Robideaux still contributes
Jay Robideaux got into auto racing by accident – and 66 years later he’s still at it.
Robideaux may not still be behind the wheel, but he’s still a key member of his family race team that will compete in the Early Stock class Saturday at Stateline Speedway. The Early Stocks, Hobby Cars and Street Stocks will be part of a program that sees the Northwest Modifieds conclude their 2004 season. Time trials are set for 6 p.m.
As a young man back in 1939, Robideaux raced motorcycles. One night at the old Gonzaga football stadium, a local promoter was putting on a show involving Midget race cars and motorcycles.
“I went to race motorcycles,” Robideaux recalled. But when the Seattle driver was delayed getting to town, “I got my chance to drive a car.”
And after that, two wheels just didn’t pack it anymore.
The following year Robideaux raced at Natatorium Park before World War II interrupted both racing and Robideaux’s life. Serving as an Army Air Corps tail-gunner on board a B-17, Robideaux was wounded by a stray 50-caliber fragment from an attacking German fighter. He was awarded a Purple Heart.
Upon returning home he got back into racing, renewing his career at the old Sports Center track at Francis and Division. Robideaux raced all over the northwest, Seattle, Portland,Tacoma and Lewiston.
In the early 1950s racing was closer to home at the old Mead Speedway and later Memorial (now Albi) Stadium. “We ran open-wheel cars until Mead and Albi,” said Robideaux, who drove the only Buick at Mead.
Robideaux regularly raced against local stars of his day like Ed Sneva and Earl Wham, among others. He likes to say “they raced against me,” and “we had a lot of fun.”
When Robideaux got out of driving, he stayed active helping sons Mike and Bill, two of the nine children he and Peggy – his wife of 54 years – brought into the world. Now Robideaux oversees the racing operations of another generation, his grandkids, Amanda and Justin. “(Racing) is a good family sport,” Robideaux said, noting that every one of his children took part in some way in the family racing interests through the years.
Having just turned 83 on Aug. 4, Robideaux doesn’t seem to have slowed down much at all when it comes to activity off the track. Robideaux serves as the engine builder for the team. He shuns the title of crew chief that has been bestowed upon him by his daughter. He also dabbles in building cars. “We’ve been building a sprint car for my grandson and thought it would be ready this year.” With just a few more races remaining, that debut will most likely wait until 2005.
The headlining Northwest Modifieds will once again most likely crown Greg Ochs of Colville as champion for a second straight year. Ochs (991 points, 5 wins) holds a 122-point lead over another Colville driver, Dave Weaver (869, 0). The real battle will be for final placement in the top five where second-year driver Steve Hudson of Spokane (817, 2), Post Falls’ Steve Shaffer (766, 0) and Doyle Braton of Rathdrum (758, 1) jockey for position.
Road racing bikes return to SRP
The annual Labor Day Weekend visit of the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association bikes to Spokane Raceway Park’s 2.25-mile grand prix course takes place this weekend.
Racing begins Saturday with registration and tech at 7 a.m. Sunday’s registration and tech begins at 6:30 a.m. Racing concludes each day about 5 p.m.
The race will bring in the majority of riders from the coast but local entries include the father-son team of John and Dan Lippis.
WMRRA’s racing events are held at Pacific Raceways and Spokane Raceway Park, both facilities with road-courses on site.
According to spokesman Jack Moore, the WMRRA was established in 1974 to sanction and promote area road racing. The organization is a non-profit, volunteer run organization with over 500 members
Racing will take place on a variety of bikes. From 125 GP machines to what Moore describes as “the insanely fast 170+ hp Formula Ultra super bikes,” capable of speeds in the 180 mile-per-hour range at the end of the straightaway. Singles, Twins, Triples, Harleys, Vintage bikes and the occasional sidecar are all possible entries according to Moore.
Moore also noted that races usually need local volunteers to serve in a variety of positions including the, “vitally important Corner Worker.”
Info: Jack Moore at 360-770-4429 or e-mail: 1stVP@wmrra.com or MooreSpeed.Racing@verizon.net
Pit stops
Northport International Raceway returns this week to Sunday racing programs for the remainder of the season. Gates open at 11 a.m. with time trials at 1 p.m. Info: Mark Meldrum at (509)732-1168.
The next-to-last Northwest Late Model Superstock race will take place Saturday on Spokane Raceway Park’s oval. Bracket cars are on the drag strip. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 7.
Matt Hall of Spokane will be at the wheel of the family-owned RentQuest/Affordable Graphics Chevrolet at Ranch & Home 125 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series, Saturday at Tri City Raceway, West Richland.
Streaks and stats
Kevin Richards of Newman Lake led the final 42 laps en route to winning his second NAPA Late Model Racing Series main event of the season Saturday at Stateline Speedway. John Gamble of Otis Orchards was second with Hayden’s Darren Rupinski third.
Joe Kopp’s third-place finish Saturday at Sedalia, Mo., helped the Mica rider close the gap between him and leader Chris Carr to 23 points going into this weekend’s AMA Progressive Insurance Flat Track Series race at Springfield, Ill. Six more races remain on the schedule.
Jaelen Pace, a sixth grade student at Hamblen Elementary, earned two heat wins and drove to victory in the 50-lap Sr. Honda main event during Sunday’s Yakima Quarter Midget Association’s club race. Pace, YQMA’s 2003 Driver of the Year, has earned five of the division’s seven main events held in 2004. The 11-year old has finished in the top-three in 21 races entered this season.