Inland Northwest Sprint Car Association Blasts into 2009
Berry handles INSCA race at Spokane County Raceway for first main event win of 2009.
Source: INSCA Media Relations
Spokane WA, (May 20, 2009) – The Inland Northwest Sprint Car Association (INSCA) finally got their first race in of the 2009 season Saturday night under great weather conditions at beautiful Spokane County Raceway in Airway Heights, WA.
After losing several cars due to mechanical issues during Friday’s practice, eight quality cars took to the high-banked half mile oval for qualifying. Kevin Burck in the new Beast Chassis owned by Red Perkins and sponsored by INC was on the preliminary pole as qualifying began. Justin Popple of Spokane in the Spokane Pump, Lube Tube sprinter was the second to last car to go out and ran a blistering fast 16.55 second lap, but on the very last lap of qualifying Tony Berry in the #53 B&B Motorsports machine claimed fast time with a 16.48 second lap averaging over 110 mph.
The B-Trophy dash featured Rookie of the Year contender Rob Matherly of Colbert, Henry Tupling of Chelan, 2004 INSCA Champion Mark Jones and the 65-1 of Donnie Kudrna. Tupling was among the founding members of the INSCA, but took a hiatus from driving duties to serve his country in the Naval Reserve on active duty in Kuwait. Tupling was debuting a new race car as well that still donned the familiar #22. When the green flag dropped, Donnie Kudrna got a jump on the field in the second INC, Red Perkins machine and easily claimed the victory. Tupling was second, followed by Jones and Matherly.
The A-Trophy dash was made up of Cole Tupling, nephew of Henry and sponsored by Lloyds Logging, Kevin Burck of Ephrata, WA, Justin Popple and Tony Berry. The Berry team was plagued with mechanical gremlins throughout practice and the #53 pulled in on the parade laps, but would return later in the evening. As the race went green Popple took his black and purple machine to the front and cruised to his first event victory of the year. Popple was followed by Tupling and Burck.
A decision was made by the club to forego heat races for the evening and the night quickly moved into the main event which featured a front row consisting of Heny Tupling on the pole and Donnie Kudrna outside of row one. The 65-1 of Kudrna quickly moved to the lead exiting turn two and was followed closely by fast time award winner Tony Berry. Berry, in the Mackay Spinal Injury Foundation, Country Place, Whitley Fuel, Kodiakwebracing.com sponsored car followed the Kudrna machine for several laps and took the lead with an outside pass in the middle of turns three and four on the fifth circuit. After experiencing oil leak issues all day long, Kevin Burck made a charge to the front passing his teammate in Kudrna with a daring pass as they moved through lapped traffic. That would be how they crossed the start finish line with Berry cruising to win the opening INSCA event of the year, followed by Kevin Burck and Donnie Kudrna. Cole Tupling was fourth, Rob Matherly came home fifth, followed by Henry Tupling, Mark Jones and Justin Popple.
The inland northwest is blessed to have two first class racing facilities within 20 miles of each other and committed to open wheel racing. The second event for the 2009 INSCA season will come on the heels of the first race, this Saturday night at Stateline Speedway in Post Falls, Idaho. Several additional cars are expected to attend including the HEI machines for the first time in 2009.
Qualifying will begin at 5 pm. For more information on the Inland Northwest Sprint Car Association please visit www.INSCA.us or call 800.336.2682 or 509.499.9582.
Fast Time: Tony Berry – 16.482
B – Trophy Dash: Donnie Kudrna, Henry Tupling, Mark Jones, Rob Matherly.
A – Trophy Dash: Justin Popple, Cole Tupling, Kevin Burck, Berry.
Main: Berry, Burck, Kudrna, C. Tupling, Matherly, H. Tupling, Jones, Popple.
