2026 SMC Race 3- PNW Historics – West Coast Sprite-Midget Challenge

July 14, 2026
For immediate release

Race 3 of the 2026 season is one for the record books of the Sprite-Midget Challenge.

Run as a “race within a race” inside Battle of the Brits 2 with Minis, an SMC record 20 Spridgets paddocked together, filling an entire row in the jammed-full 200-car paddock at the Pacific Northwest Historics.

Seven of twenty Spridgets in our paddock row.

Though the attrition bug bit again, keeping six cars (and four Minis) from starting, sixteen enthusiastic drivers and strong cars took the checkered flag for the showcase Saturday race, right after the lunch break.

A tight, orderly grid for the thrilling start.

The action was thrilling and immediate, with Duncan, Campbell, Sahawneh, Newby, and Fritsch (Mini) roaring five-wide past the start/finish tower.

As the first lap completed, it was Campbell with the lead, followed hotly by Eldridge, with Tupholme surging from the back row to third. Newby, Fritsch, Shinn, Newman, Birch, Heacock came next, then Herb and Smith battling side by side, with Greenman trailing, then Sahawneh, Lyford, Duncan, and Hansen in a very tight pack. Great racing action throughout the grid!

Too many to name them all coming through 3a on lap 1 of Battle of the Brits 2.
Photo by Bill Dolph.

Heacock (13), Smith (76), Herb (149), Greenman (21), Duncan (154), Sahawneh (71), Lyford (07), and Hansen (36) on the front straight after the first lap.

Duncan (154), Sahawneh (70), Lyford (07), and Hansen (36) on the front straight.

N. Shinn (26), leads Greenman (21) and Smith (76), with Lyford (07), Fritsch (23), Newman (4), Hansen (36), Heacock (13), Sahawneh (70), and Duncan (154) in the next group.

As the race progressed, it settled into epic, close racing with multiple lead changes between Campbell and Eldridge. Newby and Tupholme engaged an equally thrilling duel for third until Tupholme, slightly ahead, went around at the exit of turn 9.

Newby (1) leads Tupholme (811) through turn 3b.
Photo by Gary McMillan.

Smith (76), Lyford (07), Greenman (21), and Hansen (36) in tight, clean racing through 3b.
Photo by Gary McMillan.

Heacock (13) leads Sahawneh (60), Duncan (154), Herb (149), Smith (76), Lyford (07), Shinn, N (21) and Hansen (36) toward turn 4.
Photo by Gary McMillan.

Hansen (36) hot on the heels of Slinker (50) in 5b.
Photo by Richard Baron.

Eldridge (38) and Campbell (12) wheel to wheel through turn 9.

Eldridge and Campbell continued to run bumper to bumper or side by side through the entire race, pushing each other to blazing-fast 1:39 laps (both personal bests) and exchanging the lead at least seven times. As they came up the hill to turn 7 on the last lap Campbell (12) had eeked out a lead of a few car lengths and he managed to make it stick, taking the checkered flag by a narrow margin over Eldridge (38).

Newby (1) came next, then Fritsch (23, Mini), Lyford (07), Greenman (21), Hansen (36), Smith (76), Herb (149), Newman (4), Heacock (13), N. Shinn (26), Birch (135, Mini), Tupholme (811), Sahawneh (70), and Duncan (154).

2026 Battle of the Brits drivers and crew.

SMC drivers Eldridge, Newby, and Campbell swept the podium positions for Battle of the Brits.

A big thank-you to Hoosier from podium finishers Sahawneh (70), Eldridge (38), Campbell (12), and Newby (1), and the rest of the SMC drivers.

Group A (1275)
Campbell (12)
Eldridge (38)
S. Newby (1)
Lyford (07)
Greenman (21)
Hansen (36)
Smith (76)
Herb (149)
Newman (4)
N. Shinn (26)
Tupholme (81)
Duncan (154)
Maggio (35), DNS
Quackenbush (83), DNS
B. Shinn (62), DNS
Slinker (50), DNS
Tipton (44), DNS

Group B (1098, 948)
Heacock (13)
Sahawneh (70)
D. Newby (20), DNS

Standings after three events: