Berkeley Repeats in IMCA Wild West Series
COLVILLE — Chase Berkeley was a recent repeat winner in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) “Wild West Speedweek.”
The Colville driver won five out of seven races in the series’ Northwest swing into Oregon.
Berkeley won at Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay (June 17) at Douglas County Dirt Track in Roseburg (June 18) as well as June 20 Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove. He also scored victories on June 21 at Willamette Speedway, a $2,500 to win race and finally in Lebanon on June 22 at Sunset Speedway Park in Banks.
Berkeley won the overall points Championship for IMCA Wild West Speedweek too. This is his 3rd year in a row winning the points championship in this series.
Berkeley is also the most winning stock car driver in this series with 11 wins over the last 3 years.
The win qualifies Berkeley for the All-Star Invitational in September at Boone Supernationals in Iowa.
Colville’s Chase Berkeley at one of his race wins in Roseburg, Oregon on June 18.
Kopp Flat Track Streak Snapped
LIMA, OHIO — Kody Kopp had his three-race Parts Unlimited AFT Singles series win streak snapped June 29 at Lima, Ohio but he did not lose any ground in his chase to defend his title.
The Mica, Wash. rider finished second on the half-mile to Tom Drane but as the 2024 season races into its second half Kopp holds a 204-172 lead.
Kopp has five wins but has not had a finish lower than fourth. Next race is July 6 at DuQuoin, Illinois on the mile.
Kody Kopp
Seivers Adds Perfect Reaction Light to String of Accomplishments
SPOKANE — Jim Seivers has been drag racing seemingly forever and has a regal resume to show for it.
At age 71 he’s got what he thinks might be 4,000 runs down the drag strip but it was just in the past couple of weeks that he accomplished a very notable first.
In a race at Woodburn, Oregon, Seivers had his one and only perfect starting line reaction time.
“Yeah, it is pretty rare, there’s no doubt,” Seivers said. “I’ve had a lot of .001, red lights, .001 green lights, but I can’t remember having a 000, so yeah, it’s pretty rare.”
Seivers class involves cars that run a variety of times and that are equalized by having their elapsed times plugged into the starting line timing.
Seivers runs consistent 6.90 seconds in the quarter mile at just under 200 miles-per-hour. But he can compete against those who run more quickly — or slowly.
That’s where a quick reaction time comes into play.
Racing in the Pro Nostalgia class as the defending champion, Seivers’ perfect reaction did not translate to success in later rounds.
“I had trouble in the next round, which was the semifinals, and the car came down off a giant wheel stand,” Seivers explained. “I lost because my foot came off the throttle.”
The mess up could cost Seivers repeating as the class champ, he said.
“There’s 20 cars that are six and seven second cars, all front engine cars, all nostalgic,” Seivers said.
Seivers trailers almost exclusively to Woodburn to race in the class. He also has an upcoming race in Mission, British Columbia near Vancouver and hopes to race in Spokane next season.
It’s Spokane where Seivers racing roots have been planted since Spokane Raceway Park — now Qlispe Raceway — opened in 1974. But he goes back a bit further.
“I actually drove a car down the Deer Park drag strip when I was 16,” Seivers said.
Seivers has many fond memories of decades spent drag racing.
The guy behind the wheel, Jim Seivers.
He has a string of championships from the old American Hot Rod Association that once visited Spokane a half century ago.
“I was the AHRA World Champion five times in top comp, and I won the Super Pro points thing a couple times,” Seivers recalled. “That was all pretty cool to be really honest.”
Seivers also fondly remembers some individual matchups against memorable opponents.
“I might be one of the only guys still racing that ever race Joe Blaylock or Greg Fury,” Seivers said.
Jim Seivers in action at Bakersfield, Calif.
Kleyn wins at Motorplex
Kasey Kleyn took the lead on lap 43 and kept the rest of the field in his rearview mirror the rest of the way winning his third consecutive Northwest Super Late Model Series race in a June 29 at the brand new Motorsplex at the Mill in Emmett, Idaho. Kleyn was one of four drivers who competed all 150 laps and finished ahead of Ken Bonney and Scott Walker. Next race is July 12 & 13 at the Montana 200, Mission Valley Super Oval in Polson.
Kleyn wins at Motorplex - NWSLM Photo
Force improving, faces long road ahead
From John Force Racing
RICHMOND, Va. / NORWALK, Ohio. – Four days after his crash at more than 300 miles per hour, drag racing champion John Force has moved from the trauma intensive care unit to the neuro intensive care unit, where the medical team can focus on his head injury which is their primary concern.
John Force out of ICU after crash
The move was a welcome positive for his family members, who have maintained a daily presence at the hospital all week.
With the unanimous support of her family, team, and sponsors, Brittany Force is not planning to compete this week at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, where she would have driven the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster. Instead, she will remain at the hospital with her family in solidarity for her father.
Austin Prock competed this past weekend in Force’s AAA Chevrolet Camaro sat Norwalk, Ohio.
