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Lee Wins BSPRA Inaugural Race in Ephrata, WA! |
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By Stefanie Nordberg 6/5/04 Ephrata, WA – The Rocky Mountain Pro Stocks ran their first ever race as a touring division Saturday night at Ephrata Raceway Park. Brad Lee of Pablo, started the night out right by posting fast time, a 16.29 second lap on the ¼ mile track. Lee, #3, went on to overtake Carl Nordberg #6 on lap 31 of the 40 lap main event winning the BSPRA’s (Big Sky Pro-Racing Association) inaugural main event race. Eight
cars made the 350-mile tow over to Ephrata, bringing around 75 Mission
Valley residents along to cheer them on.
The weekend was full of excitement and anticipation of the first
test under racing conditions since the group was formed in the summer of
2003. It was Nickel Night in the grandstands with the first
200 people in the gate getting free t-shirts.
According to the track officials there was a crowd of
approximately 1200 fans that braved the windy Eastern Washington
weather. Ephrata
Raceway Park management and personnel made everyone from Montana feel
welcome. Two raffles were
given away during the BSPRA heat race. Mission Valley Power donated two lamps that were won by a
gentleman from Soap Lake, WA, while the rolling toolbox system that
Polson Ace donated was won and donated back by ERP’s owner/manager
Rita Witte. Dual trophy dashes were held, using a bit different line-up strategy for this new group. Dash B ran first with the 8th, 6th, 4th, and 2nd fastest time in cars against one another. Jarred Burland, #43 took the win having led all four laps. Dash A ran next with the 7th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st fastest time in cars against one another leaving a close call of just a few feet between Lee and Nordberg at the finish-line. Nordberg, who led all four laps held off Lee for the win. The heat race held some trouble for Lynn Olsen, #40. Olsen who after just taking the green was squeezed to the high outside by passing cars that eventually saw some contact between Olsen and Josh Burland, #16. This contact, along with Olsen’s positioning lead to a slight detour over the end of turn one for Olsen. Olsen was not injured, however, both cars went to the pits and did not finish the race. That left six cars battling for the win. Chuck Morigeau, #8, lead laps one and two before being passed by Jarred Burland, #43. Burland led the remaining eight laps taking the win. All eight Pro Stocks were able to start the 40-lap main event, which was the featured race of the night. Nordberg, #6, roared into the lead immediately while the rest of the pack shuffled, finding their positioning. Lap three saw Olsen’s #40 have to pull off because a shock broke due to his earlier detour during the heat race. Four more laps of steady competitive side by side racing was held. Brad Lee, #3, and Jarred Burland, #43, made steady improvements in positions before Josh Burland’s #16 car lost a wheel on lap 9 and had to exit the track. Two laps later, on lap 11, BSPRA’s president, and driver of car #7, Tracy Burland had to pull from the race due to overheating, leaving the top five in the order of Nordberg, Lee, Jarred Burland, Chuck Morigeau and Wade Shepard respectively. Nordberg held the lead through lap 31 when a tire went flat allowing Lee and Burland to pass him. The final nine laps were all Brad Lee’s, who finished the BSPRA’s inaugural race in first place!
BSPRA
Rocky Mountain Pro-Stocks
Time-Ins Fast
time of the night: Brad Lee 16.29 Trophy
Dash A Heat
Race Main
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