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Wine Country Drag racing season has smoking send off

Warm weather, smoking tires, screaming engines and excited fans helped end the Wine Country Racing (WCRA) season properly.

Warm weather, smoking tires, screaming engines and excited fans helped end the Wine Country Racing (WCRA) season properly.

The Okanagan Car Club Challenge brought in many some-time racers, as well as the die-hard’s that show at every event. Sixty-five 65 cars lined up in pairs to treat the fans to 231 races.

Brandon Warren, of Newport, Washington, won the Sportsman Bracket driving a burgandy 1966 GTO defeating Osoyoos’ Glenn Taylor in his black, 1951 Mercury pick-up. In the Pro Bracket, another Newport driver won in Dean Holder with his 1980 Buick Regal. He defeated Doug Blatchford, of Oliver, in his 1969 Chevelle called the Red Sonja. The Pro Bracket Fast division victor was Vernon’s Pete Tovani driving a blue Spitzer Dragster. Tovani beat Penticton’s Dean Book, who drove a 1980 Monte Carlo.

The Bike Sled final was won, once again, by Oliver’s Warren Brown using a Kawasaki motorcycle. Brown raced for his fourth winner’s trophy this season against Summerland’s David Lee Madson on his black 2003 Arctic Cat snowmobile. Bragging rights for this third annual Okanagan Car Club Challenge go to Ian Haryett of Red Deer, Alta. Haryett and his black 1955 Buick convertible are members of the Kelowna Kustoms Car Club.  The second place trophy went to Oliver’s Cliff Meeds, driving his wine coloured 1949 Ford pick-up.

The fastest reaction time of the day was awarded to Osoyoos’ Glenn Taylor,  who nailed an absolutely perfect .500 start light.

Book was awarded with the 2012 Ron Tasker Memorial Sportsmanship trophy.

Race dates for 2013 will be posted in May. Pictures from the year can be viewed at www.winecountryracing.ca.