Doug Pace: Tri Track Series allows veterans, newcomers to mix

The Tri Track Super Late Model Series makes its first of three appearances in the Spokane area this season with Saturday’s running of the Idaho Tune-Up 150 at Stateline Speedway.

In its second season of operation, the series features a mix of veterans from the former NASCAR Northwest Tour (Garrett Evans and Gary Lewis) along with stars from tracks across the region, including Doni Wanat (Evergreen Speedway) and Ryan Wells (Montana Raceway Park). It has also established a good balance of new drivers looking to make a name for themselves, including Quincy’s Mitch Kleyn and Glenn Knutson.

Spokane drivers have also made things interesting on the Tri Track Series, with Shelby Thompson posting two victories since last season, David Garber notching a top-five performance in his most recent start, Braeden Havens averaging a top-10 or better finish in each of his career Tri Track starts and Blake Williams coming off a top-three finish at Evergreen Speedway on May 23.

For Havens and fellow NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver Gracin Raz, the opportunity to run a late model race at the Stateline facility this weekend is key to their future NASCAR starts on the same track. NASCAR has restrictions on testing tracks at which its series competes during a season and the late model event comes at the right time to prepare for July’s big race.

“We picked up a pole award here last year with the K&N car and with that series coming back to Stateline next month, so getting the chance to turn some laps is important for me as a driver,” Havens said. “Sure, the cars are different, but the racing lines are similar and seat time is something you can always use to your advantage. We’re looking forward to putting on a good show this weekend with our Western Rail late model.”

Running Raz in this weekend’s race is important for his NASCAR team co-owner, past Idaho 200 champion, Jeff Jefferson, who would like to give his rookie driver as many laps as possible around the tricky Stateline track.

“With the testing restrictions, we can only go to a few tracks in a year that we (the K&N series) run at,” Jefferson said. “Gracin has never been to Stateline, but there are other tracks he hasn’t been to as well, so with the NASCAR team off this weekend we see a great opportunity to come run the Idaho Tune-Up 150 in the late model, get some experience at a track he’s never run at and hopefully see it all pay off for us next month when the K&N Series comes back up here.”

Festival of Speed features Follmer

George Follmer, who is one of a handful in motorsports to have competed in NASCAR, Formula One, Indy Cars, Trans-Am road racing and World Endurance events, is this year’s Festival of Speed special guest as the unique racing experience makes its fifth consecutive appearance at Spokane County Raceway’s road course.

Follmer will be available to sign autographs and talk about his many experiences over the course of the two-day event, which starts at 9 a.m. Saturday. Today’s schedule includes a test session in preparation for the weekend’s competition.

The Festival of Speed features vintage racecars including sedans, sports cars and Formula-style machines with more than 100 entries expected to compete. Proceeds from the event are donated back to the community for the Parkinson’s Resource Center, according to event organizers.

The race’s format includes 20-minute timed events in four groups of cars with up to 16 flights held during the qualification and finales. All competition of the Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts (SOVREN) is sanctioned by a national body and rules package.

Race fans can expect to see many of road racing’s biggest manufacturers represented including Porsche, Lotus, Alfa Romero and BMW. American classics such as Mustangs Corvettes and Camaros will also be part of the weekend’s racing action. Formula style racecars, such as Mark Jaremko’s 1975 March Formula Atlantic machine, are another highlight of the various divisions that make up the Festival of Speed.

Tonight as part of Spokane’s First Friday community gathering in Riverfront Park, drivers will have their historic cars on display free to the public. Also being showcased will be World Champion Jimmy Clark’s 1967 Vollstedt Indy Car.

For more information regarding the weekend’s Festival of Speed at Spokane County Raceway, log onto spokanecounty raceway.com or sovrenracing.org