02/17/2026
CHAMPION, AT LAST – Valentine Submits Near-Perfect Week to Win Snowbirds SK-Kar Championship
In the SK-Kar division, Connecticut native Mike Valentine has just about every accolade you could ask for, with countless regional wins and TOUR championships to his credit. The one crown jewel missing, however, was a Snowbird National championship. Valentine had taken many years off from traveling to the event, and last year his hopes were dashed via a wounded car late in the week. This year, at the last moment, Valentine opted to trek south again and make another run at the coveted title.
From practice #1, it was clear that Valentine’s PRW SJ-8.2 chassis was going to be setting the bar. At the end of the week, other than a round 2 accident, a near-perfect week was recorded: TQ runs in rounds 1, 3 and 4, all going faster each time, and a wire-to-wire A-Main victory. Other than dodging a few close calls, Valentine displayed poised, masterful driving in a division known for twitchy, unpredictable vehicles. Joining Mike in the A-Main were PRW vehicles of Larry Ruby (5th), Chuck Smith (8th/DNF) and William “Fireball” Turner (9th/DNF). Pemberton Raceworks continues to display a strong presence in the SK-Kar division filled with talented drivers and knowledgeable manufacturers. We would all like to congratulate Mike Valentine on cresting the SK mountain and winning this year’s Snowbirds.
PRW also showed strong in carpet oval’s most competitive division, 17.5 Stock, putting 3 4.8NFT chassis in the A-Main and challenging for the title all the way down to the final buzzer. Middletown NY’s Scott Struble held his 2nd place qualifying position to record his best Snowbirds result yet, after a fierce battle with the tandem of Bill Malicoat and Rick Byrum. Young phenom Kamron Flurer, known for his prowess on both carpet and dirt, turned in a great 2026 campaign with a 5th place effort. Pennsylvania’s Alan Behler also joined the PRW foam tire ranks and qualified a rock-solid 7th, only to be swept up in some early trouble to fall out early, in 8th. Certainly a successful weekend for this trio, we thank you all for your hard work and congratulate you on your great results.
1/12th Stock continues to be one of the most entertaining divisions to watch at the Snowbirds and our team put on the full-court press this year, accounting for 5 out of 10 entries in the A-Main. The 1-2-3 punch of Eric Beltz, Kamron Flurer and Nick Ellis all fought hard and pushed winner Bill Malicoat across the stripe to finish 2nd, 3rd and 4th at this year’s event. Congratulations to Bill on a well-earned win. Joining those three were Heather McGrath in 8th and Kayden Leaf in 10th, both making their Snowbird debuts in the division. In total, 8 out of the top 13 finishers piloted PRW Chief-12.2 chassis. Great job everyone!
Additional A-Main Recognition:
Stock RTT – Marty Peters 7, Nick Ellis 9
Super Stock RTT – Nick Ellis 🥉, Marty Peters 6
Sportsman RTT – Kayden Leaf 6
21.5 Truck – Bill Trapp 6
1/12th Modified – Mike Valentine 4, Steve Salvas 6, Eric Salvas 8
Pro Modified – Steve Pemberton 4, Eric Salvas 6
Pemberton Raceworks continues to broaden its horizons in class participation and always striving to go faster. We would like to thank all of our team and customers for another great year. We have a busy schedule to finish out carpet season, including the upcoming U.S. Oval Champs at the PRW Special Events Center (March 5-8) and TOUR Nationals at NORCAR RC Raceway (April 9-12). Thank you for the support, and we will see you trackside soon!
Visit pembertonraceworks.com to order your next carpet oval pan car kit, or send us a message to learn more.
