Swift Midgets Head For Stateline

They may be called midgets, but the featured class Saturday night at Stateline Speedway belies its name.

While they are smaller versions of full sprint cars, the Washington Midget Racing Association (WMRA) Midgets are hardly short on speed, according to Stateline promoter Joe Doellefeld.

“These are the fastest short-track cars around,” said Doellefeld, noting the WMRA cars are similar to the ones seen regularly on ESPN. This is the 52nd season of WMRA racing in the Northwest.

Puyallup’s John Stanks, the winner in last year’s appearance here, will return, as will four-time defending WMRA champion Rick Moss. “We’ve really enjoyed Stateline the last couple of years,” Moss said. “The track is wide and fast and that adds up to excitement for the racers and fans.”

Some 20 WMRA cars are expected to compete and will be joined by the Northwest Mini-Supers and a contingent of mini-sprints. Gates open at 6 p.m.

Friday night, the Sportsman, Hobby Cars and Compact Streets take to the track at 6:30 when defending season champ Todd Whitam goes for a third victory in a row in Sportsman.

No holiday at SRP

Just about every square foot of asphalt will be in use this weekend as Spokane Raceway Park presents a busy holiday weekend of racing. Drags, stock cars and road racing are all on tap at SRP.

The second race of the Mountain Dew High School Drag Racing Series kicks things off Friday afternoon. Lakeside High of Nine Mile, the 1996 defending champion, is the early leader in the series points. Gates open at 5 p.m.

Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the completion of the 2.5-mile road course and features the return of the IRDC sports cars. Drivers will approach speeds of 180 mph on the straightaways. Road racing continues through Monday.

After the road racers call it quits for the day, drag racers will be in action in weekly bracket racing.

SRP’s half-mile oval features the fourth annual Bend Restaurant Hobby Stock Challenge on Saturday night and the first of three demo-derbys Monday afternoon.

Hydro opener in Virginia

The Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Association Thunder Tour ‘97 launches Monday in Norfolk, Va., with the inaugural Virginia Is For Lovers Cup on Willoughby Bay.

Among the boats competing will be the new Appian Jeronimo from Spokane with Chelan’s Mitch Evans replacing Tom Hindley at the wheel. The original Spokane boat was destroyed and Hindley seriously injured during last year’s Columbia Cup.

Hydroplane racing breaks new ground at this race with same-day coverage on ESPN2 scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PDT.

Pit stops

The Pro Outlaw Kart Racing Association leads off the week’s racing activity tonight at the Spokane County ORV Park. Racing begins at 6 p.m… . Tuscor Speedway in Trout Creek, Mont., has another points race set for Saturday at 2 p.m. MDT… . Both Eagle Trac in Republic and Northport International Raceway will host dirt track racing Sunday at 2 p.m… . Defending champ Jeff Zimmerman of Spokane won the season-opening race in the Northwest Modified Series last Saturday at Stateline Speedway and goes for two in a row this Saturday at Kalispell… . By winning last Saturday in Street Eliminator, Eldon Hallock made it six for six final-round appearances at SRP. Hallock has won twice… . Mica’s Joe Kopp will be putting a lot of miles on his bike and himself in this weekend’s AMA Grand National Dirt Track Series races. Friday night he’ll run a make-up race at Mineral Wells, W.Va. By Sunday, Kopp will have traveled hundreds of miles to run the famed “Springfield (Ill.) Mile.” … Motocross action is set for Sunday and Monday at the Fossil Bowl in Clarkia, Idaho. Practice is at 9 a.m., racing at 10:30.

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