Keeping Pace: Stateline Speedway hits its championship weekend
Stateline Speedway’s Late Model, Hobby Stock and Bandolero divisions enter their final weekend of competition with a cagey veteran, rising star and current champion all looking to close out championships on Saturday night.
David Garber, who is driving as a teammate to car owner Russ Osborne in late models, holds a 12-point lead on reigning champion Justin Popple. Garber, who has multiple championships in the defunct Inland Northwest Super Stock Association, set out this season to run Osborne’s car at selected Spokane County Raceway and Stateline shows while also competing in his own Chevrolet in several Tri-Track Super Late Model Series and the Idaho 200 and Montana 200.
Success behind the wheel of Osborne’s car at both tracks kept Garber coming back, with the Spokane native picking up wins at both facilities this season. Popple, who won the last Stateline late model race, will need to have one of his strongest nights of the season in order to catch Garber for the championship. Corey McGuire, Stateline’s 2014 late model rookie of the year, is just four points behind Popple.
Osborne, who has limited use of one side of his body, has put together one of his best late model seasons. With consistent finishes in each Stateline race, Osborne holds the seventh spot in the points chase.
Aaron Nevers is likely to repeat as Stateline’s Hobby Stock champion. He has scored the top points in all but one event this year. Joel Schrader, Mike Loudin, Aaron Clanton and Mike Burghard trail Nevers.
Burghard has made the most of his opportunities this season and will be one to watch as he tries to pass Clanton for the fourth-place spot.
Alex Bartlett’s victory on Aug. 8 gave him a 14-point advantage over Daniel Watkins for the 2015 Bandolero championship. Watkins, Haedon Plybon and Jess Havens are separated by 22 points in the battle for second to fourth place. Bailey Babin rounds out the top five.
SCR schedule change
Spokane County Raceway Super Oval officials announced they will be moving the late model championship night to Sept. 26 in order to accommodate several of the drivers tentatively scheduled to race in the Tri-Track Super Late Model Series’ Neal Newberry 150 at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval on Sept. 12.
The track also announced the formation of a women’s auxiliary group to promote racing at the half-mile and other activities the oval facility offers throughout the year.
“We are looking for passionate, strong, dedicated individuals who are ready to assist in bringing Spokane County Super Oval to the forefront of local racing and our community,” said SCR oval operator Rick Nelson. “This will be a commitment that is going to last throughout the year, not just during the racing season.”
For more information on the group go to spokanecountryraceway.com.