Radio Controlled Hydro Rocket Ship
Radio Controlled Hydro Rocket Ship. Chris Denslow Photo
From NWSLM & NWMNS
An RC hydroplane driven by Gary Grombowski takes flight during the April 14 Bill Muncey Memorial race. The radio-controlled hydros — smaller replicas of familiar names from the past like Pride of Pay’n Pak, Atlas Van Lines and others — raced June 2 at Lakewood, Wash. They return to Ellensburg, Wash. for a pair of races, June 15 for the Rose Cup and June 16 for the Dean Chenoweth Memorial at Irene Reindhart Park.
Force Picks Prock As His Replacement
Austin Prock got a lesson from his boss, June 2 at the NHRA New England Nationals at Epping, N.H. when John Force won the funny car race between the two.
According to Autoweek’s Susan Wade, Prock will inherit the driver’s seat when the day comes that the 75-year-old Force retires from racing.
“I talk too much. I say too much crap. But this kid is going to replace me,” Force, 75, said of the 28-year-old class rookie who is subbing this year for three-time champion Robert Hight.
According to Wade, Force — drag racing’s winningest driver — did not specify when he will step from the seat. He did say, “My time’s pretty much up. I’ve done my time. I’m not going to quit tomorrow. I’ll be at Bristol [this coming weekend in Tennessee for the Thunder Valley Nationals]. But now I’m starting the process.”
John Force - NHRA Photo
Evan Goetz Cashes In On $26,000 Payday at Wenatchee 200
By Zach Evans/ Racing America
EAST WENATCHEE — Evan Goetz picked up arguably the biggest win of his young career June 2, winning the Wenatchee 200 presented by Plumb Perfect at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval.
The 16-year-old Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist took the lead following the race’s halfway break and fended off the likes of Bubba Pollard and Haeden Plybon to secure a $26,000 payday.
The halfway break proved to be crucial for Goetz, as adjustments from his team gave him the car he needed to jump out front.
“That first 100 laps, I was really loose in,” said Goetz in victory lane. “I couldn’t really get to the center. Whatever they did in the pits, they wouldn’t tell me, but it’s a rocketship right now.”
From there, Goetz did a masterful job of maintaining his advantage without using too much of his car and tires. Ultimately, he crossed the line 1.5 seconds ahead of Plybon for the victory.
Along with the $25,000 first place prize, Goetz earned a $1,000 “Bubba Bounty” offered by Speedway Promotions, LLC. Drivers who have won at Wenatchee Valley in Super Late Model or Pro Late Model competition were eligible for the bounty if they could beat Pollard and the rest of the stout field of cars in the Wenatchee 200.
Plybon could have also pocketed the $1,000 bounty if he had gained one more spot in the final running order. The defending Northwest Super Late Model Series champion rebounded from an early spin to finish second.
Pollard, piloting a No. 26 from the Evans Racing Enterprises stable, rounded out the podium after a fierce battle with Alan Cress over the final laps. The Georgia driver led laps during the first half, but lost the handling on his car over the course of the second half. Cress finished fourth, with Jason O’Neil rounding out the top five.
The race was red flagged on lap 129 for a scary incident involving Kole Raz and Dave Garber. The two cars made contact along the front-stretch, with Garber’s right-side tires climbing the outside wall and flipping him onto his roof. Fortunately, both drivers climbed out under their own power and walked away from the incident.
Evan Goetz exits his car after winning the Wenatchee 200 presented by Plumb Perfect at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval.
