RALLYCROSS AT RACEWAY

Photo by Peng Du - Apexiel

AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Jacob Malm who took second place in the Modified AWD - Naturally Aspirated class in the April 26 Northwest Rally Association “Spokane Showdown” rally cross at Qlispe Raceway Park.

According to Northwest Rally Association, “A rallycross is a motorsports event where vehicles race on a course delineated by cones on a variety of surfaces. Elapsed time is tracked by the organizer with time-based penalties assessed for actions such as missed cones and driving off-course. Scoring is the accumulation of timed runs plus penalties where the lowest time wins. One car is released at a time with course workers monitoring cones and penalties.”

Over 100 entries in 10 classes took part in this Qlispe event.

While this was the only Spokane appearance, the sport returns to Lind, Wash. and the Lind Club Arena, Sept. 27 and 28.

For further information on Northwest Rally Association visit www.nwrallyassociation.com.

JOHVAN DILLON WINS WILD ONE AT WENATCHEE

Top 3 in the Leonard Evans 150, Jason O’Neil, Ken Bonney and Johvan Dillon. NWSLM photo

Wenatchee, Wash. (April 26, 2025) – In a race that saw Jan Evans dominate the first 146 laps, a caution flag with four laps remaining would change the entire complex of the hotly contested “Leonard Evans Memorial 150” from the Wenatchee Valley Super-Oval.

When the checkered flag flew, none of the drivers in the top five at that point would finish there.

However, Johvan Dillon took advantage of a last lap incident to move from sixth with four laps remaining to grab his first NWSLM win. Ken Bonney, Jason O’Neil, Zach Riehl and Ryan Phipps rounded out the top-5.

“I just saw a lot of people hitting and wrecking, so I was being careful and trying not to cut anyone off inside”, Dillon said after the four-lap shootout. “I was more or less trying to keep my nose clean and finish the race.”

Hometown driver Evans had an outstanding night to that point, setting a new Northwest Super Late Model Series presented by Knottical Marine track record in the 19-car field with a lap of 12.520 seconds, on the ¼-mile oval.

At the start, Evans grabbed the lead over fellow front row starter Wyatt Gardner.

A 40-lap green flag run ended with a competition caution on lap 85, closing the field.

On lap 109 Dillon had a tire go down, bringing out the caution once again. Dillon would have to start at the back of the 10 lead lap cars, as he recalled his mid-race challenges.

The lap 109 restart saw Plybon fighting hard with Presley for the runner-up position. It took the former series champion until lap 120 to finally clear Presley.

Cress was able to take third from Presley three laps later, as Trayton Tarr joined the top five, having survived the tire rub. Tarr continued to advance, grabbing fourth from Presley on lap 128.

A chain reaction incident on lap 131 saw sixth through eighth competitors Carlson, O’Neil and Phipps involved, with Carlson sustaining the most damage.

A 15 lap green flag run saw Presley back to fourth over Tarr, before the caution flew again on lap 146. The first restart saw Evans and Plybon make contact in Turn 2, with Plybon spinning.

Third and fourth-place runners Alan Cress and Robert Presley were also involved, ending their nights. Tarr successfully navigated the situation without any issues, while Dillon avoided the incident by taking the pit road exit.

The new lineup found Evans leading Tarr, Phipps, Dillon, Dave Garber, Zach Riehl, O’Neil, and Ken Bonney.

The second restart attempt saw Evans seemingly spin his tires with Tarr going into the lead.

Evans fought back on lap 147, getting inside Tarr and moving him out of the way in Turn 1. Tarr returned the favor in Turn 3, leading lap 148. Evans closed on the back bumper of Tarr a corner later, as the duo raced down the backstretch.

As the white flag flew, Evans contacted Tarr, as the pair raced through Turns 1 and 2. Tarr would spin as Evans raced to the line first, ahead of Dillon and a charging Bonney.

After the event, Dillon was ecstatic about the victory, in pursuit of following in his father John’s footsteps, a 14-time winner in the NASCAR Elite Division Northwest Tour and 1990 series champion.

“It has been good”, Dillon said. “I’m always trying to chase my dad’s records and all that in the Northwest. Sometimes it’s hard to beat. So, it is exciting that I am one step closer, and we just gotta keep trucking.”

The series will return to another ¼-mile track for Round #3 of the season series. It will be the ninth visit to Mode Stadium Stateline Speedway for the NWSLMS. The 150-lap event is May 17.

Results: 1. Johvan Dillon*, 2. Ken Bonney, 3. Jason O’Neil, 4. Zach Riehl, 5. Ryan Phipps*, 6. Brandon Carlson, 7. Dave Garber, 8. Jan Evans, 9. Trayton Tarr, 10. Haeden Plybon, 11. Alan Cress, 12. Bob Presley, 13. Todd Connell, 14. Scott Murphy, 15. Christopher Kalsch, 16. Gabe Sessler*, 17. Terry Halverson*, 18. Rowdy Rupinski, 19. Wyatt Gardner*

*Jefferson Racing Rookie of the Year competitor

OPEN WHEEL WINNERS

Photos by Dishaw Photography

Sprint car winner TJ Sneva from Colbert qualified second and started fifth but won the 35-lap April 26 Inland Wing Sprint Car Series opener on Fiesta Night at Stateline Speedway.

Another open-wheel winner was Champion Auto Group Freedom Mod driver Lucas Bird from Electric City who started fourth in the 50-lap main.

Other main event winners were Motion Auto Supply Early Stocks, Casey Cavender from Naples, ID. Asotin’s Marshall Hallett was the Nostalgia Modifieds main event winner.

Next up at the Post Falls track is another Fiesta Night, May 3 and Hokusei Drift-May the Drift be with you on May 4. Visit Raceidaho.com for further information.

UPCOMING REGIONAL RACING EVENTS

Drag Racing: (Qlispe Raceway)
Fri., May 2 QRP No-Prep Racing
Sat., May 3 West Coast Grudge/Pro-Mods
Sun. May 4 West Coast Grudge/Pro-Mods
Fri., May 9 QRP No-Prep Racing
Sat. May 10 Northwest Nights Roll Racing
Sun. May 11 Northwest Nights Roll Racing

Hydroplanes
May 3-4 Norm Evans Apple Cup (Chelan)

Road Racing: (Qlispe Raceway)
Thurs., May 8 Baddlands Bicycle Races

Stock Cars:
Sat., May 3 Northport Season Opener
Sat., May 10 Eagle Track Season Opener

(Stateline Speedway)
Sat.,May 3 Fiesta Night featuring
Sun., May 4 Hokusei Drift
Sat., May 10 Night Lights Event
Fri., May 16 Military Appreciation Night

Got a schedule or event, email to: nwmotorsportsreport@gmail.com