Bird Flies to Victory in Ted Mitchell Shootout
Lucas Bird has won multiple Modified Championships at Stateline Speedway over the last several seasons. Between the former Northwest Modifieds and the now Freedom Modifieds, Bird has been the driver to beat in the class for years. Once a year, the Freedom Mods make a trek to Wenatchee Valley Super Oval for a combination race with their Rockstar Energy Drink B-Mods, the Ted Mitchell Modified Shootout. This year, the Shootout was 99 laps in distance, a 75 lap run to the competition caution, a 7 minute adjustment period in which drivers could add fuel and make any adjustment they wanted as long as they did not take a tire off the car, and a 24 lap sprint to the finish.
The early stages of that 75 lap segment proved to be quite interesting. 5 drivers took turns leading the caution-marred run, as Donovan Stevens, Glenn Knutson, Kaden Steinberg, Garrett Evans and Bird all posted laps led. While most of the lead changes took place on restarts, a lot of side by side racing was taking place deeper in the field. A big crash on lap 29 ended the day for several drivers, as that put the race under its first red flag. Upon that restart, that was when Bird took charge. A big run on the outside of Garrett Evans catapulted the 24 to the lead for the first time, and he would never surrender it again. A few more incidents hindered the night for some drivers, including fast qualifier Mike Knutson who’s night ended with a smack to the turn 2 wall. Upon the lap 75 break, Bird looked even faster after adjustments and was driving off into the sunset before a caution with 5 laps to go bunched the field together for one final restart. Bird was able to fend off Evans and secure the victory, driving the final car that Ted Mitchell himself crew chief’d for. Evans got 2nd , while Brandon Knouf, who had been caught up in that lap 28 accident, rallied back to 3rd for the podium. Teenagers Kaden Steinberg and Sydney Hamlin rounded out the top 5.
Another class in action was the 2nd visit of the SpeedTour Supermodifieds. The blazing fast winged-warriors had competed at Stateline Speedway the night before, making the 3 hour drive through the night to Wenatchee for Saturdays race. Qualifying saw the legendary Davey Hamilton Sr, a 2-time IndyCar points runner up in the 90s with 11 career Indianapolis 500 starts, matching that with 11 career podiums, set quick time in the famous “Pink Lady” with a blistering 10.910, the first 10 second lap at Wenatchee in 7 years. For the main event, Frankie Volz Jr started on the pole, and never looked back. The win was a special one for Volz, who at this very event just one year earlier, suffered a broken back. A year long recovery saw him not climb into another race car until earlier this week climbing back aboard the baby blue 98. The win saw a very emotional Victory Lane for Volz, exacting revenge on the demons from last year. Darin Snider and Jim Birges rounded out the podium.
The Northwest Vintage Modifieds also saw a wire-to-wire victory, this one going to Vince Conwell. Conwell had finished on the podium numerous times at Wenatchee over the last 5 years at WVSO, before finally grabbing the win at Thunder in the Valley. The win didn’t come easy, as Bart Hector Jr, who had set a new track record earlier with a 13.586, .004 under the previous held by Ken Kaltschmidt, hounded him for 2nd . Devin Eierman, making his return with a new car, was running 3rd before spinning out coming to the white flag, giving 3rd to Bob Griener, a former Thunder Car Champion. Eierman and RT Griener, Bobs son, won the heat races.
The opening class of the night was the Northwest Focus Midgets Pavement Series. 13 strong for the annual open-wheel extravaganza, the new pavement spin off of the NWFM had one of their largest counts in track history, and saw Riley Deaver cruise to his first win at Wenatchee, after finishing 2nd back to back races. Deaver saw pressure early from Curt Boyle but was able to fend him off and hold steady. Mike Roberts, a Wenatchee local, finished 3rd , and had his grandson, who was at his first ever race, on the podium with him.
Next week the ¼ mile roars back to life with another 5 classes in action, as the NAPA Bandoleros, Plumb Perfect Road Runners, BT Towing Youth Road Runners, and Dicks Heating/AC Thunder Cars all continue their points battles, while the Northwest Super Late Models make their only visit to Wenatchee this season for the Neal Newberry 125. Stay tuned to social media for updates on the entry lists as they roll in.
