Srp Changes Patterned After Formula One

It’s taken better than two decades, but the final piece of the puzzle is in place at Spokane Raceway Park with the completion and first race on the 2.5-mile road course.

The newest addition to the motor sports park that in 1974 held its first racing event the American Hot Rod Association Spring Nationals will be unveiled Saturday and Sunday when the International Race Drivers Club (IRDC) runs the third of 15 season events at SRP.

Cars will be on the track by 9 a.m. Saturday, practicing and qualifying. A novice class race will close out the Saturday schedule. Sunday morning will feature another qualifying session beginning about 8:30 with racing in six classes. Cars will run 30-minute races.

The opening of the state’s third road-racing facility has people excited. “We’ve got close to 200 cars (registered),” said Chris Bowls, IRDC president. “When we run here in July we might have 250 to 300 cars.”

The layout features 11 turns with corners and other aspects of the track patterned after many famous Formula One tracks.

“When we first built the track, we consulted with tracks around the world and incorporated some of the parts of those facilities into ours,” said SRP President Orville Moe.

Modifieds open season at Stateline

The Northwest Modified and Northwest Mini-Supers make their debut Saturday night at Stateline Speedway, with time trials beginning at 6.

Colville’s Greg Ochs returns to defend his points championship in the series, but will be challenged by, among others, the return of former champion Gary Miller, who ends a three-year retirement from the series.

The open-wheel series will run six races at Stateline this season, including the season championship on Sept. 22.

The Northwest Mini-Supers are a traveling local series of classy-looking compacts that will split time between Stateline and SRP.

Light sprints back at ORV Park

The Spokane ORV Park’s new oval track will have the Northern Light All-Star Sprint cars back for a Sunday afternoon of racing.

A dozen or so of the cars held a practice session two weeks ago and the fifth-mile oval received a passing grade. “We think the track is going to be pretty good,” said Terry Crousore, series spokesman. “The only thing that could be better is if we were able to run at night under the lights.”

Tibesar wins again at Mission

Brian Tibesar repeated his championship performance at the NHRA Division Six race in Mission, British Columbia, winning again in Super Comp last Sunday. James Arsenault was runner-up in Super Gas. It is expected that Inland Northwest drag racers will have three of the top five spots in division points.

Spokane’s Rod Hoerner made it through just three rounds in Super Gas at Mission, but he won the divisional championship in the TRW Sportsman Challenge.

Pit stops

Along with the opening of the road racing facility, SRP will also have its usual fare of drag and stock car racing. “Because the road course will be in use, we’ll have our drag crew ‘teching’ cars outside the pit area,” Moe said. Drag time trials will start a little later than normal. On the oval track the third annual Bend Restaurant Hobby Stock Challenge will be run. … Republic’s Eagle Trac opens Saturday. Time trials begin at noon with racing at 1 p.m. Previous editions of the Motor sports notebook had the track opening on two different Saturdays.

Northport International Raceway will run its Laduke and Fogle “Mother’s Day Dash” on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. The first 100 moms through the gate get a fresh carnation. … The Spokane Kart Racing Association will run one of its series races Sunday at the Spokane ORV Park. … Cranbrook (B.C.) Speedway’s 33 acres of land and an RV Park are up for sale. Contact owner Rod Taylor, (604) 342-6354.

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