West Richland, Wash. (Oct. 5, 2025) — The Fall Classic has yet a new winner to add to its list following the 38th running of the race.
Ethan Ebert, driving a car owned by Jeff Jefferson claimed victory by just under 1.2 seconds Sunday afternoon on the half-mile Tri City Raceway tri-oval to claim the $10,000 first place money.
Ebert from Tucson, Ariz. led the race’s final six laps to top Haeden Plybon from Spokane in the season-ending Northwest Super Late Model Racing Association race.
“We were using our doors out there,” Ebert said in a NWSLM news release. “I think it just came down to who had more tire out there and we did.”
There was some simple strategy that Ebert employed to earn the victory.
“It was just save, save, save”, Ebert said. “This track is super abrasive, and we only get right side tires on the pit stop, so we just tried to save our lefts, our left rear. That was going to be our drive tire, and we needed that one.”
Plybon led at five different times in the race including 143 through 194. According to reports, Plybon also did a remarkable job at one point saving things from a potential spin.
With his 10th place finish, Ryan Phipps from Burley, Idaho was crowned the 2025 champion.
April’s Apple Cup winner at Tri City, Zach Riehl, was third with Thomas Stafford and Kasey Kleyn rounding out the top five.
Besides Kleyn, the 2024 camp, former Fall Classic race winners and their finishes included: Donnie Wenat (2022) DNQ and Naima Lang (2020, 2011 & 2012) 15th.
Want to be featured in our ‘Champion’s Profiles?’
We’re still asking 2025 racetrack champions to contact us to be featured in the NW Motorsports Report “Champion’s Profiles” found each week in The Exchange classified paper.
Here’s what we need:
Photo of car
Photo of driver (mug)
Point standings from your class
Brief (or not so brief) bio of you that covers your racing career and what you do when you are not racing. Family?
Any notable wins or awards?
Sponsors list; any crew you want to spotlight?
Reply to: nwmotorsportsreport@gmail.com
Questions: 509-220-8018 (text/phone)