7/10/2010
Mitch Hoffses
Hoffses Scores First Victory
Perfect weather for a race, as the local Chamber of Commerce could have told you it would have been! Thirteen cars pulled into the pits at the small, tough and exciting Port Angeles Speedway. On WMRA's last race here in August of 2008 it looked like Mitch Hoffses adapted really well to this little race track, he continued in the same manner this evening notching his first ever WMRA Main Event win!
Hot laps saw a few of the cars experience troubles, Snake Livernash lost the fire and the crew worked to try and correct the problem so they could race and keep up their fight for the Championship, so important in this, a double points race! Total brake failure in the Maples number 98 eliminated that car for the evening, if it was not for bad luck, Tom wouldn't have any at all, he and Dick Voss are in a neck and neck race for hard luck owner of the year, with the 45 car experiencing major motor problems on a Thursday night practice at South Sound Speedway. Skeet Flake hustling the 79 car around demonstrated it could be racy and handle well at this tricky track, until something let go in the motor! Keith Davidson never could get a pop out of the motor, try as he might, but he promises that we'll see him go at Wenatchee in two weeks!
Time trials never saw the two year old track record, set by Mitch Hoffses of 14:398 threatened, but Mark Atkinson set quick time of the evening with a 14:632 in a good looking qualifying attempt.
There was a special Trophy Dash for the Canadian Drivers, which had been promised if four or more Canadian Cars appeared. Troy Globe, in his Dad's good looking number 11 car ran away with that. Following which, he stayed in the car and ran the WMRA trophy dash, which Ken Ferris won in convincing style.
A single Heat Race was run and ten cars started, the Livernash #13 included, their battle with the gremlins having been won for the evening. On the initial start there were cars going every which way, when pole sitter Jeremiah Franklin had the fire go out at the starting line as the green flag waved! A complete restart, minus the 77 car saw sixth place starter Mitch Hoffses forged into the lead on lap four and was followed to the checkered flag by fifth place starting Ken Ferris!
The same ten cars started the forty lap main event, but this time with Kevin Koepke on the pole as the line up followed the main event WMRA rule of invert, requiring cars eight tenths of a second or more off fast time, starting behind the balance of the field. This put Mitch Hoffses in fourth place in the official line up for the start. A clean and fast start saw Hoffses come out of turn two in the lead, followed by Koepke, who lost second spot to a hard charging Mark Atkinson going down the back strait. they were followed by Ferris, Globe, Livernash, McKenzie, Franklin, Hastie, and Roberts. On lap eight third running Ferris started to slow, and dropped out on lap eleven, which resulted in his last place finish for the event. As all this was going on Livernash moved the green number thirteen up to third place and he started closing on the two front runners. For some laps Hoffses managed to keep a two car length lead over Atkinson, but the 23 car eventually closed in, as did the 13 car of Livernash. By this time lapping began to be a factor for the front runners, but all of the lapped cars gave racing room to the leaders. Lap 30 saw contact between the second and third place cars with the number 23 spinning to a halt in turn four. Both cars were restarted at the rear of the field. Just prior to this both the 44 and 41 cars pulled to the pits, each thought he was leaking oil, but each returned after learning it was not them but each losing a lap or more. Another car, which turned out to be the yellow and white number 77 of Franklin, blew, spun in his oil and was out. A lengthy red flag for the spreading of oil dry gave the drivers a bit of a respite until the green reappeared on lap 31. This didn't last long as a third place running Hastie in the orange 39 car spun directly in front of Livernash who managed to miss him, as did everyone else. So another restart saw the 5 car continuing in the lead, but this time with the 11 of Troy Globe on his rear bumper. Troy had won the "A" main at this track one week ago, racing with another midget group, he was out to show that this was no fluke and he pushed Hoffses every foot of the way until the checkered flag . Hoffses couldn't open a gap, and Globe couldn't pass, See finish below.
Qualifying: 1. Mark Atkinson #23-14:623 2. Troy Globe #11-14:725 3. Mitch Hoffses #4-14:824 4. Ken Ferris #50-14:899 5. Kris McKenzie #41-15:161 6. Kevin Koepke #44-15:368 7. Nick Hastie #39-15:518 8. 77 Jeremiah Franklin #77-15:739 9. Derek Roberts #60-16:021. The following cars did not qualify: Snake Livernash #13, Pat Bliss #98, Keith Davidson #52, Skeet Flake #79.
Canadian Trophy Dash: Globe, McKenzie, Hastie, Franklin.
WMRA Trophy Dash: Ferris, Hoffses, Atkinson, Globe.
Heat: Hoffses, Ferris, Koepke, Livernash, Globe, Atkinson, Hastie, Roberts, McKenzie, and Franklin,
Main Event: 1. Mitch Hoffses #5 2. Troy Globe #11 3. Mark Atkinson #23 4. Snake Livernash #13 5. Nick Hastie #39 6. Kevin Koepke #44 7. Kris McKenzie #41 8. Derek Roberts #60 9. Jeremiah Franklin #77 10. Ken Ferris.
Submitted By: Admin Account