Yakima, Wash.- Firebird Raceway entered the final day of the NHRA Summit Racing Series Northwest Division Finals hopeful, that it could win a third straight team championship. The track from Boise, Idaho, fell short as Woodburn Dragstrip took home its ninth team championship overall.

Since racers began competing for a team championship in 1978, no track has ever won three straight. Woodburn had an opportunity in 1982, Portland Int'l Raceway in 1987, and Firebird in 2002, but all three finished in second place during their attempts.

"I give all the credit to the racers, they did a great job," said Jonathan Adams, Track Manager of Woodburn Dragstrip.

Portland is second overall to Woodburn with six championships, Pacific Raceways and Firebird both have four, and Bremerton Raceway and Mission Raceway Park each have one.

Event champions were also crowned at the conclusion of Sunday's racing action as Steve Beggerly of Seattle, in Super Pro; Pete Schneider of Bend, Ore., in Pro; Don Fluaitt of Yakima, Wash., in Sportsman; and Anita Cunningham of Bellingham, Wash., took home the honors.

Firebird Raceway had the chance to have two racers named event winners but unfortunately, both racers left before the green light, giving their opponents the win in Super Pro and Pro. Beggerly, representing Yakima Raceways made a 12.810-second, 72.85 mph pass in the final. Schneider almost lost his composure when he saw his opponent red light, but managed a 10.919-second, 121.31 mph run to bring back a win for Madras Raceway.

"After I saw his red-light, I almost started celebrating right then, and I almost lost it at the starting line," said the Pro event winner.

Fluaitt also earned a win in front of the hometown crowd and his home track. The Sportsman competitor credits his win to his fellow Renegade Raceways racers.

"I got kicked in the butt by my teammates," said Fluaitt. "They told me to go out, relax, and have fun."

The Motorcycle/Snowmobile final featured a battle of Mission Raceway Park teammates, as Cunningham battled Miles Hauer. Racing in only her second full year of competitive drag racing, Cunningham made a 9.679-second, 131.27 mph pass for the win lights.

The NHRA Northwest Division also announced today that its Race of Champions winners, Paul Nero of Eugene, Ore., in Super Pro; Martin Rachel of Richmond, B.C., in Pro; Lorne Ridley of Hope, B.C., in Sportsman; and Richard Pedraza of Boise, Idaho, in Motorcycle/Snowmobile; will represent the division in November at the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship at Pomona Raceway.

The following are final round results from the NHRA Summit Racing Series Northwest Division Finals at Renegade Raceways:

SUPER PRO
Steve Beggerly, Seattle, Wash., '68 Pontiac, 12.810 seconds, 72.85 mph def. Dennis Fuller, LaGrande, Ore., '97 Mustang, 8.912, 152.61

PRO
Pete Schneider, Bend, Ore., '70 Plymouth Duster, 10.919, 121.31 def. Paul Nicolosi, Nampa, Idaho, '66 Nova, 11.954, 90.10

SPORTSMAN
Don Fluaitt, Yakima, Wash., '67 Camaro, 13.961, 90.09 def. Richelle Riedl, West Linn, Ore., '63 Nova, 13.342, 103.38

MOTORCYCLE
Anita Cunningham, Bellingham, Wash., '90 Suzuki, 9.679, 131.27 def. Miles Hauer, Seattle, '81 Suzuki, 8.850, 149.57

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