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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Winged cars reappear at Stateline

Paul Delaney Correspondent

Winged Sprint Car racing has been basically absent from the area for a half-dozen years or more but it is trying to make a comeback.

That rebirth continues on Saturday night at Stateline Speedway when the Winged Sprint Racing Association runs its second race of the season along with Outlaw Compacts and Hobby Cars. Time trials begin at 6 p.m.

Eleven cars made the first race back in early April and another three or four are expected on Saturday, said driver Sherri Howard of Mead, who has spent the last few years towing to Wenatchee to race.

When car counts began to wane at Wenatchee the track opted to not schedule the class in 2004. “The number of cars were dwindling,” Howard said, so the drivers decided to re-group and concentrate on racing locally.

For obvious reasons, Howard and her fellow racers enjoy staying close to home.

“It’s fun to race at home and it gives the sponsors more exposure,” said Howard. And having family and friends in the stand is a real plus, Howard added.

While not traveling has been a benefit on some fronts, it has cost Howard her major sponsor, which of course she’d like to replace. Corkery and Jones Insurance and realtor Jack Morse have stepped up to help, however.

Along with Howard, who won a pair of championships at Wenatchee, other area drivers include Mark Jones of Wallace, Kevin Burke in Red Perkins’ car out of St. Maries, plus Ricky Nelson, Corey Halverson and Dixon Helgeson all of Spokane.

With many racing classes from which to choose, Howard said with enthusiasm the lure of the winged sprints is “cheap speed!”

Racing in the class is also done without the use of mirrors that other cars have, Howard said. You rely more on senses, your peripheral vision and hearing. “There’s a different sound when there’s a car next to you.”

Aside from the half-dozen local races, the class will race periodically at Ephrata, a track that has roughly a dozen sprinters. They also have a road trip in July where they visit Williams Lake and Vernon, British Columbia, something that rivals the old Canadian American Modified Racing Association (CAMRA) days.

Hydro museum opens

A twenty-year dream comes true this weekend when The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum holds the long-awaited grand opening of its spacious new 11,000 square-foot facility in Kent, Wash., this Saturday, May 29, 2004.

Since its inception, the museum has been tucked away in a difficult-to-find industrial park south of Seattle. It’s new location is just off I-5 on 196th Street. The new building will house display boats such as the Miss Bardahl, Miss Burien, Hawaii Kai III, Oh Boy! Oberto, Miss Budweiser, and Atlas Van Lines, plus offer a place for ongoing restoration on other classic hydro hulls.

Among the opening day festivities is a “live” auction of rare hydroplane memorabilia.

Other events at the museum include a Pay ‘N Pak reunion on Saturday, June 19th and an October 17th farewell party for the Miss Budweiser racing team that ends its involvement in the sport after some 40 years.

Info: www.thunderboats.org. or Bob Senior (206) 364-7432 or bob.senior@juno.com

New feature on news

KXLY News4 sports director and motorsports buff Dennis Patchin has initiated a new feature on the 11 o-clock news called the “Race of the Night.”

Patchin plans to have film crews from the station visit area race tracks, perhaps unannounced, to video tape highlights that will run throughout the week on the late news.

Watch for the KXLY camera at a track near you soon.

Pit stops

Spokane Raceway Park has bracket drags and Sportsman Superstocks on the oval track on Saturday. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 7. SRP will also feature the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association bikes this weekend. Info: 244-3663.

•Stateline Outboard Racing Association will run its first race of the season, a two-day event Saturday and Sunday at Elk River, Idaho

•Kalispell’s Raceway Park will host the Northwest Modifieds on Saturday in that series’ only visit to the track in 2004. After a rainout in their last race Richard Mucciaccio (185 points) leads Greg Ochs (184), Dave Weaver (179), Steve Shaffer (177) and Mark Weaver (174)

•At the other end of Flathead Lake in Pablo, Montana the fourth race of the Late Model Challenge will be run at Mission Valley Raceway. The Northwest Late Model 4’s are also on the schedule

•Yakima Speedway will host the NASCAR Northwest Series on Saturday

•Eagle Track in Republic, Wash. will run its biggest race of the season, a two-day Memorial Race on Saturday and Sunday. Gates open noon.

Streaks and stats

Mica’s Joe Kopp came close to his first podium finish last week at Union, Kentucky when he ended up fourth to race winner Chris Carr. Going into this weekend’s double-header at Springfield, Illinois, Kopp has climbed to third in national points, trailing Carr 50 to 37. The TT course will host the series on Saturday night and the famous Springfield Mile will run on Sunday afternoon. … The NW Pro4 Truck Tour was rained out May 22 at Ephrata, The only rain-out the series had in 2003 was at Stateline on May 24th. … Speaking of rainouts, Stateline Speedway made it through the normally rainy month of April without a cancellation due to rain, yet has twice had to postpone events in May.