NW MOTORSPORTS:Behar turns attention to karts

It’s a good bet that a new champion will again be crowned at the conclusion of the 2007 Inland Northwest Superstock Association (INSSA) season.

For the second consecutive year, the defending champion has opted to pursue other racing interests. But unlike 2005 winner Kevin Richards, who chose to race in the Late Model Challenge, defending 2006 champ Mike Behar has decided to go kart racing.

No, Behar will not take to the driver’s seat himself. Instead, he will perform crew chief duties for his 9-year-old daughter Nicole’s kart team that opens the season Saturday afternoon at Sunset Speedway.

Behar had ideas of making the INSSA opener Saturday evening at Stateline Speedway but just ran out of time. The 35-year-old Behar, who won the 2006 title by a single point over Dan Garber, has scored victories in each of the last two series-opening events – another streak that will come to an end.

But it’s all worth it.

“We’re going dirt track racing,” Behar said. “(I hope) I’m going to make a woman late-model racer out of her eventually.”

Nicole turned heads in her rookie effort racing the Winter Indoor series at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center.

“The first night she started in the back of the pack and finished third,” Mike said.

The next race, she challenged for first and second all night.

So who are the likely candidates to fill Mike Behar’s void? There’s Garber, who, unlike last year, is unlikely to take another trip to Bristol, Tenn., to watch a Nextel Cup race when INSSA is running. Garber’s replacement driver that night didn’t finish high enough to get Garber the points he needed to take the title.

Andy Brown (third) and Jack Morse (fourth) are other favorites based on last year’s results.

Stateline, which had Saturday racing rained out for the second consecutive week, will also feature Late Model 4s and Hobby Cars. Time trials begin at 6 p.m.

Massie service draws crowd

Funeral services for noted local drag racer Vern Massie drew a huge crowd Thursday morning.

Massie died at age 71 on April 19.

Massie, who partnered with Don Wilbur, is perhaps most known as the record-breaking National Hot Rod Association’s driver of the 1960s “Wilbur-Massie” Model A Victoria, the Destroyer.

In April 1967, the Destroyer was destroyed in a racing accident against the Melrose Missile. Massie later drove Wilbur’s Fuel Dragster for several seasons.

Massie is survived by his wife, Phyllis; sons Ron and Jeff; step-children Tina Hogewonig, Gina Putnam, Dina Miller and Jake Anton; and brother Bob Massie.

Pit stops

Spokane Raceway is dark this weekend and prepares for its season opener under the lights with Friday Street Racing on May 4. The points race begins the following night on both the drag strip with bracket cars and the NW Modifieds headlining the oval.

“Sunset Speedway opens its points season with a Saturday afternoon racing program on the fifth-mile oval beginning at 2 p.m. Info: Diane Thompson 924-6755 or www.sunsetspeedway.org.

“Unlike the predecessor run by NASCAR, the new ASA Northwest Tour appears to be one of the best-kept secrets in regional racing. The series opens Saturday at South Sound Speedway, but series officials can’t name a single race team that is participating.

“The Late Model Challenge Series opens the season Saturday at Wenatchee with the Apple Blossom 125 and looks like it will steal some notable names away from the NW Series event at Tenino, Wash. Defending NW Series champion Gary Lewis, three-time champ Jeff Jefferson and Garrett Evans, a four-time titlist, are reportedly in the field. Local drivers competing at Wenatchee include 2006 points runner-up Shelby Thompson and Kevin Richards.

Streaks ‘n’ stats

Northport opened its season last Sunday with a record crowd that watched defending Modified Champ Kevin Ratel take his main event. Pat Berg, a rookie out of Sandpoint, was the Street Stock winner. P.A. announcer-turned-driver Tony Colderon collected the Fever Four win, while in Hornets, Kim Litts, a first-time driver, won in the new class. … Yvonne Lifsey won for a second consecutive week in Stateline Speedway’s Bump-To-Pass.