RENO, NV (Dec. 17) – As we say good-by to 2018 it’s time to look back at last oval track and drag racing season then start looking ahead to when the green flag waves in 2019.
(REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery at the end of this article showing most of the class winners from each track.)
Four tracks are highlighted, four in Nevada and one in California as each are a bit over an hour’s drive from Reno. Those are American Valley Speedway in Quincy while the three Nevada tracks are Fernley 95A Speedway, Rattlesnake Raceway in Fallon, Lovelock Speedway and Top Gun Dragstrip.
Among the dirt tracks 95A Speedway is the longest but has the fewest races, at least for now.
So we’ll begin with the one California track, American Valley Speedway located in East Quincy. It’s a fairground track and the pits are literally in the forest.
Jeff Olschowka is the 2018 American Valley Track champion and the A Mod champion.
This year’s track champion, as well as the A Modified class title holder, is Jeff Olschowka. Other winners are Craig Nieman in B Mod while Seaton Montgomery is the Hobby Stock champion and Connor McMillian topped the Mini Stock class.
The awards banquet is slated for the new year and soon after the 2019 schedule will be released.
Back to Nevada and the closest oval to Reno is Fernley 95A Speedway. Sadly finding out the final points and class champions aren’t available either on the track’s website or Face Book Page.
Randy Boyd is the Hobby Stock Champion at Fernley 95A Speedway.
However it is known that Randy Boyd used the final points race to come from behind and win the Hobby Stock class title.
Moving further east is Rattlesnake Raceway, located just a few miles from the downtown area. Like the other tracks it has easy access to either the pits or spectator area.
Andy Strait is Rattlesnake Raceway’s track champion.
This year’s battle for the IMCA Modified title went down to the final races where Andy Strait was able to edge out Dave Sciarroni by just nine points.
Another close battle was in the Hobby Stock division where Dave Ausano emerged with a three point margin over runner up Randy Boyd, who wound up only two points ahead of third place Dan Dias.
Jesse James was the Super Stock 4 champion while the Gen-X title holder is Robert Crane. The sprint car champion is Wade Lumsden.
Further to the northeast and cross the 40-mile desert is the little town of Lovelock where Lovelock Speedway is located This bull ring stages some great racing.
Joel Meyers is the 2018 Lovelock Speedway track champion.
At the end of the season Joel Meyers, who tows in from California as he really like the track, was the Track and IMCA Modified champion. Shayna Robertson won the Hobby Stock title while the Sprint Car champion was Ed Macedo.
Sometime in the future the track is getting a new website and it will be www.lovelockspeedway.org.
For the area’s straight-line warriors there is only one place to go an that’s Top Gun Dragstrip located south of Fallon. This NHRA member track also has a very long run off area just in case and the pits as well as the spectator area are together.
It’s easy to visit the cars and see what goes on between runs with this arrangement.
Lonnie Grace was the Summit ET Super Pro winner this season.
Alvin Clark Photo
The full list of class champions is before the photo gallery but the Super Pro champion is Lonnie Grace while the Rear Engine Dragster title-holder is Kevin Morris and the Junior Dragster champion is Nicholas Morris. Winning Rookie of the Year honors is Dave Ritter.
(REPORTER’S NOTE: Many thanks for Alvin Clark for the drag racing photographs.)
Now the holidays are and everyone is relaxing, as much as racers ever can, but soon the work preparing for the 2019 season will begin. In a little over four months from now the green flag will wave and the lights on the tree will go off to start a new season.
Congratulations to all the 2018 champions.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
- If you wish to donate a toy to help make a child’s Christmas brighter remember that Testa Motorsports in Minden has its annual toy drive that ends on December 18. This year some of those toys will head for California to be given to children whose parents lost everything in the Camp Fire that wiped out Paradise and another settlement.
Testa Motorsports toy drive continues through December 19.
