Team Latus Motors Harley-Davidson Northwest Nationals

August 27^th & 28th

Woodburn Dragstrip

7:21pm

The local law enforcement and accident investigators have just now concluded the investigation in today’s fatal accident. With the sun going down, and a lengthy oil clean-up still needed, there is not sufficient time to resume racing in daylight hours.

Woodburn Dragstrip does not have track lights, therefore this event has been officially called.

The payout and points for this event will be handled as stated in the AHDRA Rulebook.

We hope that everyone will join us in focusing on our concerns for the family and friends of the rider involved in today’s accident. AHDRA will release official information on today’s situation as soon as possible.

7:00pm-

Ladies and Gentlemen-

It is with very deep sadness that we inform you that there has been a fatality here today at Woodburn Drag Strip during competition on the track. We are temporarily withholding the name pending official notification of family members. Crewmembers here with the rider involved have spoken with several of the closet known contacts, but in the best interest of those affected, a name is not being released at this time.

We ask that you join us in thoughts and prayers for the family.

There is no word on the status of the race at this time. Please grant us your patience as we handle this very sad situation.

5:38pm-

A competition hold remains in effect. We will update you again as soon as possible.

4:27pm (PST)- We are on a competition hold right now- we will be back with updates when racing resumes.

Elimination Day

2:55pm- Eliminations are running along nicely here in Woodburn with a fantastic crowd on hand. It’s our biggest turnout of racers yet in Woodburn and the numbers look good for those in the stands watching the 200-plus riders here this weekend. We have the numbers coming at you on the ladder pages today and we will be back with any breaking news updates right here on www.ahdra.com.

(Special note to John at Weekend Frame)- Looked up the page you mentioned and there was no problem on this end. It looks like you may have been choosing Qualifying page instead of Eliminations) Hope it’s working for you now.

11:00am-Early sportsman rounds are complete and perhaps no one is happier than Dan DeGood. DeGood who was seeking to score his 500^th round pass win in AHDRA competition, came up short of doing so in the Syn3 ET opening round after lighting the red-bulb, but he came back for his first SEP lap, he got the needed win lap for the 500 number and advances to round 2 competition in SEP later today. Oregon travel mates, Donnie Huffman, & Eleanor Walker will also join DeGood in the SEP round two line-up.

Huffman has triple duty coming up in today’s later rounds, as he remains in the competition in SEP,SE and ET classes.

Another note from the upcoming SEP rounds, it looks like a father-son battle in round two, with the Bickmore’s (Roger & J.R.) facing off and in S & S Super Sport Julia Holliday is giving it a great shot at gathering points to catch Greg Krenik’s lead. Krenik has had a run of bad luck here in Woodburn, but Julia got a gift run in today’s opening round when her competition broke and she now has a bye for today’s 2^nd round.

More coming after today’s show gets underway.

Stay Tuned.

Good morning from Woodburn Dragstrip. We will get underway with Sportsman classes needed to narrow the fields around 9:30am. Opening ceremonies will begin at 12:15pm and the Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harleys will fire up at 12:30pm.

Ron Houniet enters the show as the #1 qualifier today after blazing the track in last’s nights final pass with a 6.571 at 210.82mph. Houniet is scheduled to take on Mike Lehman in today’s opener, but word has it that Lehman destroyed a clutch last night.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Rumor has it that Rex Harris has someone flying here to Oregon this morning with the needed parts from Bill Furr’s shop. The plane is due in around 10am. No doubt there will be real thrashing going on in the Lehman pits. If Lehman should not be able to get the Top Fuel ride together, it will put alternate, Chicago Joe in the show.

On the Pro Fuel end of things, Lehman appears to be mechanically prepared for today’s opener as the #1 qualifier with a 6.960 best pass in yesterday’s show- the only six second number from the field.

In S & S Pro Gas, Lozano only made one lap yesterday, and painfully captured the #1 qualifying spot after dragging his foot on the track in a tangle with his footpeg. Lozano went to a medical facility for treatment. “There were no stitches needed- hard to sew up missing skin”, Lozano commented. Lozano was wearing his regular street shoes last night, and there is no word on his plans for today’s competition plans.

Other notes from the pits, word has it Junior Pippin’s bike is a injured machine after his qualifying best at 8.161. His #1 spot gives him a competition bye for today’s opener, and the scoop in the pits is he may try to get bye on one cylinder to break the beam.

In G2 Street Pro- Zach Johnson repeated his first 8 second pass from the test and tune session with a 8.959 2^nd round qualifying pass for the #1 spot. Johnson left before activating the tree in yesterday’s final round- leaving 3^rd round time a mystery.

He will square off with Verl Smitty Smith in today’s opening round, while Jeff King and Steve Stute make up the other side of the ladder.

Michael Ray, ran record numbers in yesterday’s qualifying, busting the charts with a 9.336 at 143.22mph. He scored the #1 qualifying spot with Sternotti making up the 2^nd spot heading into today’s show.

