WMRRA Jubilant About Pacific Raceways New Paving
April 10, 2019
Smooth, seamless asphalt. The substance that road racers dream of. If you’re racing in the Pacific Northwest, well then, your future just got brighter and more exciting because a whole section of track has just been repaved at Pacific Raceways. The historic Seattle area track just resurfaced from the exit of Turn 2 to the entrance of Turn 8, completing a multistage repaving project that has been in the works for several years. Gone are the ripples in turn 3 and the braking bumps from the cars on the outside entry of turn 4, now replaced with sticky uniform blacktop making those said dreams more of a reality for those with the bravado to test the new tarmac. In just 10 days, the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association will be holding their season opener for the 2019 season and its riders are infused with enthusiasm over the improvements the track continues to make . WMRRA has a long history with Pacific Raceways (formerly known as Seattle International Raceway) and has been holding races there since the club’s inception in 1974, having experienced several configuration changes over the years.
WMRRA President, Barry Wressell, who has been racing with the club since 1998 is full of praise for Pacific Raceways efforts. “I remember when the track was leased under the SIR management, there were potholes to dodge, cracks across the track, and some of the original 1959 paving in T9. Racing was as exciting as it was unpredictable. Since Jason Fiorito has taken back oversight of the track, we’ve seen constant improvements and the facility keeps getting better. Now the road course has a fantastic racing surface everywhere and I’m anticipating lap records to drop this year. It’s safe to say everyone is excited about this and we are looking forward to one of our best years in a decade.”
WMRRA has an excellent Executive board in place who in the last 4 years have endeavored to increase ridership in the organization, attract more sponsors, create sizeable purse money, and grow the sport in the region. These improvements at Pacific Raceways will provide even more fuel for the club to continue its success. An indication that they are on the right path: 45 brand spanking new and eager novice racers have signed up for WMRRA licenses this year, representing roughly a 50% increase over the last several years.
Jason Pierce, WMRRA Novice Rep shared, “I’m excited for this year’s novice roster and feel that WMRRA’s inclusive environment has fostered the growth shown in the enrollment. Current racers are desperately longing to share addictively rewarding experiences with others both on and off the track. Our free new racer classroom session had so many interested people that the room was bursting at the seams! This further proves the warm and inviting atmosphere of WMRRA is being felt throughout the Pacific Northwest.” Under Jason’s direction, WMRRA has a “Novice Row” in the paddock where all the novice racers are able to pit near one another. This creates experiences, friendships, and life long bonds keeping them active in the sport longer, in addition to cultivating support amongst the new riders.
Want to share in the hype the new paving is creating at Pacific Raceways and/or get a sense of what WMRRA is all about? Come out to Pacific Raceways on April 19th or 20th and see for yourself. You’d be shocked how easy it is to become involved and have the time of your life. If you can’t make it out, then visit their website for schedules and other information at www.wmrra.com.