VMRA April 21, 2018

Saturday April 21, was cold and windy at Spokane County Raceway.  14-Vintage Modified cars came from all around Washington State to take on the challenge of the tricky ½ mile track.

Ken Kaltschmidt was first to have problems as his car coasted to a stop with electrical gremlins on the first lap of the first practice session.  Mike Clother had similar problems in the second session when all the smoke came out of the control panel of his car. Both were able to make repairs before time trials.

Arron Clother drove from nearby Spokane and arrived just in time for time trials as did Dave Trapp after a 5-hour drive from Tacoma.

Timing in on this fast ½ mile proved tough for Kevin Burley who slammed the turn 3 wall taking a ride along the top of the barrier before landing back on all for tires in turn 4.  He took a scary ride that parked his car for the night but he walked away unhurt.  Kaltschmidt’s repairs worked well.  He set the fast time of 19.842, just .003 seconds faster than Devin Eierman.

Bill Brewer was piloting the #4 car recently purchased by Robby Cartwright from the estate of Bob Stubbs. They raced the car in honor of Stubbs on this night. A “no start” condition kept Bill from the B dash and the B heat.

In the B dash Arron Clother’s car lost power with engine problems that finished his night. This allowed alternate Vern Huson to race the 4 laps and take the first trophy of 2018.

The A dash battle was won by Kyten Jones. Eierman finished 2^nd and Kaltschmidt 3^rd. Early in the race Jim Jones bounced off the back straightaway wall breaking a rear suspension part that was repaired in time for the heat race thanks to the welding equipment provided by Ken “Mountain Man” Jackson.

First race jitters continued in the B heat with Robert Rux taking to the pits after two laps to tighten a loose wheel.  Vern Huson and Chris Cook raced side by side for 3 laps until the engine in Huson’s car exploded and he slid up the track in turn 1, pushing Cook into the concrete barrier. Both cars were out for the night and a 20-minute track clean up ensued. After the long delay Shane Conway took the B heat win with Dave Trapp a close second.

Mike Clother started on the poll of the A heat flanked by John Mustered. At the drop of the green flag Clother bounced off Mustered almost wrecking them both.  More first race jitters.  On lap two the engine in Kyten Jones’ car expired and he coasted to the pits.  Eierman and Kaltschmidt again were the class of the field. This time Eierman prevailed to win the heat with Mustered in third.

Only 9-cars were left to start the 20-lap main event. By rule the two fast cars of Eierman and Kaltschmidt started on the front row.  They quickly put a big lead on Mike Clother in third. Bill Brewer backed into the wall in turn 3 ending the night for the “Stubbs special”.  That caution flag bunched the field back up. The restart was confusing as cars in the rear reacted to a green light in turn 3 and began passing before the green flag dropped.  A spin by Trapp brought out another caution and another confusing restart that resulted in a three wide pack of cars under the flag stand with the green flag waving.  The flagman let the restart stand with Kaltschmidt in the lead. A slow spin by Conway with Clother barely missing him resulted in one more caution period and another chance to get the restart right. This time the flagman waved of the premature start and the race was restarted in order.  Kaltschmidt was able to hold off Eierman with Jim Jones and Rux dueling for 3^rd and 4^th.  Clother finished 5^th with Conway, Trapp and Mustered in order behind him.

Next stop Grays Harbor Speedway dirt track racing on May 12^th.