http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/09/02/100spo_e2autos001.cfm

Published: Saturday, September 2, 2006

Super Stocks title coming down to the final races

By Mike Allende
EVERETT Herald Writer

Back racing at Evergreen Speedway fulltime for the first time in several years, the Lake Stevens driver heads into the final two weeks of the season holding a 10-point lead over Harding heading into today's Labor Day Weekend event at the track.

The last time the 33-year-old Touchette seriously competed for a points championship, Harding was "20 percent" of the driver he is now, according to Touchette. Now Harding, a Langley, B.C., native, is the defending Super Stocks points champion and has a division-high seven wins this season.

"We always ran pretty strong at Evergreen before," said Touchette, who was runner-up in 2003. "I thought we'd have some more wins this year, but I was underestimating how tough Shane Harding would be. I was thinking he wouldn't be nearly as good as he is now. I didn't think he would be a contender. But he obviously is."

Touchette and Harding will pick up the points chase when a five-division show that also includes the Bombers, Mini-Stocks, Extreme Contact Figure Eights and the Stinger 8 World Championship will be run. Racing begins at 7 p.m.

The season has been an eventful one for Touchette, who has finished in the top three in all but three races and has two wins. He trailed Monroe's Doug Davidson until the first weekend of August, when he took the points lead over and has been nursing a close advantage since then.

"We've had a good, consistent season," Touchette said. "We don't have a big lead, but a lead is a lead. I feel good about where we're at."

It isn't just Harding that is pushing Touchette. Davidson remains 16 points behind and Lynnwood's Naima Lang, though a long shot, is still 40 points back. John Burtsche is 30 points back but he abruptly sold his car and dropped out of the race last week.

Touchette was involved in one of the season's most interesting events in late July when he blew the motor in his car on the eve of the Washington 500. In second place in the points standings at the time, Touchette approached John Zaretzke and asked the former track champion if his car - which had already qualified for the race - was for sale, and then bought it for $32,500. Touchette, though, says the exchange was blown a bit out of proportion.

"I didn't just go up to him and write him a check like everyone thinks," Touchette said. "I had talked to John before the season even started about that car. And then that night, I talked to my sponsors (Oso Lumber) and they gave me money. And it was a good decision. You know John isn't going to show up to race with anything less than the best."

Touchette has both cars now, but says he plans on running the Zaretzke car because of some mechanical concerns with the other. He said he's comfortable with either car.

What he's not totally comfortable with is his points lead, but he said it should make for an exciting weekend of racing, particularly competing in front of what should be a huge Evergreen State Fair crowd.

"The stands will be full and there will be a lot of new faces who don't experience this all the time," Touchette said. "It's really neat to give people who don't see us race often a good show. This is the big-time for us, and we get really excited to run in front of a crowd like that."

Other points races: The Super Stocks aren't the only tight points race that will compete today. Duane Schoboek holds a 27-point lead over James Mugge and a 34-point lead over Darin Stordahl in the Bombers division. And Mark Weedin leads Nat Barber by 15 points in the Mini-Stocks. Troy Simianer is ahead of Bill Wade by 11 and Sean Peters by 23 in the Extreme Contact Figure Eight race.

On Sunday, Evergreen will play host to one of its most popular events of the year, the Speedway Chevrolet Demolition Derby/Fireworks show, a night that will also include a Rollover Contest, School Bus Figure Eights, the Hornets, Boat Races, and 3-Car Trains. The night begins at 7 p.m.

Getting it Right: The finish of last week's Figure Eight Nationals race has been changed after track officials found a scoring discrepancy. Jim Downey was originally named the winner but after a protest, track officials found that Downey actually finished fourth, and Steve Peters was the winner, giving the Monroe racer his record fourth Nationals title.

Jerry Funden moved up to second and Nick Gunderson is now third.

Mike Allende