By Ed Evans
Hot and sunny skies greeted racers and fans for the inaugural race of the 2011 Northwest drag racing season. This was the first of four races this season at the Terrace Regional Airport.
Racing was hot and heavy even though the car count was down. This may have had a lot to do with it being Grad weekend. There were even a few prom dresses noted at the track on Saturday.
Kitimat’s Randy Baker took home ‘King of the YXT’. Saturday. It was Bakers weekend, besides winning Saturday, he took home a 3rd in ‘Pro’ Sunday and also won the 50/50 draw Sunday.
The finals in ‘Gamblers’ on Saturday was a good showdown with Terrace’s Bill Boutilier, in his S-10 pickup, lined up against Jim Braid and his motorcycle. Braid is a fearsome opponent in ‘Bike/Sled’ class as he always is a super consistent racer who always gets a good light and runs his dial-in time. Braid red-lit and gave the win to Boutilier.
‘Junior King’ was settled with Kitimat’s Lou Ribero taking home his first of two wins on the weekend.
On Sunday there were many firsts. In the new ‘Sportsman’ Class, the first ever winner. Who was a racer running his first race ever. Marcus Wilmen, driving the Caledonia High school car, took home the first place finish. In second place was Andrew Calkins. Andrew dropped down to this class after his ‘Super Pro’ Camero broke on Sunday. He then ran his tow pickup to take second Place. There was a second Calkins in the winners circle, as his brother, Shane Calkins, overcame Saturday motor problems to take home third place.
In ‘Super Pro’ Mike Wienhardt of Vanderhoof, ran down Haida Gwaii’s Laurence Wilkens duster for the first place finish. It also marked Wilkins first placing in the winners circle. Randy Baker could not repeat his Saturday nights first place in ‘King of the YXT’ Baker red-lit to take home a third Place. Still pretty good weekend for Baker.
In Bike/Sled Shawn Enmark and his sled, started the season right where he left off last season, with a first place win over Leland Hoveland.
‘Super Pro’ had a Kitimat feel as Harley Bell took down Bruce Daum in the final.
Jr. Dragster was also a Kitimat final as Lou Ribero took home his second first place in two days with a win over Tanner Daum. First time racer Massimo Dallavecchia took home a third
place
Sunday results
Super Pro
1.Harley Bell
2.Bruce Daum
3.Russ Gutknicht
Pro
1.Mike Wiehardt
2.Laurence Wilkens
3.Randy Baker
Sportsman
1.Marcus Wilmen
2.Andrew Calkins
3.Shane Calkins
Snow/Bike
1.Shawn Enmark
2.Leland Hoveland
3.Al MacFarlane
Jr. Dragster
1.Lou Ribero
2.Tanner Daum
3.Massimo Dallavecchia