Tri-Cities race car driver wins Super Late Model event over the weekend

The 2020 local motorsports season, like everything else, has been a major casualty in the pandemic.

Previously set schedules have been ripped apart, and races that have been run have been far and few between.

It’s affected all track promoters, racing fans, racing teams and their drivers.

That includes Kennewick’s Brittney Zamora.

In 2019, Zamora drove for Bill McAnally Racing, based out of Roseville, Calif., in NASCAR’s K&N Racing West series in 2019.

In 14 races, she had six top-5 finishes.

She also drove her family’s Super Late Model around the Northwest, earning six top-5 finishes — and two victories — in nine events.

The K&N Series to NASCAR is comparable to Double-A professional baseball is to Major League Baseball.

For 2020, Zamora moved over to driving for the Jefferson Racing team based out of Naches in the ARCA Menards Series West — which is what the K&N Racing Series West was renamed this year.

Zamora, 21, had big plans this season.

She also planned on driving a lot of Super Late Model events throughout the Northwest, with her father Mike as the crew chief.

Of course, the pandemic changed all of that. However, there have been chances here and there to race in an event this season — without any fans watching in person.

One such case happened Saturday in Rochester at South Sound Speedway, where Zamora dominated the field in a Super Late Models event.

She was the fastest in practice, the fastest in qualifying, and the winner of the 75-lap main event.

“We went up there this past weekend because we plan on racing in the Northwest Tour race there on the 15th,” said Zamora on Monday morning.

When that race comes around, it will be Zamora’s fifth of the season.

“I had 15 to 20 races under my belt by that time last year,” she said. “Seat time is crucial. Saturday had its challenges. We were the fastest in practice, but I could tell the set-up needed to be fixed.”

Zamora, while being the fastest in qualifying, started sixth in the grid after it was inverted.

“By the 15th lap, we had moved into second place,” she said. “That’s where I sat for a long stretch of green (flag). But I took the lead on a restart.”

Zamora did all of this while temporarily losing the use of her brakes in the middle of the race.

She worked to get the brakes back and continued on.

Racing without fans is something she’s been trying to get used to.

“It’s only crew members out there, so it’s a little weird,” Zamora said.

With not racing for a couple of months – her previous race had been in May in Idaho – Zamora says it’s takes a little time to get used to being back in the seat.

But she feels she improves every time out.

“Compared to a year ago, I feel each race I get better,” she said. “I feel I’ve bumped (my performance from last year). Last year, I was traveling to a lot of tracks. I think it’s good to go to new tracks, because it helps you to adjust.”

And when you keep winning, it helps in getting better.

• On Friday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown made the decision to move Umatilla County back to a baseline phase since data showed there were more COVID-19 outbreaks in Hermiston and Umatilla.

In that phase, sporting events are not allowed to be held.

That forced Hermiston Raceway to cancel its racing event that was set for Saturday.

It also means the county will stay in this phase for at least three weeks.

Golf

Benton City’s Richard Gleed II and Sunnyside’s TJ Inions were the only two Mid-Columbians who survived the Washington State Amateur qualifying rounds last week and will play in the main event, which is set for Aug. 11-13 at Chamber Bay.

Gleed fired a 3-under-par 69 to tie for fourth at the fourth qualifying tournament last Thursday at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla.

Inions was right behind, tying for sixth with a 70.

Richland High School golfer Carter Sheets shot a 73 and was named the third alternate for the tournament proper.

Othello’s Patrick Azevedo was entered for the Wine Valley qualifier, but he withdrew. That doesn’t matter, since he was on the exempt list to play at Chambers Bay.

So is Kennewick’s Nick Mandell.

Gesa and WIAA join together

Gesa Federal Credit Union, based out of Richland, announced on Monday that it was enhancing its partnership with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

Gesa now becomes the title sponsor for WIAA sports championship events.

It also becomes the title sponsor for other WIAA initiatives, such as the Sportsmanship program, the Scholastic Awards program, and the Women in Sports Leadership Conference.

Notes

• Great news for Gonzaga men’s basketball fans: in the span of 72 hours over the weekend, guards Joel Ayayi and Corey Kispert have announced they won’t be heading to the NBA draft after all, and will instead come back for another season for the Bulldogs.

• Eastern Washington University has replaced that beautiful red turf it has for football with an even brighter, newer red turf.

Then the school got even smarter, selling the old turf in pieces to fans. I myself purchased a 2 foot by 3 foot piece of the rug for $20 a few weeks ago.

When I get it, I’ll hang it on the wall of my man cave.

• Speaking of EWU, the football team got a big boost a few weeks ago when Kamiakin senior Messiah Jones verbally committed to play there beginning in the fall of 2021.

It marks the second Kamiakin player to commit with the Eagles in the past month.

Braves teammate Woodley Downard, a receiver, had announced his decision just a few days before Jones made the move.

Jones, at 6-6, is considered a prospect in both basketball and football at the next level. His improved play on the court really helped Kamiakin’s basketball team to advance to the state tournament in March.

But Jones is also dynamite as a big target at receiver. He has also shown some skill as a defensive end.

• Former Tri-City American Jesse Mychan has signed a one-year, two-way American Hockey League deal with the Iowa Wild.

This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 5:14 PM.