INSSA hopes to continue momentum from first-year success

Bruce Garber is pretty much at a loss for words when asked how the second year for the Inland Northwest Superstocks can be improved.

“It’s going to be hard to top last year,” said Garber, who is serving in his second year as the president of the late-model group.

The INSSA cars open an 11-race schedule Saturday at Stateline Speedway with a solid field predicted to compete. Hobby Stocks and Street Stocks are also part of the 6 p.m. program that again offers a $2 discount on general admission tickets for donation of a non-perishable food item.

In that first season, racers came together unlike they had in years. They revived a splintered group of superstocks under a single set of rules. The end result was a competitive race series whose top three drivers, led by champ Dan Garber, were separated by just 30 points.

“We should be in the same ballpark,” Bruce Garber said, regarding car count. “We should average 20 to 22 cars a race.” The 2004 season was “a phase-in year,” that allowed liberal interpretation of rules according to Garber. “We’re going to tighten things up a bit.”

Among the returners are Dan Garber and third-place point finisher Kevin Richards. Runner-up John Gamble has sold his car.

Richards is part of the three-car Rent-Rite team owned by Don Williams. Ron Turner, who sat out 2004, is the third driver for the team that paints all its cars black.

“That ought to be interesting for the scorekeepers,” Bruce Garber said.

Saturday’s race also has entries from Rick Schultz, who won three races, including the Idaho 200. Dave Garber (fourth in points) and Vance Reynolds (fifth) are also entered. Garber noted that Luke Ledgerwood of Pomeroy, Wash., is back in the driver’s seat this year, as is Shelby Thompson.

The 2004 Championship run was one of consistency for Dan Garber’s team. He won only once, but never finished out of the top three in the Drew Marine Racing Engines, Hot Boat Magazine and Dan’s Total Automotive Chevrolet.

“Our team has been working together for a long time now and last season was a true testament to what we are capable of,” Dan Garber said.

Garber and other INSSA regulars get an early start on the racing weekend when they take part in the First Annual Fastkart Media Challenge beginning at 6 p.m. at the indoor raceway at 1224 E. Front Ave.

Hoerner reigns in Seattle

Rain brought a premature end to a career-best run by Spokane racer Todd Hoerner last weekend at the Northwest National Open Series at Pacific Raceways near Seattle.

Hoerner, running in Top Comp, posted a career-best 6.89 elapsed time at 202 mph in his 2004 Pontiac Grand Am.

Rain on Saturday forced an early end to the program and pushed the racing into Sunday, which didn’t allow for the completion of the event. Eliminations will be completed June 16 during the test and tune for the Pacific Raceways NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event to be held that weekend.

Also in the field of more than 540 cars and still racing is Ken Harkema in Super Gas, who will face off against Dave McLean from Bremerton, Wash., in round three.

Pit stops

Spokane Raceway Park moves racing under the lights Saturday night on the both the drag strip – with bracket cars and imports – and oval track, where Hobby Compacts and Hobby Stocks headline. Racing begins on both tracks at 7.

The Spokane Kart Racing Association will stage the first of 10 points races on Saturday on their track at the Spokane Motorsports Complex. Racing begins at noon.

Streaks and stats

Frankie Volz Jr. won the season-opening race for the Northwest Modifieds last Sunday at Spokane Raceway Park, besting Blaine Sneva by a quarter of a lap in the 35-lap main. Sneva set fast time with an 18.71 around the 1/2 -mile paved oval and also captured the fast heat.