by Lois Pollard-Grant

Jim Mckay wrapped up his 2003 season with third place in championship point standings, in the American Foreign Stock Racing Association.

Early motor problems in his '96 Lumina Pro four, and a late season crash, eliminated his chances for capturing his third straight drivers title.

On the home front, Jim will drive the #21 WILROC Sprint car owned by Norm Wilcox; and he will also compete in USA Super Pro 4's show at Western Speedway on August 9.

 

Wade Bland's debut to NASCAR racing last year may not have been all that he'd hoped for but it could have been a lot worse.

While Wade finished only two of the five NASCAR Late Model Super stock races that he entered, the talented driver managed to come away with a respectable sixth and eighth in the two races that he completed.

"We kept popping motors," said dad, Al Bland. "We have been struggling, and had on-going problems with the oil cooler - it has been a learning curve for all of us."

Race fans will remember Wade as the kid who at 15, became the youngest driver to ever win a main event at Western Speedway. Now 19, he will pilot a '99 Monte Carlo (owned by Al Bland and Doug Stevenson) in the nine-race Dynomax Late Model Series.

The series which runs at tracks in Washington, Idaho and Oregon, will touch down for it's second appearance at Western Speedway for the Canada 200, on July 5.

 

Mike Haslam has always figured that if you want to race in the big leagues - you have to be where it's at.

So two years ago, he packed his bags, loaded up his sportsman race car and headed south. Mike's destination was Las Vegas and his first year he said, "Was a definite learning experience."

He collected his first victory in the Late Model division at the "Bull Ring" at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; and a third in another race.

Last year, to get Mike started, Star Nursery of California, gave Mike one of their "crashed" race cars. Mike brought it back to life, and on his first time out, he finished ninth in the Cajon 100 open competition event, at Cajon Speedway in California.

Mike will divide his time this year between running in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, and working full time as crew member for NASCAR South West Tour driver, Frank Deiny Jr. Mike's work duties include maintaining Deiny's car, cleaning the shop; and he is tire changer on pit stops.

 

Ken Schuurman is another Western Speedway driver who is turning his talents to racing south of the border.

The former IMS 4 ministock champ and rookie of the year, will run his '99 Monte Carlo Pro 4, in the American Foreign Stock Racing Association this year.

Ken will be competing against one of the best in the business - Langford's Jim Mckay, who has taken the series title two times in the last three years.

"I am just racing for the fun of it," said Ken, via email from Thailand where he is on a six week back packing trip - "and I'm looking forward to traveling south to try different tracks."

Last word from Ken was that he is checking out the race tracks in Thailand!

 

Chris Schmelzle who began racing in claimers at Western Speedway has come a good distance since he took up sprint car racing several years ago.

In his first year on the road, he took home Rookie of the Year honors at Skagit Speedway, Wa. placing eighth in point standings from a field of cars that averaged 30 - 40 a night.

Last year he filled in for the injured Northwest NSRA sprint car driver, Mike Basher. When Chris took over the ride, Basher was sitting at fifth in driver's points. By seasons end, Chris had driven to third place.

At Irwindale, Ca., he competed in the Turkey Night Grand Prix, the biggest USAC Midget event of the year. NASCAR Winston Cup champ, Tony Stewart, won the race, and Chris finished an impressive 13th from a field of close to 50 starters.

"In sprintcar racing," Chris explained, "there are two different types of drivers. Some win or crash - and then there's the more conservative type."

"I tend to be more conservative because I don't have the budget to replace wings every week. That is one reason I haven't won a lot of races."

His plans for 2003 are to race in the Northwest Sprint Tour and the 360 Sprint cars at Skagit Speedway.