New circuit hits Stateline Speedway
Legend cars are scaled replicas of 1930s and 40s automobiles powered by purpose-built Yamaha motorcycle engines. The INEX sanctioning body formed in 1995 based at Charlotte Motorspeedway and to date over 35,000 drivers have competed in their events.
Stateline’s regional race will mark the first time that the Columbia River circuit has visited the Inland Empire. Winners in the Semi-Pro, Pro, Masters and Young Lion divisions are awarded berths to the INEX National Championship race. A strong turnout of drivers from across the Northwest is expected for this weekend’s event as they chase a spot in the upcoming championship event.
Burien’s Duane Swanson, who has been one of the top Legend car drivers in the United States for many years, leads the Masters division coming into this weekend’s race. Close behind is former NASCAR Northwest Tour driver, Martin Rosler, who will look to close a 23-point deficit to Swanson.
Matt Rosler, Bill Kik and Steve Glenn round out the top-5 Masters points contenders.
Yakima’s Jake Woods leads the chase for the Semi-Pro hardware as the high school senior is enjoying a breakout season. Woods has been the top points earner in three of this season’s first four races.
Locals out to challenge for home track supremacy include Todd Witham, Braeden Havens (who will be doing double duty as he’ll also compete in his Late Model), Haedon Plybon and Alex Bartlett.
Plybon and Bartlett will also be racing in the Bandolero division and chasing a win in the Young Lion Legends division.
David Garber will be looking to make it two consecutive victories in the Late Model division when the class takes to the track Saturday night. Garber and Havens battled side by side for much of the division’s first race before Havens was forced to pit with an electrical problem leaving Garber with smooth sailing en route to the victory. Two-time defending champion, Justin Popple, Rob Vinning and Northwest Super Late Model Series veteran, Mitch Kleyn, and many more will be out to challenge Garber’s hold on the division.
Festival of Speed returns
The Festival of Speed road-racing event returns to the Inland Empire this weekend with a three-day program featuring vintage racecars including sedans, sports cars, and Formula-style machines.
All competition of the Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts (SOVREN) is sanctioned by a national body and rules package. Over 100 entries are expected to compete. Nearly 400 members of SOVREN support the organization’s goal of preserving historic auto racing cars. Many of the entries this weekend dating back to as early as the 1940s.
Among the historic cars fans will see are many of Europe’s best known racing companies including. Porsche, Lotus, Alfa Romero and BMW. American muscle cars such as Mustangs Corvettes and Camaros will join their European counterparts for time trials and qualifications on Saturday followed by Sunday’s finales.
Friday drivers will take to the twists and turns of Spokane County Raceway’s 2.25-mile road course layout for a series of practice sessions. Once all practice sessions are completed the cars will make their way from Spokane County Raceway to downtown for the annual car show and driver reception beginning at 4 p.m.
The weekend racing format includes 20-minute timed events in four different groups of cars with up to 16 separate races held during the qualification and finales.
Proceeds from admission will come back to the community in the form of donations to the Parkinson’s Resource Center of Spokane with racing sponsored by Porsche of Spokane. For more information log onto sovernracing.org.