Owen Riddle Nabs Second "Neal Newberry" Victory

By Kevin Peters, NWSLM Media

East Wenatchee, Wash (Sept. 14) - Owen Riddle exhibited patience through the first two-thirds of the “Neal Newberry 125”, from the Wenatchee Valley Super-Oval (WA) Saturday night.

But the former race winner was there to take advantage of the misfortune of Evan Goetz, grabbing the lead on lap 88, when the race-long leader experienced a flat tire just before the Competition Caution was set to fly on lap 90. Riddle grabbed the top spot and held on to score his fourth career Northwest Super Late Model Series presented by RaceCals victory and $5,000 in the next-to-last event of the series 2024 schedule.

Riddle scored a one second win over “Leonard Evans Memorial 150” winner Jan Evans. Former Findlay Stadium Stateline Speedway Pro Late Model champion Jason O’Neil was third with former Rocky Mountain Challenge Series champion John Newhouse fourth. 2024 Stateline Speedway Pro Late Model champion Evan Goetz drove from the back to finish fifth. Kasey Kleyn, Josh Roberts, Terry Halverson, Dave Garber, and Michael Knutson rounded out the top 10.

Riddle was making only his second start behind the wheel of his new P1 Super Late Model out of the shops of Preston Peltier Racing. It was his first series start since the “Fall Classic” in 2022, and first series victory since 2017 at the Spokane Super Oval. Riddle was thankful for the opportunity to return this weekend with a car that had winning capabilities.

“Preston Peltier gave me a great racecar tonight”, Riddle exclaimed from Victory Lane. ‘I’ve got to thank him first of all for taking a chance and going out on their new adventure he has going on. I gotta thank my parents first of all, I couldn’t do it without them. I gotta thank Dan Riddle Excavating, Peltier Racing, JSI, Dukes Equipment, Peters Freight Train Racing Engines, Fresh Message Design, Alpine Parts and Equipment, and just everybody that helps with the program.”

Evan Goetz looked to have the car to beat, after setting the AFCO Racing / Longacre Racing Products Fast Time on the ¼-mile oval. His lap of 12.693 seconds led Jason O’Neil, Kasey Kleyn, Riddle, Bob Presley, John Newhouse, Jan Evans, and Ken Bonney. Newhouse drew the pole position with Goetz alongside. Riddle and Kleyn made up the second row as the green flag flew.

Goetz battled to the front in the outside groove, clearing Newhouse on lap three. Kleyn followed in the outside line grabbing the runner-up position on lap four. The first caution of the night flew on lap 10, as Christopher Kalsch spun in Turn 1, after a little help. Goetz led Kleyn, Newhouse, Riddle and Presley. The restart saw Riddle up to third. Three laps later he got under Kleyn for the runner-up position and took up chase of Goetz. The Competition Caution flew on lap 50, setting up a battle for the top spot, with Jan Evans now up to fourth.

The restart found Goetz back in the lead, with Riddle in close pursuit. Evans was able to battle around Kleyn for third with Jason O’Neil following on lap 53 to grab fourth. Another long green flag run saw Newhouse grab fifth from Kleyn on lap 83. But as the field closed on the second Competition Caution on lap 90, Goetz hopes for a win went up in sparks with a flat tire on lap 88.

Riddle took advantage of Goetz tough luck, grabbing the lead for what turned out to be the final restart. He pulled just ahead of Jan Evans heading into Turn 1, but Evans closed to the back bumper in Turn 3, giving Riddle a shot to the back. But Riddle held onto his Super Late Model and slowly inched away from Evans. On lap 112, Newhouse was able to get under a fading Kleyn for fourth and a charging Goetz grabbed the last position in the top five on lap 119.

But no one had anything for Riddle, as he crossed the line first for his second “Neal Newberry Memorial 125” victory and a paycheck worth $5,000. Riddle recalled his efforts to run with Goetz though the middle stages of the event, and his ability to take advantage of the 2024 Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalists’ misfortune.

“We were just trying to be patient there and wait for the opportunity”, Riddle recalled in Victory Lane. “I felt like we rolled a little bit better after the apex than he did. We were just trying to wait for the right opportunity.”

In the chase for the 2024 championship, Kleyn added to his lead over Ken Bonney by another 10 points (397 to 351) with one race remaining as Bonney finished 13th.

The next event for the Northwest Super Late Model Series will be the prestigious “Fall Classic 200” at Tri-City Raceway RMEC, with $10,000 on the line for the winner on October 6th. It will conclude the 11th season for the series based out of Spokane.

Results: 1. Owen Riddle, 2. Jan Evans, 3. Jason O’Neil, 4. John Newhouse, 5. Evan Goetz, 6. Kasey Kleyn, 7. Josh Roberts, 8. Terry Halverson, 9. Dave Garber, 10. Michael Knutson, 11. Andy Beaman, 12. Bob Presley, 13. Ken Bonney, 14. Ryan Phipps, 15. Kyle Cottam, 16. Christopher Kalsch, 17. JJ Mullins

Owen Riddle from Naches, Wash. drove his Preston Peltier Racing entry to victory Sept.14 at the Wenatchee Super Oval in the “Neal Newberry 125.” It was Riddle’s first series start since the Fall Classic in 2022, and first series victory since 2017 at the Spokane Super Oval. NWSLM photos by Shari Garber

Peabody Wins Gold Cup, Tate Takes Hydro Points Title

San Diego (Sept. 15) — The final heat of Gold Cup Sunday, the Mercurys Coffee Co presents the APBA Gold Cup at San Diego’s Bayfair, certainly didn’t disappoint any of the fans that lined Mission Bay on a perfect afternoon. Six of the fastest race boats in the world lined up for a five-lap feature to determine who would hoist the 2024 APBA Gold Cup.

The U-9 Beacon Plumbing hydroplane for Strong Racing driven by Corey Peabody jumped out to an early lead and while he had his teammate, the U-1 Beacon Electric of J. Michael Kelly within a rooster tail of him for much of the race, Peabody held him off to claim his second career Gold Cup.

“It’s never not a big deal, that’s the Gold Cup over there,” Peabody said. “People go their whole career’s without winning one and that’s my second one.”

And on the final day of the 2024 H1 Unlimited season, the U-91 Miss Goodman Real Estate hydroplane for Miss Madison Racing driven by Andrew Tate entered the day with two goals in mind and before the three heat races were completed, he had accomplished one by claiming the 2024 H1 Unlimited National High Points Championship.

“Congratulate the city of Madison (Indiana) for sure,” Tate said. “A lot of love and support back there in the Midwest for sure. I’m happy to be a part of it and this is something special that we have here.

The Beacon Plumbing crew and the coveted Gold Cup. H1 photo