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  1st Place: #18 - Korbin Thomas | |
 Art Rauschenberger, Carol James, & Charlie Wyse |
 #88 On Its Roof |
WESCAR OKTIRE Challenge Series - WESCAR/Katana Clash Results:
July 1, 2006,
Chuck's Auto Thunder Mountain Speedway - Williams Lake, B.C.
The Wescar OKTire Challenge Series combined with the Katana PowerBoats Late model series to bring 32 cars in the sportsman division to Thunder Mountain Speedway in Williams Lake on Saturday July 1st. It drew so much attention even BC NDP Leader Carol James saw it important enough to attend with local MLA Charlie Wyse.
Korbin Thomas of Williams lake captured fast time in his #18 CP Electronics sponsored Katana Late model and with a 70% inversion placed him in a 21st starting position on the track for the OKTire/Katana 100. When the green flag dropped close to 12000 hp roared to life and all 32 cars ran clean with the occasional short-track hipcheck until lap 27. Returning to the track in the Wescar OKTire Challenge series after a 3 year hiatus the #88 Darren Lemky road up the front straight wall coming off turn 4. The wall climb allowed a view of the #88 undercarriage, then without hesitation the car rolled onto its roof and slid to a stop on the front straight. Darren climbed out a little shaken and no doubt stirred, but otherwise fine, the car never returned to the track to complete the event. The #27 Mark Berriau and #56 Steve Lengert were caught up in the ensuing carnage as all the other cars tried to avoid the turtled #88.
The green flag waved again and the race was later interrupted with cautions on laps 37, 46, 70 and lap 79 for various spins. The #18 Thomas had charged up through the pack to take the lead with #5 Bob Williams of the WESCAR OKTire Challenge series drawing close at times as the #18 wove through lap traffic. Thomas was not able to shake off the hard charging #5 Turtlewax car through the traffic or when alone and that is how they finished with #18 Korbin Thomas first under the checkered flag with Williams not far behind. Third place went to Victoria’s #06 Tim Christy.
The next race in the OKTire Challenge Series is at Goldpan Speedway in Quesnel on July 15th. The following race will be at Penticton Speedway on Aug 5 in Penticton, B.C. .You can hear races announced live on 99.3 the Drive as they broadcast 5 of the 8 races in the WESCAR OK Tire Challenge Series with Ron St. Clair covering the lap by lap action.
Car, Driver, Home Town, Laps Completed:
1. #18, Korbin Thomas, Williams Lake, 100
2. #5, Bob Williams, Prince George, 100
3. #06, Tim Christy, Victoria, 100
4. #71, Rob Haslam, Victoria, 100
5. #1, Bart Smith, Victoria, 100
6. #33, Dave Hemrich, Vancouver, 100
7. #52, Garnet Grimard, Williams Lake, 100
8. #38, Lee Thomas, Fort St. John, 100
9. #48, Otto Bohati, Victoria, 100
10. #23, Peter Ernst, Quesnel, 100
11. #53, Tom Garnet, Vancouver, 100
12. #5, Dave Key, Agassiz, 100
13. #0, Brett Young, Prince George, 100
14. #19, Darren Patton, Penticton, 99
15. #9, Gord Quaite, 99
16. #2, Ron Larson, Quesnel, 99
17. #71x, Dave Olson, Hixon, 99
18. #6, Sheldon Mayert, Prince George, 97
19. #43, Dallas Mayert, Prince George, 97
20. #36, Joe Cornet-Ching, Penticton, 96
21. #9x Geordy Glenn, 94
22. #95, Dave Tenburg, 94
23. #32, Mike Soppit, Vancouver, 89
24. #17, Rocky Parton, Penticton, 71
25. #11, Rich Hargraves, 49
26. #21, Jason Tarasenko, Langley, 45
27. #31, Steve Hancock, Penticton, 36
28. #29, Brent Morris, 36
29. #88, Darren Lemkey, Williams Lake, 27
30. #56, Steve Lengert, Langley, 27
31. #27, Mark Berriau, Penticton, 27
32. #25, Rob Krickemeyer, Langley, 27
// Fast Qualifier: #18 Korbin Thomas
// Margin of victory, 1.249 seconds
// Race Running Time: 36:41.251
// Fastest Lap: #18 - 16.763 seconds
WESCAR OK Tire Challenge Series/media rep.