With the checkered flag now dropped on its season opener, Thunder Mountain Speedway president Bob Lowen said opening night Saturday at the track proved to be a real smoke show.
Bonus points were up for grabs in bone stock and Williams Lake Forestry/NAPA Auto street stock classes as fans lined the spectating area while auto racers competed in their respective classes.
With a strong contingent of veteran racers, along with a handful of young up and comers, Lowen said everything ran smoothly.
And while numbers were slightly down in the street stock division due to several local drivers working pit crews for Wescar Late Model Touring Series racers at the event hosted in Prince George Saturday, Lowen said he was pleased with the driver and fan turnout.
“We had four or five of our street stock guys up there pitting for Wescar, but bone stocks were good, the crowd was good — our loyal fans — and the weather was awesome.”
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In the bone stock class it was Mitch Rollo of Quesnel pulling off the hat trick with first-place finishes in fast time, the dash and the main event, while local bone stock veteran Brian Bettles brought home the checkered flag in the heat race.
In the Williams Lake Forestry/NAPA street stocks Tim ‘Timmy too Fast’ Westwick — last year’s season champion — racing in his sleek, No. 56 car, dominated the field, however, Tyler Yuill, racing in the No. 17 car, did give him a run for his money.
Westwick carried on from his success during the 2018 racing season to pull off the quadruple victory, sweeping all the events, in the fast time, dash, heat and main event.
Westwick also put up $500 in what he was calling a ‘Champion’s Challenge’ heading into the event if 10 street stock cars competing in the TMS opener.
Because street stock drivers never met his quota criteria, Westwick graciously shared his cash with the fast time winner and winner of the main event in the bone stock class, resulting in Rollo going home with his pockets lined.
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“Everyone raced really well,” Lowen said of what he saw on the track. “I think there was only one caution flag the whole night and it was a heat race in the bone stocks.
“I told them right at the beginning I wanted to see good, clean racing to start the season and that’s what they did.”
Lowen, meanwhile, said drivers, executive and fans are now looking forward to Saturday, June 15 when the lakecity and TMS will play host to the Wescar Late Model Touring Series, plus all local classes.
Qualifying laps will begin at 5 p.m., while racing starts at 6 p.m.
sports@wltribune.com
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