December 29, 2023

PRESTON BROCK: HERMISTON RACEWAY 2023 STREET STOCK CHAMP

“Our championship battle was nothing short of exciting,” Hermiston Raceway’s 2023 Street Stock top driver Preston Brock wrote in an email.

The Prescott, Washington driver said, “We had several great battles on the track, and I raced tight all year against my dad who is second in the points standings.” David Brock was 91 points back in this racing version of “Family Feud.”

Brock had several main event wins, but was also consistently able to make all of the races at Hermiston Raceway this year. “It was exciting to see the growth in the class, and hopefully that continues into next year,” Brock added.

As far as Brock’s history in racing, “I have wanted to race as long as I can remember. As a young kid my dad raced super stocks and late models at Hermiston, so I grew up around it.” Brock raced go carts at TCKC at Horn Rapids as a kid. He has run street stocks for 3 years now and looking forward to 2024.

By trade, Brock is a dry land wheat farmer in Walla Walla County, but “considering the top speeds of tractors and combines, racing at Hermiston is extra fun,” he said.

Brock offers a lot of thanks to people who gladly support his hobby.

“I would like to first thank my wife for understanding the late nights in the shop, and everything she does to contribute,” he said. “I would like to thank my mom and dad for helping me get into such a sport.”

“Thanks also to my grandparents, my aunt, and my wife and kids for being there to cheer on every race. Thank you to our crew in the pits: Tylor, and Christy for being there to help every race day.”

A huge thanks to Quality Petroleum Inc in Walla Walla for their continued support and sponsorship. “We buy fuel from them to keep our farm running, they are always competitively priced and one of the only places I know of that offers non-ethanol gas around Walla Walla,” Brock said.

Brock also wanted to extend a big thanks to Paws for Friendship therapy dogs for the continued support as well.

HERMISTON RACEWAY 2023 STREET STOCK POINT LEADERS
Pos   Car #    Competitor              Hometown        Points Gap
 1          72       Preston Brock       Prescott, WA        356 -
 2          97       David Brock            Prescott, WA       265 -91
 3          36       Travis Bonney        Hermiston, OR   242 -114
 4          18       Dustin Nolan          Stanfield, WA      196 -160
 5          13       Stacy Hunt               Hermiston, OR   83 -273

QLISPE RACEWAY TRACK SURFACE IS RE-GROUND

While the off-season has Qlispe Raceway Park quiet from the sound of revving engines and smoking tires, another noise has been present in the past few weeks.

Track operations manager Ben Zimmerman reports on behind-the-scenes improvements that ought to please racers.

“We hired TVC to come and surface grind the drag strip,” Zimmerman wrote in a Facebook message. “They are taking out the bumps and low spots so the track is as smooth as it can be. Just one of the many upgrades this facility needs.”

Spokane County purchased the track in 2007 and leased it to Bucky Austin who rebuilt much of the track surface in 2008.

“Bucky did basically a complete redo of the surface,” Zimmerman said. That included a 1/8-mile concrete launch area and then he overlayed the asphalt past that.

Austin provided a very good base to work with but over the years the earth moves from frost and natural things. “This gives us a restart to a smooth surface. The work for me and our crew will come in the spring, cleaning and repainting and laying new rubber down,” Zimmerman said.

“The current white appearance is nothing more than the raw concrete, not snow,” Zimmerman explained.

Watch this page for other developments and Zimmerman also suggests following his personal Facebook or the Qlispe Raceway news and info page for updates.

Qlispe Raceway Park is the former Spokane Raceway Park established in 1974 and purchased by Spokane County in 2007. It was then purchased by the Kalispel Tribe in 2022 and is set to operate a second season under the tribe in its 50th racing season in 2024.