Fall Classic at newly remodeled Tri-City Raceway will highlight huge sports weekend

There are plenty of big sports events and highlights as we enter the weekend in the Mid-Columbia.

Perhaps the most intriguing sports event will happen in West Richland, where the Fall Classic will be held at the newly remodeled Tri-City Raceway at Red Mountain Event Center.

Thanks to a large number of volunteers and donors, the old Tri-City Raceway has risen like a Phoenix from the ashes of a track that last had a race in 2005.

Event officials are expecting well over 200 race teams to compete in six different classifications.

This event had been held for years at Yakima Speedway, but the track closed down earlier this year.

With the recently organized RMEC group, though, the West Richland track was refurbished and has new fencing, seating, concessions — you name it. And the Fall Classic continues on.

Drivers can practice Thursday and Friday.

Racing begins Saturday, with the fan gate opening at 11 a.m., qualifying also starting at 11 a.m., opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m., and three classification races running consecutively, starting at 1 p.m.

Sunday’s schedule repeats Saturday’s timeline — only with three different racing divisions.

Seating is limited, so check the Facebook site for Tri-City Raceway at Red Mountain Event Center.

Other events

▪ The Tri-City Americans embark on a new Western Hockey League season starting Friday at the Toyota Center.

The Portland Winterhawks visit for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop as the Americans’ Stu Barnes era commences.

The Americans also play in Spokane on Saturday night.

▪ It’s been a long, long time since Seattle Mariners fans have been able to care about their team’s games this late in the season.

But here we are on the final weekend of the regular season. As of Thursday morning, the New York Yankees hold the first American League wildcard playoff spot; the Boston Red Sox currently hold the second spot; the Mariners are a half-game behind Boston; and the Toronto Blue Jays are one game behind the Red Sox.

There will be scoreboard watching, with Boston playing a three-game set with the Washington Nationals, Toronto doing the same with the Baltimore Orioles, and the Yankees also doing the same with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Meanwhile, the Mariners finish with three at home with the Los Angeles Angels.

Game times are 7:10 p.m. Friday, 6:10 p.m. Saturday, and 12:10 p.m. Sunday.

If you can’t make it to T-Mobile, all three games are on ROOT Sports.

▪ The big high school football game of the weekend happens at 7 p.m. Friday at Fran Rish Stadium in Richland, when the Chiawana Riverhawks visit the Richland Bombers.

This game is likely a battle for the No. 2 Class 4A playoff berth out of the Mid-Columbia Conference. Kamiakin has already beaten both Chiawana and Richland. Unbeaten Kennewick is a Class 3A team.

This should be a great matchup. Both teams have outstanding offensive units led by top-notch quarterbacks — JP Zamora for Chiawana, Cameron Kitchens for Richland — and each has very stingy defensive units.

▪ The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association announced its state football allocation berths on Wednesday.

Class 4A gets three, and Class 3A gets two. The MCC will share these berths with the Greater Spokane League.

Meanwhile, our region’s 2A leagues get two, 1A gets three, 2B gets three, and 1B gets two.

More details to come.

▪ In a rare ESPN2 appearance, Eastern Washington University plays host to the University of Montana at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

It’s a battle between two of the nation’s best FCS football teams.

As an EWU alum, I know I’ll be watching somewhere.

▪ I know it’s only preseason, but this is a great time to get to know your Seattle Kraken as they prep for their inaugural NHL season.

It was also great to see former Tri-City American Morgan Geekie score two goals in the Kraken’s 5–3 preseason-opening win over the Vancouver Canucks last Sunday in Spokane.

The Kraken plays the Edmonton Oilers at 7 p.m. Friday, then the Calgary Flames at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The games will be shown on delay on ROOT at 10:30 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

More NWAC signings

• Richland High graduate Payton Pedersen will play volleyball at Whatcom Community College.
• Hanford High grad Arecely Perches will be playing softball at Wenatchee Valley College.
• Irrigon High grad Brianna Perches Perez will be playing women’s soccer for Blue Mountain Community College.
• Walla Walla High School graduate Juan Perez will be playing men’s soccer for Walla Walla Community College.
• Othello High graduate Zahid Perez-Zagal will be playing for the CBC men’s soccer team.
• Isabella Qunell, a Kamiakin graduate, will be playing softball for Bellevue College.
• Kevin Reyes, a Royal High graduate, will be playing baseball at Walla Walla Community College.
• Eliseo Romero, a Royal High graduate, will play for the Wenatchee Valley Community College men’s soccer team.
• David Ruelas, a Prosser High grad, is playing men’s soccer at CBC.
• Hanford High grad Dylan Runge will play baseball at Blue Mountain Community College.
• Makayla Sanchez of Royal will be playing softball at Wenatchee Valley College.
• Kamiakin grad Charly Scherbarth will be playing women’s soccer for CBC.
• Hanford High grad Spencer Seabaugh will be playing women’s soccer at Walla Walla Community College.
• Chiawana grad Josue Silverio will be playing men’s soccer for CBC.
• Hermiston High graduate Coleman Solano will play men’s soccer for Blue Mountain Community College.
• Adelyn Suarez, a Chiawana graduate, will be playing women’s soccer at CBC.
• Kamiakin grad Alexander Swaney will be playing baseball for Wenatchee Valley Community College.
• Casey Swanson of Walla Walla is going to play baseball at Everett Community College.
• Chiawana grad Kaidin Tasci will be playing men’s soccer at CBC.
• Kennewick High grad Camryn Thoreson is playing women’s soccer for CBC.
• Kennewick High grad Maya Thornton will play women’s basketball for Tacoma Community College.
• Grandview High School graduate Christian Valencia is playing for the CBC men’s soccer team.