Last Sunday, September 23 was the 9th time around for the Wine Country Racing Association (WCRA) to play host with their annual Car Club Challenge. This Okanagan Valley-wide rumble drags the racers and fans in for a day packed full of drag racing in British Columbia’s pocket desert.

This year a newly entered gang of gear heads, called the Detonators, rumbled and roared their way to the trophy presentation.

Mason McCune (1989 Ford Mustang) was the Detonator’s champion, and proudly hauled the trophy back to Enderby. It was no easy task. Rick Hill didn’t come from Summerland, BC in his 1958 Ford pick-up to mess around. He took the Okanagan Rodtiques right up to the final round. McCune may have looked fresh-faced to the fans, and it was for good reason. This young man isn’t yet 21 years old, and is a new-comer to the sport. This marked his second drag racing day. McCune is yet to lose a race. I can only imagine the fierce competition that the 10th Challenge holds in store.

McCune races with his Dad, James, and his uncle, Jason, who are also part of the Detonators Car Club. Drag racing is definitely a family affair down at Richter Pass Motorplex.

A 2nd trophy is awarded to the Club winner in the “Fast 8” competition. The name pretty much tells you how this competition works. Fastest 8 cars, battling it out to find the one speedy champion. This year the Rodtiques’ own Tom Groot (Summerland, BC) flew past the competition in his 1967 Firebird. No doubt Kelowna Kustom’s Rand LePage will be back next year with his 1956 GMC pick-up, determined and ready to upset the story.

Don’t be mistaken into thinking that the Car Club Challenge was the only thing shaking up the track last weekend. A group of racers from Kelowna, known as the Kelowna Outlaws, made an appearance. This club rolls up in their cars…no trailers here. These super fast street legal vehicles are required to make passes at drag tracks throughout the province and had a minimum number of passes they had to make. Their vehicles then had to get them all the way back to the BBQ in Kelowna, in order for them to get credit in their club’s standings and remain in the competition. It’s not too much to say that these were some impressive rides.

Let us not forget all the “regular ol’” drag racing that went down. WCRA can now boast that this last weekend was a record breaker in car count. 123 registered drivers signed their names and pushed their cars to the limit, all in the name of a good time.

The results of standard brackets follow:

Bike/Sled

Stuart Eckley (Osoyoos, BC), riding his 2002 Kawasaki 2X9 beat out Sonny Plamondon (Grand Forks, BC) and his 1986 Suzuki GS550.

Sportsman Bracket

Jim Behnke (Mission, BC) brought his 1973 Plymouth Scamp a long way to beat out hometown guy Blake Ogilvy (Osoyoos, BC). Ogilvy raced the track in his 1981 Chevy pick-up this weekend.

Pro Bracket

Chris Kroening (West Kelowna, BC) took his 1969 Chevy Beaumont to trophy lane by beating Robin Redding (Merrit, BC) and his 1927 model T.

Super Pro

Kayle Shaw (Penticton, BC) was ripping it up in the Boult Automotive propane powered, 1973 Vega. Shaw outdid Brad Baxendale (Osoyoos, BC) and his 1969 Chevy Beaumont.

Reaction Time

Riley Ward (Kelowna, BC) moved his 2000 Dodge Dakota off the line for the best reaction time this weekend with a super fast

.502 starting light. Remember… .500 is perfection.

WCRA has one event left this season. 2018 winds up on Thanksgiving weekend, October 7. Nothing pairs with turkey quite like drag racing.

Gates will open in two weeks at 9 a.m. $10 gate fee applies to all over 12 (kids must be accompanied by an adult.). Concessions are available on site.

For more information go to WWW.winecountryracing.ca