Weekend offers fans dual choices

As luck would have it, fans of drag and stock car racing tend to be true to their particular sports. Otherwise, some tough decisions would have to be made this weekend in Spokane.

With the AHRA World Finals set for its annual three-day run at Spokane Raceway Park, starting Friday, and Stateline Speedway’s Idaho 200 late-model race on the same schedule, it’s one busy weekend.

SRP’s race attracts top fuel and alcohol-fueled dragsters and funny cars. Gates open at 3 p.m. Friday, with pro qualifying set for 8. Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday, with the pros scheduled for 1, 4 and 8 p.m.

Sunday’s schedule begins at 9 a.m., with final eliminations beginning at 1 p.m.

Notable returning names released by SRP include last year’s runners-up in Funny Car, Vincent Arcadi; and Top Fuel, Chris Karamesines. Cory Lee and Jack Wyatt seek their first Spokane victories.

At Stateline, the fifth edition of the Idaho 200 takes on another format change. The race schedule grows from two to three days and begins Friday night.

Friday is devoted to a 100-lap qualifying race featuring Spokane-area NAPA Late Model Series drivers vying for a winning prize of $1,000. The evening begins with time trials at 6 and racing at 7:30. Early Stocks, Hobby Cars and Street Stocks will also race.

Another 100-lap qualifier headlines Saturday’s portion of the event. It features cars from the Late Model Challenge, a series with drivers primarily from the Puget Sound. The top-eight finishers from both Friday and Saturday will advance to Sunday’s 200-lap event. Time trials are at 6 and racing at 7:30, but Early Stocks and Outlaw Compacts complete the program.

A “Last-Chance” race beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday will fill out the field for the chance at the $2,500 first-place money.

Previous editions of the Idaho 200 have been plagued by thin car counts because of competing events across the region. But if the last combined race between the NAPA Series and Late Model Challenge is an indicator, that will not be a problem. Nearly 40 race cars were in the pits competing for 22 spots in the main.

Three of the previous four winners are expected to compete this weekend. They include John Gamble of Otis Orchards, who won back-to-back Idaho 200’s in 2001 and 2002, and was runner-up last year. Hayden’s Darren Rupinski, the 2003 winner, is also in the field.

Driver-official Richards dies

Veteran race official and driver Roger Richards died suddenly on Tuesday.

Richards, 67, drove in numerous classes at the Fairgrounds Speedway, was later a race official and is the father of local late model driver Kevin Richards.

Kevin Richards said he plans to still race in this weekend’s Idaho 200, in belief that his dad would want it that way.

Funeral services are set for 1 p.m. Monday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home, 1306 N. Pines.

Detroit, San Diego compete for hydros

The good news for hydroplane fans is that the Detroit River Regatta Association announced Tuesday that the Budweiser Unlimited Hydroplane Series will return to the Detroit River for the President’s Cup on Sept. 19.

The bad news in an already controversial season is that the race falls on the same date at as the outlaw San Diego race and will undoubtedly split an already thin field of unlimiteds.

The move “isn’t sitting well with a number of folks,” according to hydro broadcaster Mike Fitzsimmons. “A lot of fans have made travel arrangements, and they are not happy about this.”

Seattle’s Seafair Hydro-Prop race is this weekend on Lake Washington, where Miss Budweiser goes for a third consecutive win.

Pit stops

Sunset Speedway will host another round of dirt track go-karts on Saturday at Sunset Speedway in Airway Heights, beginning with qualifying at 6 p.m.

“With her first victory of the season last Saturday, Mead’s Sherri Howard (197 points) moved into a first-place tie in Stateline Speedway’s Winged Modified class with Mark Jones. Hobby Stock points leader Robert Ballard started another win streak last Saturday and increased his points lead over Monty Collison. Ballard won his ninth main event of the season, but it was Collison who snapped Ballard’s six-race win streak two weeks ago.

“Colville’s Greg Ochs finished fourth in last Saturday’s Ultimate Modified Smackdown at Boise, but the finish was good for his third Northwest Modified win of the year. Ochs was the top N.W. Modified finisher in this all-star event that featured cars from various similar western open-wheel groups, so he is credited with the victory.