Northwest Super Late Models Prepare for Labor Day Spectacular

The Atomic 125 at Hermiston Raceway is the fifth race of the NWSLMS season.

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Event: The “Atomic 125” at Hermiston Raceway (OR) will be Round #5 of the Northwest Super Late Model Series season and will take place on Sunday, September 4th. $4,500 will go to the winner of the event with a minimum of $500 to start. It will be Day #2 of the Labor Day Spectacular and will also feature the INEX Legends in a Regional Qualifier, Hobby Stocks, Bombers, and Hornets.

Entries: 21 Super Late Models are currently entered for this weekend’s “Atomic 125” representing three states and one Canadian Province. Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and the province of British Columbia, Canada will be represented this weekend.

Series Returns: The NWSLMS will return to Hermiston for the second time in 2022. Kaiden Anderson took advantage of some late race trouble for the leaders and grabbed his first series victory and the championship lead. The 3/8-mile asphalt oval will host the series for the eighth time with Mike Longton the only repeat winner. Jason Jefferson, Haeden Plybon, Trevor Cristiani, J.C. Wofford, and Tayor Riddle where the other winners. Cristiani, Anderson, and Plybon are all entered this weekend.

READ MORE: Hermiston Raceway Revs Up Labor Day Spectacular

Championship: Kaiden Anderson lengthened his championship lead at the last event at Findlay Stadium Stateline Speedway. His two nearest championship competitors entering the event both had trouble, with Max Schroeder and Andy Beaman both exiting early. Anderson now leads a tight pack for the runner-up position with 186 points. Nick Gibson vaulted to second with 160 points. He leads Max Schroeder (159 points), Haeden Plybon (157 points), Andy Beaman (153 points), Jason O’Neil (146 points), Ken Bonney (144 points), Christopher Kalsch (140 points), Braeden Havens (138 points) and Evan Goetz (136 points). Nine teams have entered each event this season.

Rookie-of-the-Year: Kaiden Anderson also leads the Jefferson Racing Rookie-of-the-Year standings. Anderson is followed by Nick Gibson, Haeden Plybon, Evan Goetz, and Randy Marshall Jr.

Season Debut: Six drivers are currently scheduled to make their NWSLMS season debuts. Jonathon Gomez and Wyatt King will make their first series starts while Terry Halverson, Clint Habart, Derek Ball and Ashton Cristiani will make their first starts of the 2022 season.

Jonathon Gomez: One of those drivers, who will make their series debut, is Jonathon Gomez. Gomez has been away from racing for several years, but he has made a comeback in both the Modified and most recently his Late Model in 2022. The former Spears SRL Southwest Tour and Rocky Mountain Challenge Series champion is excited to return to the Super Late Model wars and will pull double duty this weekend.

“We have been supporting the Speed Tour Modified Series this year and the schedule worked, so I could bring both cars”, Gomez stated. “I haven't raced Hermiston since 2013 so I'm excited. Our goal is always to win but no matter what, it will be a lot of fun to hang out with family and friends, and to see some of the racers that I haven't seen in a decade.”

Winners: In four NWSLMS events in 2022, there have been four different winners. Three will be present this weekend at Hermiston Raceway. Preston Peltier won the season opening “Apple Cup 125” at Tri-City Raceway at RMEC, but is a late scratch from this weekend’s event. Evan Goetz became the youngest winner in NWSLMS history by taking home the checkered in Round #2 at Wenatchee Valley Super-Oval’s “Leonard Evans 150”. Round #3 was won by Kaiden Anderson who picked up his first series victory in the “PCA 125” at Hermiston Raceway. 2019 series champ Trevor Cristiani claimed Round #4 at Findlay Stadium Stateline Speedway in the “Liberty Launch Academy 125”, coming from eighth and earning the TI Company Inc. “Hard Charger Award”.

Champions: Trevor Cristiani in the only former NWSLMS champion entered this weekend, but several Pro Late Model track champions will look to defend their home turf. Dave Garber was the 2020 Hermiston Raceway Track Champion and has multiple big wins at the facility. Jeff Mullins is the defending Hermiston Raceway Track Champion and has made NWSLMS starts in the last three events at the facility. His best finish was an eighth earned in June of 2021.

Broadcast: For those unable to attend, the event will be shown LIVE on Racing America, with a subscription to its streaming service.

Pre-Entry

1. 1 Kasey Kleyn

2. 021 Todd Connell

3. 2 Terry Halverson

4. 3K Ken Bonney

5. 3B Andy Beaman

6. 09 Clint Habart

7. 11G Nick Gibson

8. 15 Jim Franklin

9. 17S Max Schroeder

10. 22G Evan Goetz

11. 22J Jonathan Gomez

12. 23 Corey Allard

13. 27 Derek Ball

14. 33 Christopher Kalsch

15. 37 Kaiden Anderson

16. 55 Haeden Plybon

17. 80 Wyatt King

18. 88 Jeff Mullins

19. 90 Trevor Cristiani

20. 93 Dave Garber

21. 94 Ashton Cristiani

ABOUT THE NORTHWEST SUPER LATE MODEL SERIES

The Northwest Super Late Model Series is the premier regional touring Super Late Model series in the Northwest. The series has many valued partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, McGunegill Engine Performance, AR Bodies, Leonard Evans Used Car Superstore, Racing Dynamiks, Joes Racing Products, Penske Racing Shocks, Five Star Bodies, AFCO/Longacre Racing Products, RaceCals, Wheel Chill, Atomic Screen Printing and Embroidery, Franks Racing Radio, BLP, Jefferson Racing, American Racer, Gibson Diesel Performance, and The Ti Company. For more information on the series visit www.nwslms.com or on Facebook and Twitter.