Northwest Tour:1985-01

1985-01
Evergreen
May 5, 1985
Fin	Driver	Make
1	Garrett Evans (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
2	Jim Walker (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
3	Don Dowdy (RES)	Pontiac Trans Am
4	Leon Fox (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
5	Randy Olson (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
6	Ron Fritzley (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
7	Bob Fox (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
8	Dirk Stephens (RES)	Pontiac Firebird
9	Rob Holden (RES)	Pontiac Trans Am
10	Bob Eastwood (RES)	Chevy Camaro

The 1985-01 was a Northwest Tour event held at Evergreen Speedway on May 5th, 1985. It was the season, not to mention, series opener. Eventual season champ Garrett Evans claimed the honor of the series' first victory, holding off Jim Walker.

[edit] Race Review

MONROE _ It took a while for Garrett Evans to figure out what he had to do to take the lead in yesterday's NASCAR Northwest Tour race at Evergreen Speedway, but once he did, it was all over.

When racing resumed at the start of Lap 93 following what was the final caution period of the 100-lap chase on the 5/8-mile oval, Evans bolted past Jim Walker and never again trailed en route to winning the first event of what promises to be an attractive racing series.

Evans, 29, of Wenatchee, was able to jump ahead of Walker when the last green flag was waved because he had shifted into third gear.

During other racing resumptions following yellow-flag laps Evans said he was driving in fourth gear.

``And I had gotten left behind three or four times, said Evans, a used-car salesman. ``I finally wised up to it.

Walker, 46, a Ferndale, Calif., dairy farmer who appeared headed for victory until Evans made his move, said the front end of his 1985 Pontiac Firebird-bodied racer prevented him from preventing Evans' takeover.

``On that restart, my front end pulled out, said Walker, ``and I had to kind of back off.

Evans, also driving an '85 Firebird, earned $2,275 by winning.

Walker picked up $1,400 after finishing about a car length behind.

Don Dowdy of Yakima was third in a 1985 Pontiac Trans-Am. Dirk Stephens of Olympia was fourth in an '85 Firebird, and Leon Fox of Bremerton ('85 Firebird) was fifth as 28 of the 40 starters still were running at the end before a crowd of 3,142.

The size of the field was as significant as the outcome. It was believed to be the first time 40 cars ever had started a race at Evergreen. Drivers, car owners and promoters all seemed delighted with the Northwest Tour format, which for the first time has brought racers previously loyal to different sanctioning groups together under one set of rules.

``I think it's going to be a fantastic series, said Dervike Cope of Puyallup. ``Anytime you get 40-some cars ...

Cope generally has been identified as being loyal to NASCAR the past few years. Evans has been aligned primarily with the ASA group in Eastern Washington. Walker has been an open-competition, run-what-you-brung proponent. He won an open-comp race at Evergreen in 1981.

Promoter Bob Beadle of International Productions, Inc., cited the type of car as being the reason for yesterday's large field.

``The cars are a little easier to build and a little easier to work on, said Beadle of the All-American Challenge Series class.

``It's kind of a middle-of-the road car. It appeals to NASCAR Sportsman people and the open-comp guys.

And, they are competitive. Four different drivers _ Evans, Walker, Cope and Chad Little of Spokane _ led yesterday's race.

Although Dowdy never was in front, he was a factor at the end.

Walker led the first 10 laps, then Little, a Gonzaga University law student, went ahead until Cope took over in his '85 Thunderbird on Lap 46.

Following a caution period, Little regained the lead from Cope with a hole-shot move at the start of Lap 67. Then, in the backstretch on Lap 68, Cope and Little came together briefly and Walker roared past both of them into the lead.

Cope went back on top midway through Lap 72 and stayed ahead of Walker until the oil pressure in his T-Bird vanished and he had to retire. Cooling problems stopped Little after 75 laps. Now, it was Walker's race, but Evans' decision to use third gear on the last restart proved decisive.

Dowdy, competing at Evergreen for the first time in years, probably passed more cars than anybody else. While running in fourth place during a caution period on Lap 28, he made a pit stop for four new tires. When he roared out, he was at the back of the huge pack.

He steadily worked his way back into contention and, prior to the last green flag on Lap 93, it was thought he might have a chance because he had the freshest tires.

``Actually, if we'd left the first set of tires on we might have been better off, Dowdy said. ``The tire change cost us a lot of positions.

The next race in the 15-race series is scheduled May 19 in Portland. Two more Tour events are planned at Evergreen _ June 29 and Aug. 17, both on the 3/8-mile oval.

[edit] Race Data

Fast time _ Bob Fox, Bremerton, 22.883 seconds, 98.326 mph. B Trophy Dash _ J.R. Carboneau, Spokane. A Trophy Dash _ Larry Barton, Fernie, B.C. Heat 1 _ Jamey Oman, Arlington. Heat 2 _ Randy Olson, Eureka, Calif. Heat 3 _ Ron Fritzley, Lynnwood. Heat 4 _ Chad Little, Spokane.