Re-Pete! Harding Sweeps Sunvalley
For the second time in as many weeks, Surrey, BC driver Pete Harding won an ARCA West Super Late Model racing event at Sunvalley Speedway in Vernon, BC.
Pete Harding scores second Sunvalley Speedway win in 2 weeks
Driving the #39 LP Body Shop Chevrolet Impala SS, the well-respected Harding followed his ARCA West Circle K Series win on June 14th with another trip to victory circle in a dominating performance in the Summer Sizzler 150 leading nearly every lap in his first ARCA West Mac’s Series appearance.
Harding also set the fast time turning a 17.465 second lap on the 1/2 mile tri-oval, one of six drivers to qualify under 18 seconds.
Current points leader Trevor Emond (Leduc, AB) drove the #17 Glentel Pontiac Grand Prix to the second place finish. Emond was scored as the first lap leader but lost the lead on the next lap. The large crowd watched as two of the top Late Model drivers in Western Canada dueled for the lead through the 28-car field on a very crowded race track.
Barry Bischoff (Calgary, AB), the defending ARCA West Mac’s Series champion making his first appearance of the 2008 campaign, turned an 11th place start into a third place podium for the #69 A-1 Auto Body Pontiac Grand Prix.
Victoria, BC native and ARCA West Circle K Series regular Wade Bland finished 4th in the #07 C-1 Contractors Ford Fusion. After inheriting 3rd place from Rick Johnson Jr (Milwaukee, WI) when the #67 Superseal Construction Products Chevrolet Monte Carlo retired on lap 140, Bland was caught by a surging Bischoff just five laps later.
And rounding out the top five, was newcomer Mark Barriau (Penticton, BC) who continues to impress in the #31 Westbench Trucking Chevrolet Monte Carlo with two top five qualifying efforts to go with the 5th place finish. Barriau was third in last year’s Summer Sizzler at Sunvalley Speedway.
Jon Teppin is 2nd in championship points
With a strong showing early in the season, Jon Teppin (Barrhead, AB) driving the #38 Lufkin Industries Chevrolet Monte Carlo leaves Vernon in second place in the championship. (Editors note: Teppin was recently featured in the Barrhead Leader newspaper, click here to read the article.)
The Summer Sizzler lived up to its reputation as the scorching daytime heat and the hot summer evening took its toll on drivers and equipment. Heat exhaustion forced Randy Thompson to park the #01 Mac’s Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo on lap 90 after an extended red flag due to a spectator side emergency diverted safety crews from the track. The driver collapsed after being pulled from the car but was not injured in the incident.
Local favourite Korbin Thomas (Williams Lake, BC) turned in a spectacular drive in the #19 CP Electronics Chevrolet Monte Carlo after being moved to 19th position (end of the lead lap cars) for an incident on track and rallying to as high as 5th before finishing 6th.
Former WRL driver Greg Funk (Medicine Hat, AB) in the #11 Supernal Homes Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Cranbrook, BC driver Trevor Hansen in the #28 Beacon Lubricants Ford Fusion made their first ARCA West appearances. 2006 Western Canadian Super Truck Racing Series champion Roy Wigley (Airdrie, AB) making a switch to Super Late Model racing debuted the #89 Wigley Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
The Border Challenge 150, round four of the 2008 championship season, goes Saturday, July 19th at Race City in Calgary, AB.
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