Modifieds set Miller Memorial

It’s often said among those who drive cars in the Northwest Modifieds that had it not been for Gary Miller, the region’s longest-running race class would not be around today.

Well the open-wheel class is around and doing quite well, and Miller’s accomplishments will be honored this weekend at Stateline Speedway with the running of the sixth annual Gary Miller Memorial.

Miller, who died in 1998 at age 57 after a battle with cancer, had a long local driving career. He drove primarily in the open-wheel modified class in which he won three consecutive championships (1983-85). It was Miller who convinced drivers to keep the Modified class alive during the early ‘80s and it now features solid car counts at each race.

Saturday night, modifieds from across the northwest will face off in the 100-lap Miller Memorial race. The visiting Foreign Stocks and local Hobby Cars round out the program that begins with time trials at 6 p.m.

This year the event expands from one day to two with Sunday’s Modified Shoot-Out added. The Shoot-Out will be a non-points race and feature a 50-lap main. Series president Leroy Keele expects 16 to 18 cars for the 1 p.m. race.

Spokane area Wal-Mart stores have pledged $4,000 to the event that will benefit Spokane’s Shriners Hospital.

The expanded two-day nature of this race will allow new drivers to run with the NW Modifieds, according to Keele.

“We have four to six cars coming from Boise,” Keele said. “We have ‘B-Mods’ from Wenatchee and two more from the coast.”

They will join the nearly 20 entries that compete regularly in the Northwest Modifieds. The Boise drivers are visiting to reciprocate for the local group’s visit back in late July.

Four-time race winner Frankie Volz Jr. takes the points lead into Saturday’s race.

Injured fan’s condition improves

The modifieds were in action last Saturday at Wenatchee, but an accident two laps into the main – that seriously injured a spectator with flying debris – canceled the feature race.

Spokane’s Hannah Schultz was the injured fan. According to Keele, she suffered two broken legs when she was hit by an engine part. Schultz was in stable condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Keele said.

“We wish Hannah well,” said Keele, who was at the race. Schultz’s husband, Tyson, works in Keele’s race shop.

A fund-raiser for Schultz is being conducted by the Northwest Modifieds. Donations for living expenses and medical costs are being accepted by series president Keele. Info: 325-9745 or 455-6673.

Zimmer competes at Red Bull

Spokane Go Kart Shifter Racer Andrew Zimmer finished 12th of 97 drivers during the Red Bull F-1 Drivers Search at Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, Calif.

Red Bull F-1 Drivers Search attracts top karters, age 14-17, from the West Coast and from as far away as Florida.

Zimmer competed in three qualifying heats, finishing third and seventh before getting in an accident in the final qualifier. After making repairs, Zimmer’s kart suffered from handling problems, but the 14-year-old Horizon Junior High student brought it home 12th out of 17 starters.

Hall Racing goes national

The October edition of “Dick Berggren’s Speedway Illustrated,” currently on newsstands, features a story on Spokane’s Hall Racing team that competes in the NASCAR Northwest Series.

If you didn’t know that this 20-year competitor – an original Northwest Tour team from 1985 – once had Nextel Cup driver Greg Biffle at the wheel of their race car, you’ll read all about how his driving style was a concern to team owner Ron Hall.

Fall 4 Banger Classic announced

Stateline Speedway has announced that it will stage The Fall 4 Banger Classic on Sept. 24.

The event will feature grass-roots classes such as Hornets, Bubble Bees, Road Runners and other entry-level, low-cost, four-cylinder cars,

These classes do not normally travel, but this event will allow them to compete against other drivers from across the region. Drivers will use their respective home-track tire and construction rules.

The event will have a purse of $3,200, with entry limited to the first 100 participants. Also featured will be the Northwest Late Model 4s and Winged Sprints.

Info: www.raceidaho.com

Pit stops

Northport International Raceway has its next-to-last race Sunday with competition in Modifieds, Street Stocks and Fever Fours. The mud bog will be operating with 4 X 4 drags. Time trials begin at 1 p.m. Info: Mark Meldrum, 509-732-1168 or AMMeldrum@aol.com.

•Spokane Raceway Park will have two days of racing on the drag strip with brackets on Saturday (gates opening at 3 p.m.), while Sunday features the Dave Rogers Memorial Muscle Car Drag (Gates open 10 a.m.). Saturday night on the oval, the SRP schedule headlines Sportsman cars. Gates open at 3.

•Sunset Speedway will run its ninth points race of the season Saturday at Sunset Speedway. Practice begins at 5 p.m., racing at 7. Info: Jason Stoddard, 994-4193, Todd Havens, 993-9010 or www.Sunsetspeedway.org.

•KXLY-TV culminates its season-long “Race of the Night” program on today’s 11 p.m. newscast with a season highlight special.

•IndyCar and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor Jimmy Kite will be a guest on this Saturday’s edition of the Speed Sport Report, heard at 9 a.m. on Fox Sports Radio (790-AM). Kite, who has been interviewed before on the local motorsports show, has the weekend off and will take questions on air.

Streaks and stats

Buff Kobs of Coeur d’Alene ran a 7.897/163.53 mph to defeat Scott Pollacheck of Medford, Ore., in the championship round of the Motorcycle class at last weekend’s NHRA Division Six series race at Intermountain Raceway Park near Billings, Mont. … Joe Kopp finished 10th last Saturday at the AMA Ford Quality Checkered Flat Flat Track Championship race in Peoria, Ill. The Mica, Wash., rider remains in third place in series points with 153 but fell a bit off the pace of leaders Chris Carr (186) and Ken Coolbeth (174). Next stop on the schedule is Saturday at Sedalia, Mo., where Kopp collected his third career victory back in 2000.

•Kevin Richards continued to dominate the Inland Northwest Superstocks, winning his fifth race of the season, but the finish of the 25-mile race was a matter of inches and had to be determined by instant replay. The Newman Lake driver crossed the finish line less than 6 inches ahead of Spokane’s Dave Garber. Third-place Andy Brown of Spokane got his first INSSA top-five finish this year.