Sprint cars plan rare visit to SRP oval
Spokane Raceway Park’s half-mile oval is designed as a special events track.
Saturday night, it looks like the big track has the perfect special event when the Northwest Sprint Car Racing Association (NSRA) pays a historical visit there.
NSRA president Curt Kern was careful when asked how many cars fans can expect. The veteran official, asked, “Before or after qualifying?” before suggesting he thought the field would be in the 18 range.
This is all important to fans who were buffaloed by the recent visit of the ASA Northwest Tour when only seven cars from outside the area made the tow here.
Kern, who also is the group’s flagman, is making his first personal visit to SRP and was quick to point out that this is the first time this class has been in Spokane. A mid-1980s national event was a United States Auto Club (USAC) race, Kern said.
Fueled by alcohol-injected motors, NSRA cars speed around the high-banked track at about 130 mph, Kern said. The closest big track at which the series races is the five-eights-mile at Monroe where that facility produces 150 mph laps.
The main difference between the NSRA and local Inland Northwest Sprints is use of an injected aluminum motor. With some changes, drivers such as Kevin Burck, Mark Jones and Wes Helgeson will be able to run. Monte Zema Jr., out of Colville, is also expected to run.
Five races have each produced different winners with one event, the long tow to Vernon, British Columbia’s Sun Valley Speedway, a rainout.
Kern said four drivers are separated by 60 to 70 points. Andy Alberding of Roseburg, Ore., tops the standings, followed by Zema Jr.
Perhaps the driver who may be most interesting to watch is Sierra Jackson, who at age 14 is making headlines around her Boise-area home as a rising star.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday with oval track racing at SRP. A motorcycle race forced cancellation of SRP’s regular bracket drag program. Saturday admission is $15 for adults and $13 for seniors and military.
Garber holds narrow lead
Dave Garber takes a 526-489 points lead over Corey Allard going into Saturday’s Windermere 100 Inland Northwest Superstock race at Stateline Speedway.
Garber is the only two-time winner this season as INSSA reaches the midpoint of the schedule. He won in his last outing at Stateline.
Racing kicks off at 6 p.m. with Hobby Cars and Early Stocks also on the track.
Villwock wins Thunder
Dave Villwock of Auburn, Wash., won his 10th Thunder on the Ohio hydroplane race in the last 12 years last Sunday, driving the Miss Elam Plus to victory at Evansville, Ind.
But it was hardly an ordinary win. Villwock and the 10-boat fleet had to survive the elimination heats that saw an unprecedented three boats flip in the first three heats of the day.
The unlimited hydro tour stays in the Midwest the next two weekends, visiting Madison, Wis., this weekend and Detroit for the Gold Cup the next before heading west to the Tri-Cities at the end of the month.
Pit stops
It’s a kart racing weekend at the Spokane Motorsports Complex in Airway Heights. Dirt sprint cars race Saturday at Sunset Speedway under the lights (racing at 7 p.m.) while Spokane Kart Racing runs its sixth points race Sunday at 12:30.
“Eagle Track at Republic returns to racing Saturday at 3 p.m. Info: Gary Olson at garyolson@bossig.co, 509-779-4634 or Buck Strauch, 509-775-3508.
Streaks ‘n’ stats
Mike Bise made the last hit in a three-car finale to win the Stateline Speedway Demolition Derby Tuesday night at Stateline Speedway. Bise, the last man standing in a 30-car field, survived a barrage of bashing and crashing to pick up the victory over fellow finalists Troy Dalstrom (second) and Scott Carlson (third). … Joe Kopp wound up seventh last Saturday in an AMA Flat Track Twins race at Lima, Ohio. The series stops at Joliet, Ill., on Saturday. … Point leader Gary Lewis of Bothell, Wash., won his second race of the season Saturday night in the ARCA West Late Model Challenge Series at Montana Raceway Park. Brandon Riehl of Boring, Ore., and Yakima’s Jeff Jefferson were second and third, respectively. Kevin Richards of Newman Lake was fifth and Spokane’s Shelby Thompson sixth in the 24-car field and completed all 125 laps. The LMCS visits Spokane Raceway Park next week.