Flat-Trackers Make Return To Playfair

It looks as though the future of Playfair Race Course may depend not on horses but horsepower.

Flat-track motorcycle racing returns to the historic race track this Friday and Saturday for a third year, and the roar of motors may outlive the sound of thundering hoofs.

With the refusal of the Washington Horse Racing Commission to allow the sale of the track to the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Playfair’s future may indeed be as a special events/motorsports park, said race co-promoter Bert Marsh.

Besides motorcycle racing, a special course has been set up on the infield to accommodate jet sprint boats, which will run a race at Playfair on Sept. 26. With installation of a containment fence, other forms of motorsports - including the touring World of Outlaw Sprint cars - could find a home at Playfair.

The Playfair track has attracted interest from AMA as a possible site for a Grand National race in 1999.

“If race fans want to see a Grand National here, they’ll have to step up and support us this weekend,” Marsh said.

A 5/8-mile track for horse racing, the layout for motorcycle racing is closer to a mile, Marsh said.

“If we can show profit in motorsports, that may keep the track viable,” Marsh said. “Motorsports is where I think the future of this facility lies.”

Racing kicks off with a Pro-Am on Friday and concludes with an American Motorcyclist Association “Hot Shoe” race Saturday. Gates open at 4 p.m., with racing at 5 each day.

The Hot Shoe series is a steppingstone class for riders hoping to make the jump to AMA’s big leagues, the Grand National.

Columbia River Sprints at Stateline

Columbia River Sprint Cars take top billing in Saturday’s racing program at Stateline Speedway.

The upright, winged sprinters will be running with some of Stateline’s regular racing classes, including Hobby Cars and the conclusion of a special Street Stock race. A second scheduled appearance by the new American Race Truck Series has been canceled. Saturday’s racing begins with time trials at 6 p.m. and racing at 7:30.

Friday night will mark the weekly appearance of Hobby Cars, Compact Streets and the first day of a special Street Stock race. Gates open at 6:30.

Import drags at SRP

Big motors, fast speeds and low elapsed times were the rule last weekend at Spokane Raceway Park.

This Saturday, SRP will visit the opposite end of the spectrum when it presents the Import Drags. Imports will be divided into three classes: Outlaws (13.99 and quicker); Quick Imports (14.00 to 16.99) and Sportsman Imports (17.00 and slower). The imports will run along with regular SRP drag racing brackets.

After a week off for the AHRA World Finals, stock car racing returns to SRP this week with a program of Hobby Stocks, Fever Fours and Mini-Trucks.

Gates open at 3 p.m., with racing at 7.

Gary Miller passes away

Longtime racer Gary Miller passed away Tuesday after a battle with cancer. He was 57.

Miller had a long local career as a stock car driver, primarily with the open-wheel modified class, where he was the only driver (1983-85) to win three straight championships. He also built cars and inaugurated the Super Four Modified class four years ago.

Miller also is credited with being the driving force behind the movement that saved the modified class from extinction in the mid-1980s.

Funeral services have been scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m. at Thornhill in the Valley, 1400 S. Pines. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cometary in the Valley.

Pit stops

Tom Sweatman won his first career NASCAR Northwest Tour race last Saturday in Kalispell, Mont., with Garrett Evans second and Spokane’s Marc Groskreutz third. After starting sixth, Rick Schultz of Spokane was 21st. Ironically, the car Sweatman drove to victory is a former Groskreutz car… . With a fourth-place finish last week at Rapid City, S.D., Mica’s Joe Kopp has moved into fifth place in AMA Grand National points.

Streaks, stats

Vintage Twins class motorcycle racer Matt James will put his 10-race winning streak on the line Friday and Saturday at the Playfair Half-Mile. Riding a “Captain Dirt” 750 cc Triumph, the 41-year-old James has won every race in the three-year history of flat-track racing at Playfair… . Mark Jones has a two-race winning streak going into Friday in Stateline’s Compact Street class… . Jeff Zimmerman remained undefeated in the three Northwest Modified races this season at Stateline and won his fourth race overall last Saturday night.