That’s a few of today’s notes from the pits. We are underway with early sportsman rounds and we will start bringing you the numbers following today’s show opener at 12:30pm. (That’s 3:30pm for you east coast viewers).

Qualifying Day in Woodburn OR.

Finals rounds completed at Woodburn Dragstrip and results should all be up for viewing now. It was a crowd pleasing finish today, with Ron Houniet making the final lap with a 6.571 at 21082mph, while Tommy Grimes took his one and only shot at getting in the show with stride..it clocked an 6.717 at 207.75mph and is indeed in the show in the #2 spot.

This and more highlights from today’s show from Woodburn Dragstrip when we begin elimination’s tomorrow at 12:30pm.

Good night.

4:48pm

Final round qualifying underway. The results will be delayed for today’s final round as I am now running the race computer in the tower. I will stay and make sure all the final results are posted before I leave. Stay tuned later tonight for updates on today’s wrap in Woodburn.

12:37pm- Round One complete and sportsman bikes out for 2^nd session. A wild round one with riders adjusting to today’s track conditions which are at a tolerable low 80 degree mark.

In Pro Gas racing Mike Lozano captured the top spot, but was slightly injured as his foot dragged the surface. He scraped up his toe pretty good and has gone to a near-by hospital for some needed stitches. He ran a 7.797 at 161.98mph, and newly licensed rider, Karen Wagner got the #2 spot with a 8.144 at 155.38mph.

Mike Lehman was the #1 qualifyer in JIMS Pro Fuel, but with too much questionable noise from his Top Fuel ride, he was shut off in the box. A big pop came from Tommy Grime’s on the Ray Price/ Samson Exhaust ride when he heated the tire, and for Ron Houniet it was a DQ’d start with a cente- line infraction. Houniet’s visit to the other lane interrupted the run of Mark Turner who was in that lane, and he will get a re-run, which could change the order I have posted a bit when Turner makes that rerun.

More coming later.

11:23am-

Qualifying on hold for a oil down on the starting line- but so far we are running smoothly. We are in the Pro categories currently and I am working on getting sportsman class results posted for you. A hint on the leader board..Eleanor Walker has the top spot in Super Elim qualifying and her better-half, Charlie grabbed the top number in Super Gas qualifying..and Chef, Donnie Huffman got the SEP top spot. All they need now is a top number out of the 4^th Woodburn travel companion, Dan DeGood, who will be scoring a personal historical mark this weekend. All he needs is a single round win tomorrow to reach the 500^th line pass win. Pretty incredible achievement and more notable that he has tracked that number! DeGood is currently in the 5^th spot in ET after round one and 8^th in SEP qualifying.

Back with more racing results soon- I’m on my own up here in the tower this weekend, so forgive me in advance if the results are delayed a bit between rounds.

9:00am – Good morning from a sunny Woodburn Dragstrip. The Syn3 ET class is on the track for the first of three sessions today. We will carry all the results for you on the result pages throughout the day. Sty tuned for those results following today’s opening round.

Friday- Test and Tune Day at Woodburn Dragstrip:

Good evening from tonight’s test and tune at the Team Latus Motors H-D Northwest Nationals. We are about an hour away from finishing up test and tune, where a steady flow of riders have taken the tree to get ready for tomorrow’s qualifying.

The track gave most a battle throughout the day, but things are turning around for several riders as the day comes to an end.

Many of you know that Doug Vancil has been fighting his share of mechanical demons this year and he started the day just the same. His left lane attempts (and there were several today), were without success. He came back again, this time in the right, and rode more like the Vancil we all know-lighting up the board with a 6.98. There’s surely more in the Drag Specialties machine, but I’m sure the Vancil’s are taking one step at a time during this test session.

In G2 Street Pro, Zach Johnson of North Carolina made a long trip here and jumped on his ride for a test lap and it rewarded him his personal best E.T. at 8.99. Johnson is here along with fellow #2 plate contender, Jeff King. Travis Lummus does not appear to be here this weekend, but no worries for him as he sits very comfortably in the #1 spot.

From the pitside notes- I ran across ProFuel rider Scooter Rajkowski. Many of you may have read about his special lady, Kim suffering a heart attack several weeks ago. Scooter reports that she has undergone surgery to have a pacemaker and defibrillator installed and is now well on the mend. He expressed his appreciation to the many that have sent cards and well wishes..and he sends a special hello out you, Kim if your watching the updates here this weekend.

Join us here tomorrow when we bring you qualifying from Woodburn Dragstrip. We get underway at 9:00am..that’s 12noon for you East Coasters..

Good night.

Schedule of Events

Friday, August 26^th

10:00am Gates Open for Parking

3:00-8:00pm Test and Tune Session

Saturday August 27^th

9:00am Qualifying begins-Sportsman

11:00am Qualifying begins-Pros

Sunday August 14^th

9:30am Eliminations-Sportsman (as needed to narrow the fields)

12:15pm Opening Ceremonies

12:30pm Eliminations begin with Pros