Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Funny cars bring nostalgia to SRP at nitro event

Paul Delaney Correspondent

For longtime drag racing fans attending this weekend’s Nitro Extravaganza at Spokane Raceway Park, rest assured that you are not experiencing a 1970s flashback.

Because when you see the Bubble-up Firebird or the Blue Max Mustang and other funny cars this weekend, you may wonder if that nitro you’ve been breathing all day might not have been a hallucinogen after all.

Caught between a rock and a hard place with ever-escalating costs to book fuel cars that can give fans a show, not smoke, SRP opted this year to headline the former World Finals race with the Nostalgia Funny Car Association.

“We’re bringing in the cream of the crop from our group,” said Donnie Couch, spokesman and crew chief of points leader Steve Romanazzi in his “Warrior” Vega.

Turning back the clock will turn up the elapsed times and speeds.

This field is all capable of – and routinely run – high 5-second ETs at 250 mph.

The Bubble-Up car of Ron Hodgeson, of Edmonton, Alberta, driven by Terry Capp, recently became the world-record holder for nostalgia cars with a 5.85, 240.03 pass at Mission, British Columbia.

Couch, who at age 50 has tuned for some of the most notable names in the sport, said the group’s cars are all tuned like they were in the ‘70s. That makes them more likely to speed down and not smoke up SRP’s ancient asphalt.

“The bigger cars have too much horsepower for the track,” Couch said.

It’s not only cars that may bring back memories. Wander around the pits and you might run into Roland Leong of the old Hawaiian flopper fame. Other notable names that regularly run with the group include Del Worsham, Ron Capps and Northwest favorite Bucky Austin.

“A couple of guys decided to do this,” Couch said. “The Good Guys began booking them for their races and pretty soon there’s three, four, eight and 16 cars.”

While this year’s race is an exhibition for the group, Couch hopes that SRP can be a regular stop on the 2008 schedule. That would mean many more of the association’s 30 or so members would travel here as there is a points championship to chase.

The nostalgia cars will make qualifying runs today and do a Chicago-Style match race Saturday, when the top two low ETs of the night return to face off for the championship.

SRP is also featuring staple classes of alcohol funny cars and dragsters, plus full fields of sportsman classes.

Gates open at noon Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are available through TicketsWest. SRP info: (509) 244-3663.

Lewis enters Idaho 200

The Northwest’s hottest late-model driver will get another strong test this weekend when he shoots to win the Idaho 200 at Stateline Speedway.

Challenges will come from the other drivers as well as the “bite-you-in-the-butt” troubles this race always seems dish out to favorites.

Gary Lewis is fresh from victory two weeks ago at the Montana 200 and is riding a three-race win streak.

The ARCA West Late-Model Challenge Series points leader heads to Stateline Speedway where he has never raced, but he did work as a crew chief before.

Being unfamiliar with the track is not seen as a problem.

“We have a solid setup that works at most tracks we go to,” Lewis said. “With some minor spring and shock adjustments, we should be fine at Stateline this weekend.”

Having control of racing’s intangibles is a bigger key to success, according Lewis.

“I’ll tell you if we knew exactly what that one key piece is, we’d tuck it away and never let go,” he said. “From what I have learned throughout my career is that it comes and goes, so we need to take advantage of it when you can.”

Traditionally, this race has produced some surprises, such as John Gamble’s last-turn pass to win the 2001 race and his encore win in 2002.

It has rarely been kind to the heavy hitters, except maybe Jeff Jefferson, who won in 2005.

Defending champ Kevin Richards will be one of a number of drivers who can spoil Lewis’ run. Richard’s McClintock and Turk teammate will be Gamble.

Events start tonight for the Inland Northwest Super Stock Series 100-lap Duel for the 200 and series point race.

On Saturday, the Late-Model Challenge Series returns for the series’ only show of the season at Stateline for their 100-lap Duel for the 200-qualifier race.

The top six finishing drivers will also advance. Time trials start each night at 6.

The weekend concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. with the eighth annual running of the 200-lap race.

Pit stops

Extreme Motorsports will run its Mini-National Supercross Saturday with a $25,000 pro purse up for grabs. Gates open at 9 a.m. with racing all day. Info: www.extmotorsports.com or (509) 218-2014.

•Eagle Track at Republic has dirt track racing in three classes Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. Info: Gary Olson at garyolson@bossig.co; (509) 779-4634; or Buck Strauch, (509) 775-3508.

•Spokane Raceway Park will host a rare appearance of the Western States Super Modifieds Aug. 10 (gates 7 p.m., racing 8) as the group makes a tour through the region.

The following night they are in Wenatchee. These sprint cars last visited Spokane in the 1980s.

Streaks ‘n’ stats

Rick Gimeno scored his first victory of the season last Saturday at Spokane Raceway Park and will take the points lead to this Saturday’s race at Kalispell. … Travis Bennett picked up his second straight win in the ASA Northwest Tour last weekend in Roseburg, Ore.