Herensperger donation boost to Miss Spokane restoration

CHELAN, WASH. —The ongoing effort to raise funds to restore the Miss Spokane unlimited hydroplane took to the road recently at Mahogany and Merlot in early October in Chelan, Wash.

In a message, Stephen Shepperd, one of those behind the effort wrote, “On the heels of the anonymous $1,000 donation last week, I received a message from Julie Heerensperger Warren with some big news. She had decided to help with the Miss Spokane Restoration effort with a generous donation of $5,000 towards the cause”.

Julie’s father, David Heerensperger, sponsored the former Miss Spokane for the 1963 and 1964 seasons as the first Miss Eagle Electric. Heerensperger would later campaign the U-25 Pride of Pay ’N Park boat into the 1980s to many notable victories and numerous national championships.

“Needless to say, we are beyond thankful for her generosity,” Shepperd wrote. “While it is well short of the estimated $100,000 needed to complete the job, it certainly moves us forward in being able to begin to secure the needed materials.”

On Friday, October 3, Julie and her family were in Chelan for Mahogany and Merlot, so a check presentation was arranged where Julie handed over the check to Kent ‘Pancho’ Simonson, team manager of the restoration. This brings the total from button sales and donations to nearly $8,000.

“Thanks again to Julie and her family for the donation and your faith in the project,” Shepperd said.
Original 1983 Miss Spokane Restoration buttons are available at $15 per button and $7 shipping. “We also encourage anyone interested in making a donation to do so,” Shepperd added.

Cash or checks can be sent to:
Hydromaniacs.unlimited, 1120 W Fallview Drive, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815. PayPal and Venmo links are also provided, but a reminder that those services charge a fee for transferring the money to our account after the sale.

To follow progress on this project, visit Diamond Cup Hydromaniacs on Facebook.

Hamlin seizes 60th win, ‘Championship 4’ spot with Vegas victory

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Services

LAS VEGAS (October 12, 2025) – Denny Hamlin scored an emotional victory and claimed a significant career milestone with a dramatic win in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series’ South Point 400 Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Hamlin passed two cars in the final 10 laps, ultimately taking the lead from his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe with four laps remaining then holding off the day’s most dominant driver Kyle Larson by 1.533-second to claim his series’ best sixth win of the season and 60th win of his career.

The win secures the first of four positions in the Nov. 2 Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway – landing Hamlin his first title shot since 2021.

Hamlin was notably moved in the moments after climbing out of his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Instead of the typical playful banter the veteran normally delivers to the crowd after a win, the 44 year-old Virginian spoke more solemnly, mentioning his father Dennis, who has been ill.

“This win means a lot, this is the point where I kind of give the fans some $#%& [grief] but not today, I appreciate you all so much,” said Hamlin, his eyes water-filled as he looked toward the crowded grandstands.

It marked the eighth time Hamlin and fellow Playoff contender Larson have finished in some combination of first and second place. Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the class of the field for most of the day – leading a race high 129 of the 267 laps – but just unable to hold off Hamlin’s pole-winning Toyota heading to the checkered flag.

Larson, like Hamlin took four tires on the final pit stop and lined up on the second row for the final restart with 14 laps remaining. Hamlin’s teammate Briscoe was out front, benefitting from a two-tire call that gave him better track position.

Hamlin re-started fifth and made his way forward, passing Larson with five laps remaining and then getting around his teammate Briscoe with four laps remaining. Larson and then Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell also got around Briscoe in the closing laps.

It marked the 15th time this year Toyota had four of a race’s top five finishing drivers. The effort gives Bell a 20 point advantage on the cutoff line in third-place and Briscoe a 15 point edge.

Reigning series champion and current Playoff driver, Team Penske’s Joey Logano also gambled on a two-tire stop on that last caution period and was able to manage a sixth-place finish. Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott was 18th rallying from an early race pit miscue and penalty.

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick was the lone non-Playoff driver among the top-five Sunday, finishing fifth in his Toyota. Hendrick’s Alex Bowman, Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch, and Roush-Fenway-Keselowski teammates Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top 10.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the Talladega Superspeedway high banks next Sunday for the Yellawood 500 (2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the defending race winner.

Prock, Kalitta, Glenn, Gadson win playoff race at Fallnationals

NHRA Media

Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel celebrated victory at the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. NHRA photo

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Oct. 30-Nov. 2 with the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.