The National Open series wrapped up this past weekend, and the big picture turned out pretty great. Both John and Cory went to the final rounds in Top Comp and Super Comp. Unfortunately, both lost in the final. The bright side is that they both went to the final round and the runner-up by Cory gave him the National Open Super Comp title for 2004. John, unfortunately got beat by the only guy who could have won the title in Top Comp. Washington driver Randy Johnson won the race and won the championship by 11 points over John. Still it was a great season in the National open season. Congratulations to Randy as he went on a roll that included three wins in a row in the series. John had a great Open series by any standard, and if not for the run Randy had, the Lucas Oil sponsored team owner would have walked away with the championship. Cory also finished tied for 2nd place in the Stock/Super Stock Combo class.
The consecutive weekends at a race track has finally ended, but John still has a couple weekends of related activities. This weekend is a sad one, As he will be attending the funeral of Rob Ranta the 'big' chief starter from the Eagle Motorplex, who died suddenly at his home in Kamloops this past weekend. Condolences go out to the family of Rob. The following weekend he is back in Kamloops to the 'Hot Summer Nights' event in the interior city. Sponsor River City Nissan is putting on a big display and John will have all three race cars featured there. Then, the team is back on the road, heading east to Billings Montana for the second to last divisional event of the year
July 20, 2004
The team has a great outing with Cory Thompson winning Super Comp in the National Open at MRP and John Evans r/ups in Top Comp and retains the point lead.
A great weekend at MRP in front of the three primary sponsors for John Evans Racing. Don Baker from Lucas Oil Canada, George Evans from River City Nissan and Dean Murdoch (aka SpeedZone Magazine), were all on hand to see the team has of good a performance as they did two months ago at the 'Plex. Two cars in the finals, one winner and both cars leading the National Open point standings heading into the final event of the year in two weeks at Prince George's North Central Motorsport Park. Before they make the ten hour trek to PG they will continue on their consecutive weekends of racing, with their first NHRA National Event of the year at Pacific Raceways for the NW Nationals. John won't be in competition, but Cory will be doing double duty in both the Stocker and the Super Comp car, which he is at one with in the last couple events. The Stocker has been running very well as well, as Cory is looking to make his mark with both cars.
July 14, 2004
Woodburn Dragstrip Lucas Oil event #2. The 5th of seven Division 6 races.
John qualified #17 with a 7.37 182.88. He raced Quentin Chambers in round one but Chamber's .005 light and 7.65 was too much for John. Cory went to round two in Stock, but was defeated by Jody Lang. In Super Comp, Cory went to the third round of elimination's. He qualified #11 with a first round 8.922 and repeated that number in the second round. Against division 6 hitter Geoff Hughes, Cory had 7/100ths at the tree but took 4/1000th's too much stripe and broke out more than Hughes'. Too bad for Thompson, as that win could have given him big time confidence to go into the fourth round and possibly further.
This coming weekend, the team is on its last legs of a grueling 7 weekends in row stretch, that sees the Evans racing team compete at Mission for the Lucas Oil Canadian National Open and then Seattle's NW Nationals the following weekend.
July 7, 2004 The weekend from Hell!!!!!
Week #5 in our 7 races in 7 weeks is up next at Woodburn Dragstrip for their second Lucas Oil event of the season. Last week we competed at Edmonton for the Rocky Mountain Nationals, and it was one race for the diary that will not be forgotten for mostly bad reasons. The weather, which was the polar opposite from last seasons sunny race, was UGLY!! It rained during all three days of the event and Saturday was a total wash out. With the rain in the morning on Sunday the event was catered to the Professional classes, of which we are considered a part of. Someone forgot to tell the officials. To start with, the team's three cars (Stock, Quick Rod and Top Dragster), only got two qualifying shots. All the other classes got the same, so that was even. But come elimination's, The four main pro classes and two exhibition classes (7.50 Funny Car and Nitro Harley) were given free reign. We got out first round of qualifying in at 8:30pm believe it or not in John's Top Dragster class. The late start was too much for John's competitor giving him a bye run into the 1/4 finals. A win there (with a couple more teams saying the hell with it), and John would have a bye into the final round. It was worth the chance to stay. Cory could not stay due to work commitments, and have to give his competitor a Stock single. Cory did win Stock class elimination's on Saturday. Way to go!. In Super Comp, Cory lost a close one to Fransceca Plaizer.
Anyway, John;s 1/4 final round was run at 12:30 am Monday morning! With moisture on all the cars and a track temperature under 60 degrees. It was not a good situation. But a win and the finals would be run Monday around noon. Worth the effort, well maybe, but none of the drivers were too happy. Especially with high horsepower cars like these in marginal conditions, it was a bad call by the IHRA officials. We were up against Bruno Massel Jr. one of the hitters from back east. John was way to anxious or frustrated or a combination of everything and felt before the tree was activated ending what had to be the most frustrating racing marathon in his memory bank.
This weekend at Woodburn we hope the event goes like a drag race should!
June 29, 2004
Bremerton National Open
Out third weekend in a row here at Bremerton. John wins first round on Saturday in the Top Comp double header but bows out in the second round, and is a first round runner-up in the second event. It is the first time he races in a 1/8 mile race with the top comp car. Cory had about the same luck in both the Super Comp Dragster and in the Stocker. The next race is next weekend at Edmonton.
June 15, 2004
Evan's Racing is on a marathon trek over the new few weeks and it started this past weekend at Woodburn. Their schedule is 7 race weekends in a row (or more is it John). The first one, at Woodburn was not the start they were hoping for particularly after the great run they had at the National Open at Ashcroft just two weeks ago. John struggled with transmission problems in the Top Comp dragster and was ousted in round one when the trans brake did not work. Cory Thompson in the Super Comp Dragster, lost in round one as well, and then was a first round r/u in the Stock Firebird. The Gambler races were not better for Cory as he was first round fodder in both of those as well. The one bright spot for John came Sunday morning when he was awarded the "Best Engineered Car" from the division 6 tech department. Way to go John and Dar.
The team is off to Seattle this weekend for the second of back to back Lucas Oil races. Then Bremerton's National Open is the following weekend.
June 8, 2004
Cory runs the Super Stock/Stock combo on the weekend and goes to the semi finals. In the race he takes on two other E/SA cars running heads up and gets the wins in both. He loses to Glenn Rogers in the semis.
