Racing America
June 13, 2024 9:47 am ET
Event:
The “IBEW 112” will take place on Saturday, June 15th. It will be a single day event for the Northwest Super Late Model Series presented by RaceCals (NWSLMS), paying $4,000-to-win and $500 to start at Hermiston Raceway (OR). The 3/8-mile asphalt oval will host the series for the 12th time. It will be Round #4 of 10 for the series, in its 11th season of operation and first of two 2024 visits to Hermiston.
Championship:
Kasey Kleyn leads the championship standings after the first three events (157 points). Multi-time Hermiston Raceway Track Champion Ken Bonney sits second in the standings (122) with another Hermiston Pro Late Model champion Dave Garber (109) third. Former Yakima Speedway Super Late Model champion Christopher Kalsch (108) is one point back in fourth. 2024 Kulwicki Driver Development Program finalist Evan Goetz (103) is fifth. The remainder of the top-10 consist of Haeden Plybon (101), Andy Beaman (93), Nick Gibson (81), Jason O’Neil (75), and Jason Jefferson (73).
Rookie-of-the-Year:
Evan Goetz leads the rookie standings heading to Hermiston Raceway. Eric Rhead is second in the standings with Jess Havens the top-three. Zandar Peters and Scott Murphy rounded out the top-five. Six drivers entered for this weekend’s event are eligible for the Jefferson Racing Rookie-of-the-Year Award.
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Hermiston Winners:
There will be a first time NWSLMS winner at Hermiston Raceway this weekend. No driver on the current entry list has scored a series victory at the 3/8-mile oval. Kasey Kleyn is the only driver entered who has a series win.
Hermiston History:
The NWSLMS has visited Hermiston Raceway 11 times in its history. The track was one of the founding facilities on the “Tour” and hosted four events in its’ inaugural 2014 season. Mike Longton was a two-time winner that season, while the late J.C. Wofford and Tayler Riddle scored single victories. The 2019 event was won by 2019 NWSLMS Champion Trevor Cristiani. With Covid-19, there was no event in 2020. In 2021, Hermiston hosted two events with Haeden Plybon winning the June event and Jason Jefferson the Labor Day weekend event. The 2022 season also brought two events. Kaiden Anderson grabbed the only win of his championship season, leading only two laps. Haeden Plybon dominated the Labor Day event, leading 101 of 125 laps. Two more events in 2023 saw Haeden Plybon and Shelby Thomspon scoring wins.
Championship Leader:
Kasey Kleyn enters this weekend’s tilt as the championship leader, but the teenager has struggled for good finishes at the abrasive paved oval. Before last September, Kleyn had only one top-10, along with two other finishes outside the top-15, in his three series starts. But a second-place result in the 2023 “Labor Day Spectacular Atomic 125” may have turned the tide for the Quincy, WA driver.
“I’ve always struggled with Hermiston and not being able to run as good as I’d like there”, Kleyn admitted. “But the last year or two I’ve really began to like the track for what it is and how it races. Hopefully we won’t be at a big disadvantage bringing an open motor car there, compared to everyone else’s crate cars. But we have a lot of knowledge there, so I think we’ll be okay.”
Hermiston Champion Part Une:
Ken Bonney is a multi-time track champion at Hermiston Raceway and is having his best season in the NWSLMS to date. He currently sits second in the championship standings with three consecutive top-10 finishes. Bonney is excited to return to his home track and would love nothing more than to gain his first series victory in front of his hometown fans.
“We really want to win this race and we are trying everything possible to do it”, Bonney stated. “I believe our team is ready for a win. It’s really hard without a Crew Chief, but we have great people in our stables trying to make it happen. Hopefully our crate cars will time in well and we can finish P1.”
Hermiston Champion Part Deux:
Dave Garber grabbed the Hermiston Raceway Pro Late Model track championship in 2020, and then won the “Racing Dynamiks 70” in 2021, to establish himself as a strong contender whenever he visits the 3/8-mile oval. Garber earned a streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes in Northwest Super Late Model Series competition at Hermiston. But his luck ran out over the last two seasons with four consecutive finishes outside the top-10. But Garber is coming off consecutive top-five’s in the series, as well as a second last weekend at the Mission Valley Super-Oval (MT). He credits his strong 2024 effort to a couple of racing veterans.
“Garrett Evans and Chuck Carruthers help me out with a few things that have made things shine for sure”, Garber admitted about the improvement in his 2024 program.
Season Debut:
Two drivers will make their 2024 NWSLMS season debut. Mike Zamora will make his fifth career start with the series and third at Hermiston Raceway. He has a best finish of eighth in the “Desert Star 80” at Tri-City Raceway RMEC in 2023. Ashton Cristiani will make his seventh series start, but first of 2024. Cristiani had a career best finish of second, when the series visited Hermiston in 2022 for the “Atomic 125” on Labor Day weekend.
Schedule:
Spectator Gates open on Saturday June 15th at 4:00 PM with racing at 6:00 PM for the single day event. The Northwest Super Late Model Series will be joined by the Bettarel Hobby Stocks, Midway Legends, Hornets, and Mini Stocks.
Expected Entry (as of 6/12/2024)
1 Kasey Kleyn Quincy, WA
021 Todd Connell Yakima, WA MAYBE
3 Andy Beaman Selah, WA
3K Ken Bonney Hermiston, OR
5H Jess Havens Spokane, WA*
7R Zach Riehl Corbett, OR
23 Corey Allard Sagle, ID
33K Christopher Kalsch Hillsboro, OR
54 Trace Thompson Kennewick, WA*
57 Mike Zamora Kennewick, WA
66 Eric Rhead W Bountiful, UT*
69R Andrew Riehl Corbett, OR*
77 Scott Murphy Spokane, WA*
93 Dave Garber Spokane, WA
94 Ashton Cristiani Boise, ID*
ABOUT THE NORTHWEST SUPER LATE MODEL SERIES
The Northwest Super Late Model Series is the premier regional touring Super Late Model series in the Northwest. The series has many valued partners including RaceCals, Hoosier Racing Tire, McGunegill Engine Performance, Gibson Diesel Performance, AR Bodies, Penske Racing Shocks, Five Star Bodies, AFCO Racing / Longacre Racing Products, Franks Racing Radio, Jefferson Racing, Impel Motorsports, The Fan’s Connection LLC, Northwest Road and Drive, and The Ti Company. For more information on the series visit http://www.nwslms.com or on Facebook and Twitter.
-Story, Photo Credit: Kevin Peters, NWSLMS Media
