Motorcycles Gear Up For Playfair

The gamble of reviving motorcycle racing at Playfair Race Course seems to have paid off.

A year after promoters rolled the dice and staged the first motorized racing event at the horse racing track in more than 80 years, the first of four races on the half-mile this season takes place this weekend.

Motorcycles capable of running more than 100 mph will race Friday and Saturday with complete programs each night. Gates open each day at 3 p.m. with racing at 5:30. Tickets are available through G & B Select-A-Seat.

The flat trackers’ grapevine has been buzzing about Playfair, promising a big field for this weekend.

“Riders that missed out on last year’s races heard we we were doing it again and they’ve been calling from all over,” said event co-promoter Bert Marsh of Spokane. The Spokane race is the only American Motorcyclist Association-sanctioned event on the West Coast this weekend.

A good contingent of local racers will also be on hand.

A second and bigger race takes place July 25-26 when Playfair hosts riders from across the nation for an AMA “Hot Shoe” series race.

SRP hosts high school drags

Spokane Raceway Park will host the fourth race of the Mountain Dew High School Drag Racing Series on Friday night, kicking off a big weekend of sportsman racing. Gates open at 5:30 with eliminations at 7:30.

Saturday night SRP will present its Mid-Season Championships, with double points on the plate in all classes.

Hobby Stocks, Mini-Trucks and Fever Fours are also scheduled on the half-mile oval Saturday. Gates open at 4:30 with racing at 7:30 for both drag and stock cars.

Super Fours visit Stateline

The Northwest Super Fours pay their first visit of the season to Stateline Speedway on Saturday night. Joining the traveling series will be the Fever Hour Hobbys and the Street Stocks, which run their midseason championship. Time trials begin Saturday at 6 p.m.

Friday night’s schedule at Stateline calls for Hobby Cars, Sportsman and Compact Streets. Time trials are at 6:30.

Soap Box Derby scheduled

The Fourth Annual Spokane Soap Box Derby takes place Saturday at 8 a.m. on the Post Street Hill in Northwest Spokane.

“We have 14 Superstocks, 34 Stocks and eight Oil Can cars in this year’s race,” said spokesperson Marchette Momb. Spokane’s event has grown from just 11 cars in its first year.

The two surviving class winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Soap Box Derby World Finals in Akron, Ohio, on Aug. 9.

The “Oil Can” class will compete Saturday with media drivers at the controls.

Pit stops

Don Reidburn and Rod Nelson are deadlocked atop the point standings of the Pro Outlaw Kart Racing Association, which races tonight at 6 p.m. at the Spokane County ORV Park… . This Saturday’s Northwest Modified Series race in Tri-Cities has been canceled and probably will not be rescheduled, according to association president Roger Zimmerman. The race had been rescheduled after being rained out on May 3… . Bob Schweigert of Kalispell puts a two-race win steak on the line as the Northwest Late Models visit Mission Valley Speedway on Saturday… . Northport International Raceway resumes dirt track racing this Sunday with three classes of racing - Modifieds, Superstocks and Fever Fours - racing at 1 p.m… . Advance tickets for the July 3rd Demolition Derby at Stateline are available at Post Falls Trustworthy Hardware.

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