Friends share lead in NW Superstock

If you thought the Inland Northwest Superstock Racing Series (INSSA) points chase couldn’t get any better than last year, well it has.

The stretch drive for the series, which begins Saturday and ends two weekends from now, can’t get any closer, unless, of course Andy Brown trims the 35-point margin he trails in the standings,

Dan Garber and Mike Behar are tied for first after seven races with 997 points. Like last year, the run to the finish promises to keep everyone doing a lot of mental match as they plot the scenarios.

That is until you throw in the “friend factor,” and that adds an entirely new wrinkle.

“We’ve been good friends since grade school,” Behar said.

The two had some run-ins earlier this season but decided to not let that happen again.

“We didn’t want racing to ruin our friendship,” Behar said. “Dan and I, it seemed like we were always fighting for position.”

Garber has been in the points lead nearly all season.

He held a 30-point lead going into the last series race two weeks ago. The lead was safe enough, Garber felt, to put a replacement driver behind the wheel and jet back to catch a Nextel Cup race on the ultimate short track at Bristol, Tenn.

With Todd Witham coming out of retirement to drive, Garber’s car finished fifth and when all the points were added up he and Behar were deadlocked with just two races – including Saturday’s Stateline outing – to go.

Looking back at his decision to watch instead of race, Garber said, “If I lose by 10 points I’ll be upset.

“It’s been a good year,” he added. “It will be an interesting next couple of races.”

The Northwest Pro Trucks and Hobby Cars complete Saturday’s Stateline’s program. Time trials begin at 6 p.m. with racing at 7:30.

Mowers primed

The streets of Smelterville, Idaho, will come alive with the rumble – make that the high-pitched putter, of racing lawnmowers Saturday. The town just west of Kellogg will host the fifth annual Mow-em-Down lawn mower street drag race.

“These are not your average neighborhood ride ‘em mowers,” according to race organizer Marc Kroetch of Spirit Lake, Idaho.

Spirit Lake’s Mowin’ Mike Chapman enters his lowered and slick-adorned Flaming Eagle. Deer Park’s Gary De Shene brings his “Monster el-mow.” Curt Green’s new wheel stander, the Honda Vader, will make its racing debut, Kroetch said.

Dennis Lierman of Naples, Idaho, will defend the title he won in June at Spirit Lake.

Kroetch expects a field of 16 customized mowers.

Streaks and stats

Rob Ballard and Brian Husk are separated by 67 points in Stateline Speedway’s Hobby Stock points going into the final three races. … Craig O’Neal enjoys a 765-737 point lead in Road Runner points over Chuck Davidson. … Cousins Colton Garber (837 points) and K.C. Garber (832) carry on their family feud for five more races in Stateline’s Wednesday Night Fever-4 Hobby Class with Mel Aukerman right behind with 824 points. … Yvonne Lifsey holds a five-point lead over William Witlow, Darryl Carrillio and Keith Williams in Stateline’s Bump-to-Pass.

Spokane’s Shelby Thompson slid backward in the chase for the Late Model Challenge Series points title, falling to 14 back of Troy Conrad of Tacoma after a fifth-place finish last Saturday at Yakima Speedway with one race left. … Joe Kopp failed to qualify for last Saturday’s Singles motorcycle race at Springfield, Ill., and fell to third in series points. Kopp was ninth in Sunday’s Twins’ event.