Thunder Mountain Speedway in Williams Lake celebrated the lives of drivers, volunteers and members of the racing family who have passed away Saturday night with its annual Memorial Race.
All cars from each of the speedway’s three divisions — pro mini, bone stock and street stock — participated in black flag memorial laps in memory and honour of the night’s theme.
Meanwhile, drivers were fiercely competing on the track for season points standings in all divisions as TMS’s points championship is right around the corner.
In the bone stock class it was the No. 35 car of Damien Fisher taking the checkered flag in the main event to close the gap on division leader Mitch Rollo with two races to go in the season. Rollo leads the series with 132 points, while Fisher has 102. Third place, currently, is Brian Bettles at 96, with Steve Panta in fourth at 94.
On the pro mini side of things it was Mikey Garcia taking the main-event win.
Street stock driver Arnie Kunka also managed to close the distance between himself and division leader Tim Westwick by taking home Saturday night’s main event. Kunka managed to move up to third place in the standings with a total of 42 season points and currently sits behind second-place Tyler Yuill with 66 points and first-place Tim Westwick — who still has a commanding lead in the series and is hunting for his second straight street stock points championship — with 93 points.
Prior to the main event, dash winners were Mitch Rollo and Brian Bettles in the bone stock division, Jaye Salmon in the pro mini class and Donny Kunka — who has been away focusing his attention on the Wescar Late Model Touring Series for the majority of the season — in the street stock division.
Fast time winners were Gordon Bettles and Damien Fisher in the bone stock class, Mikey Garcia in pro mini and Tim Westwick in street stock.
Prior to the night of racing and during the black flag laps, longtime TMS volunteer Colin Sanford, who passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer this past June, was honoured and remembered by drivers, fans and announcer Dale Taylor.
Now, just two races remain in the regular season for drivers in the bone stock and pro mini classes, while just one race is left in the street stock division.
Saturday, Aug. 24, will be the Doug Larson Memorial and West Coast Vintage Racing and Mini Special. Qualifying laps are slated for 4 p.m., with racing to get underway at 5 p.m. This event will feature the West Coast Vintage Racing Association, plus local bone stocks and pro minis.
After that, all the marbles will be up for grabs on Saturday, Sept. 7, with Thunder Mountain Speedway’s 2019 Grand Finale Points Championship and Day of Destruction.
Gates open at 10 a.m. On top of the points finals for the street stock, bone stock and pro mini classes, the fan favourite Hit to Pass will be back on the track.
Qualifying laps start at noon with racing to follow at 1 p.m.
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