest efforts at Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, CA on Saturday night in the Ford Focus & Young Gun Midgets ….In the Young Gun midget…this hotshoe set a new track record, won the ‘A’ Trophy Dash (ahhhhh the pretty girls!!!!!!) and finished a strong 2nd in the ‘A’ main event…..and in the Ford Focus Midget, Mr. Walmer qualified 2nd quick, 2nd in the dash, & 5th in the ‘A’ main…..and who in the hell says we don’t have drivers from here in the NW?……SO, if they didn’t know who Keegan Walmer was before……They sure as hell do NOW!!!!!….I love it, congratulations Keegan…well done….This kid is gonna make it, he’s humble, got a great family supporting him….and he is "Hella Talented"…..What the mind can Conceive….it can Achieve!!!!!…Hey NASCAR…there’s a new driver coming your way…..So stay tuned!!!!!!!!!
Next PQMRA event will be May 8th & 9th….DON’T YOU DARE miss it!!!!!….and bring a friend, expose em’ to the world of QM racin’….let’s stand up for the sport we love and support….if everybody just brings one race fan…..OUR stands will be packed!!!!!!!……so don’t be follow the rest….be different & be the best…expose a fan toYOUR world of FAST, FUN, & FAMILY…bring one…(or more) but one will do….THUMBS UP for OVAL track RACIN’!!!!!!! Until next time….Thanks for stoppin by and readin’…& PEDAL DOWN….and RUBBER SIDE to the ground!!!!!!!!!……….
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