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Kunka opens Tri-City Race Series with home track win

Arnie Kunka crowed first Tri-City Series race winner of season
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Sue Bergeron photo

Williams Lake’s Arnie Kunka captured the checkered flag at Thunder Mountain Speedway to be crowned the first Tri-City Series Race champion of the season.

Held at Thunder Mountain Speedway Saturday after a successful Hit to Pass, Smoke Show and King of the Hill Friday evening, Kunka and fellow Tri-City Series drivers, along with bone stock, pro mini and street stock classes, hit the track for the second consecutive night of racing at the local speedway.

And when the dust settled it was Kunka, in his No. 27 car, pulling together a successful night of racing, qualifying second, winning the heat and going on to win the main event — in what proved to be a rambunctious field of drivers.

In all, 23 cars took part in the first Tri-City event of the season.

“There was some torn up stuff,” said TMS president Bob Lowen. “It was the first Tri-City Race so the testosterone was floating around or something, but Arnie made it all the way from the back, all the way around, and to the front. He’s a good driver. No doubt about it.”

READ MORE: Kunka saves best for last at Tri City Series final

The main event, meanwhile, featured multiple yellow-flag caution laps.

Second place in the main event was Prince George’s Lyall McComber in the No. 9 car.

Third went to Williams Lake’s Darren Lemky.

In the bone stock division Damien Fisher, in the No. 35 car, won the fast time and ‘A’ dash. Evan Grant, meanwhile, took the ‘B’ Dash, while Mitch Rollo of Quesnel raced to the main event victory.

In the pro mini division fast time winner was Jeremy Floer of Prince George, while Quesnel’s Mikey Garcia, in his No. 9 car, brought home the checkered flag in the ‘A’ dash and main event.

Overall, Lowen said it was a great weekend of racing and thanked the fans, volunteers and drivers.

READ MORE: Hard work, dedication honoured at Thunder Mountain season awards

“Crowds were awesome,” he said. “We put on a good show. Nobody left [Saturday] until the checkered flag and all in all the weather held out for us.”

The next two races in the Tri-City Races Series will be held in Prince George and Quesnel, Aug. 17 and Sept. 21, respectively.

Coming up next at Thunder Mountain Speedway is their annual Christmas in July and Dairy Queen Fan Appreciation night July 27, where TMS volunteers will be collecting food and toy donations for the Williams Lake Salvation Army and Dairy Queen will be on hand handing out free Dilly Bars to spectators.



sports@wltribune.com

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Sue Bergeron photo
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Arnie Kunka, the Tri-City Race Series president, had his race car on display at the Lakers Car Club Show and Shine this past May. (Greg Sabatino photo)


Greg Sabatino

About the Author: Greg Sabatino

Greg Sabatino graduated from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 2008.
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