Northwest Motorsports: Drivers set for Montana 200

If you hear a strange, dull roaring sound this weekend, don’t jump to conclusions and dash out to get your hearing checked.

It’s probably just some of the noise escaping from the 16th running of the Montana 200 today and Saturday at Montana Raceway Park in Kalispell.

Dozens of super late model drivers will be chasing a $12,000 first-place payout, an amount that shares honors with Yakima’s Fall Classic as the region’s richest race.

Six former champions will try to do what only two drivers have done before –pick up a second victory at what has been deemed one of the toughest races to win once, let alone twice. Former winners include: Jeff Jefferson (2006), B.J. Tidrick (2005), Christian Roeder (2004), Ron Dexter (2001), Tim Elliott (1998) and Cory Wolfe (1994).

While there may not be a favorite in this group – or among other area drivers – a guy that may garner some additional attention will be Bothell’s Gary Lewis.

A winner of three of five races in the ARCA-Late Model challenge, plus a victory in the NW Tour, Lewis is definitely the region’s hottest late model driver through the first half of the season.

Among his victories is one that came at Kalispell on June 30, so Lewis has an idea of what the big, high-banked quarter-mile is all about.

“Heck yeah, winning the (Firecracker) 125 should help us for this event,” Lewis said in a press release. “We are going to be using a Hoosier tire we’ve never used before, but our set-ups should be close right out of the box.

“We have wanted to race this event for so long but the problem was that we only had the tour type cars. This year it’s finally a different story with the addition of our new late model chassis. We’re very excited to be able to compete in this event for the first time. To win it would be huge for our Longacre Racing Products race team.”

Jet Sprints to invade

Crowds used to pack into Spokane’s old Playfair Race Course a few years ago to watch Jet Sprint Boats wildly weave their way through a watery race track.

Promoters of a brand new track in St. John, Wash., hope that interest is still present July 28, when the United States Jet Sprint Boat Association makes its fifth stop on a seven-race schedule.

Webb’s Slough is located on farmland owned by Matt and Amanda Webb.

The effort to build a jet sprint track and bring people to this tiny farming town of about 600 “has been a real community effort,” said resident farmer and racer Don Smith. The former stock car driver teams with Spokane’s Jeff Zimmerman, a former driver and now Smith’s navigator.

“We thought if Rosalia can do their big motorcycle deal then we can do something, too,” Smith said.

Racing starts at 10 a.m. Tickets are available at the gate starting at 9 a.m. ($15 for adults, $10 for ages 6-17 and children 5 and under are free). Advanced tickets are available at Mark Webb Diamond Jewelers at the Northpointe Shopping Center (Spokane), Ackerman Heating (Colfax) and Empire Foods, (St. John).

Kopp aims to keep streak

Mica’s Joe Kopp might not be having the season he dreamed of, but it’s never too late to turn things around.

He’ll try this Saturday at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville, Ohio.

Things may really get turned around, Kopp said, when he’s on his favorite track surface, riding a two-race win streak there.

“It’s the Annie Oakley Shootout this weekend and the trophy is a great gun,” said Kopp. “I would love to earn a third trophy from this event.”

Kopp currently is ninth in AMA Flat Track Twins championship points.

Northport cancels race

Sunday’s race at Northport has been cancelled due to excessive heat, fire danger and lack of readily available water, Brenda Robbins of Northport Raceway said.

The race was supposed to be the last event until September 2nd, when the track’s next race was scheduled.

Pit Stops

Extreme Motorsports will run its fifth Supercross race of the season on Saturday at the Motorsports Complex in Airway Heights. Info: www.extmotorsports.com or (509) 218-2014. … While Northport has cancelled racing, Republic’s Eagle Track will keep its Saturday program on schedule with time trials set for 3 p.m. Info: Gary Olsen (509) 779-4634. … Time trials begins at 6 p.m. Saturday for the ICAR Racing Series, Early Stocks and Hobby cars at Stateline Speedway. … Spokane Raceway hosts bracket and trophy drags this Saturday. Gates open at 5 p.m. Street Racing returns July 27. … After chasing race leader Rich Gimeno for 85-laps, Spokane’s Tim Sawyer passed for the lead on the inside to win the 8th annual Gary Miller Memorial 100 last Saturday at Stateline Speedway, the third win of the season for Sawyer.