- Please be sure to listen, stream or watch live on Face Book Teresa’s Garage Radio Show from 2 until 3 p.m. Tuesday. Our special guest this week is woman racer Kasey Duncan.
Teresa’s Garage Radio Show poster.
I have a preview section where I’ll also give coming attractions coming up. This is our last show for the year because we’re off for the next two weeks, hope you’ll give us a listen.
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We now have five very appreciated sponsors that support his site. Please patronize them as they support your sport and help nvracingnews continue.
Two of them are first class motorcycle shops located in Reno.
Our first sponsor is Reno Motorsports. Not only do they have about anything a rider might want or need and the store also has a full service shop.
Their location is at 964 Terminal Way, by the intersection with Mill Street. Store’s phone number is 775-322-1499 and the site is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
The next shop, and our newest sponsor is Moto Source located at 3180 Mill Street. Once again the shop has a full service shop plus about any thing a rider might need or want.
Phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
The next sponsor is an excellent place if you need collision repair on your car or truck. It’s Concours Body shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno and has a long history of first class repairs
The original owner is Gill Grieve, a long time racer and supporter of racing. He’s now in the process of retiring and the new owner will be Brian Saul, a car enthusiast himself, who is also committed to continuing the shop’s history of quality work.
Phone number is 775-329-4557 and the website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
If you are in to karting or want the most cost effective way to start racing please check out Nevada Kart Sport, the only full service kart shop in this region. Owner Rodney Rivera will maintain, build or store your kart.
The shop is located at 894 Deming Way, off East Glendale, in Sparks, Nevada. The shop’s website is www.nevadakartsport.com, and the phone number is 775-219-4184.
Hungry, want a great place to eat, then try PJ&Company for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and it’s a great place to watch your favorite sports.
If you’re a rider, well Wednesday evening is Bike Night, always a great time to see some great looking bikes and meet like minded people.
The location is 1590 South Wells Avenue, just north of the round about. Phone number is 775-323-6366 and their website is www.pjandco.net.
Have a business targeted toward motorsports or an off road demographic? We are always looking for more sponsors and will expose your business to the racing and off road community in this area.
You can contact us either through the comment section of this site or on our Face Book page.
2018 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
- Top Gun Dragstrip:
+ Summit ET Series Super Pro Winner : Lonnie Grace Fallon, NV 02 Cavalier
Runner Up – Eric Setterberg Fernley, NV
+ Rear engine dragster
Summit ET Series Pro Winner: Kevin Morris Sparks, NV 67 Nova
Runner Up – David DuBose Reno, NV 70 Road Runner
+ Summit ET Series Sportsman Winner: Marc Klose Fallon,NV 72 Vega
Runner Up – Walt Stacey Fallon, NV 83 Mustang
+ Summit Junior Dragster Series Winner: Nicholas Morris Sparks, NV Junior Dragster
Runner Up – Dakota Sasser Fallon, NV Junior Dragster
+ Top Gun Dragstrip Rookie of the Year:
Dave Ritter, Sun Valley, NV, 16 Challenger
Runner Up – Nicole Swartz, Reno, NV, Duster
+ Summit ET Series Motorcycle Winner: Tommy Brown Fernley, NV 17 Victory
Runner Up – Dean Prowse Sparks, NV 83 Suzuki
• American Valley class champions:
+ IMCA A Mods – Jeff Olschowka, B Mods – Craig Nieman, Hobby Stocks – Seaton Montgomery, Mini Stocks – Connor McMillian.
• Fernley 95A Speedwaay:
+ Hobby Stocks – Randy Boyd
• Rattlesnake Raceway:
+ IMCA A Mods – Andy Strait, Hobby Stocks – Dave Ausano, Super Stock 4 – Jesse James, Gen-X – Robert Crane, Sprint Cars – Wade Lumsden.
• Lovelock Speedway:
+ IMCA Mods – Joel Meyers, Hobby Stocks – Shayna Robertson, Sprint Cars – Jeff Macedo.
PHOTO GALLERY:
