Late model series ends this weekend at Stateline
The Appleway Parts Center ICAR Late Model Series heads to Stateline Speedway with a tight championship battle between Blake Williams and Eric Hector coming down to the wire as the touring group wraps its sixth season.
With 75 laps of racing left in the year final, driver standings may be impacted throughout the top 10 as only a handful of finishing positions are guaranteed when the action concludes on Saturday night.
Williams brings what appears to be a comfortable 52-point gap over Hector to the night’s event. But with more than 70 points up for grabs, no lead is safe for last season’s rookie of the year as he battles Hector. Each has claimed checkered flags this season, with Williams holding an edge in that department (four wins to Hector’s three).
But both face hard-charging Jason O’Neil, who has climbed to third place overall in the championship standings and has also earned a main-event victory this season.
O’Neil’s late-season surge may not be enough to climb all the way to the top of the championship ladder and dislodge Williams, but he may be able to overcome Hector with a strong run this weekend.
Others drivers who will be out to make moves in the final standings include Colton Garber, who trails O’Neil by 35 markers, and a trio of rookies – Kahlen Koch, Garrett Sawyer and Tom Plybon. All six will battle for positions third through seventh as 100 points separate them for the finale.
Also racing in Saturday’s Stateline program will be the Northwest Early Stocks and the Super 4 Modified Series. In the early stock program points are not awarded as the group provides racing action in vintage-style race cars.
The Super 4 Modified Series will honor Lonnie Stocker as its 2011 champion as the driver locked up the title in the division’s Aug. 27 main event. With the championship locked up, a battle for positions second through fourth will be settled as six points separate second-place Patrick Norris from fourth-place Jimmy Jackson with Mari Finley sandwiched in between.
Racing gets under way at 6 p.m. Saturday with qualifying followed by opening ceremonies, trophy dash, heat racing and finales for the ICAR Late Model Series, Northwest Early Stocks and the Super 4 Modified Series. For more information, go to raceidaho.com.
Havens sets standard
Braeden Havens earned the 2011 Inland Northwest Super Stock Association championship last weekend with a top-15 run in the division’s season finale. The title brings with it history, as Havens becomes the youngest touring late model champion in the region at just older than 18, besting the mark previously held by 2001 NASCAR Northwest Series champion, Kevin Hamlin, who was 21 at the time.
Havens began his late model career just three seasons ago in ICAR and has made steady progress in that time. Earning his first career late model victory this season at Spokane County Raceway gave Havens the points lead he never surrendered in INSSA.
The solid 2011 results netted Havens a ride in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series event held at SCR over Labor Day. Running in the top 15 throughout the night in Dick Midgley’s Chevrolet he earned a finishing position of 11th and plans to run either of the series’ next two events or both if logistics can be worked out. Also in the mix will be a trip to Yakima Speedway for the historic Fall Classic, which concludes late model racing in the region.
“We had a great season and to close it out with the Fall Classic and a K&N race or two will be awesome,” Havens said. “I know that the cars and our crew have worked hard to get to this point, and I have to thank everyone for their support to get the championship and get ready for the final few races of the year.”