AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Washington — Dangle the chance of putting $10,000 in their pocket and it will certainly bring race teams out of their garages.
"Former champs of Montana, Idaho 200s; Fall Classic and Apple Cup winners too"
So it’s no surprise this Saturday’s 2nd Annual Spokane 200 at the Spokane County Raceway half-mile Super Oval will have a long line of drivers waiting at the pit gate.
Of the $40,000 purse, a cool $10K will go to the winner and Super Oval promoter Brycen Tarr said he’s expecting more than 50 super late models to engage in the chase for the cash.
Among the notable names expected to be in the field are winners of the region’s two biggest races, Naches’ Wash. Jeff Jefferson who claimed the Montana 200 in July and Garrett Evans, who won the Idaho 200 a few weeks ago. Jefferson, however, cooked a motor
“There have been some big changes made to the Spokane 200 this season, and the reaction from the drivers could not be better,” Tarr said.
Grandstands open at 2 p.m. with qualifying at 4. Positioning Heat Races start at 6 p.m. with the green flag dropping on the 200-lap feature at 8 p.m. General Admission tickets $20 but $10 in advance online at www.scrsuperoval.com.
“Last year the 200 was in the middle of September and many drivers were crashed out or burnt out by that time of the year.,” Tarr said. “It was also a Friday/Saturday two-day event last season.”
This year, Tarr said, SCR has moved the 200 back into August and made it a Saturday one-day event.
Besides Jefferson and Evans, a multiple NASCAR N.W. Tour champion, the field includes Spokane’s Braeden Havens, the defending Inland Northwest Superstock champion and the youngest driver to win the title at 18. Havens is also the only current NASCAR K&N Series driver hailing from the state of Washington.
Another past NASCAR NW Tour champion is Canadian Pete Harding who recently won $11,000 at the Showdown in Monroe Wash.
Mike Longton, Shane Mitchell, Owen Riddle, Erick Hargraves, Braeden Havens, and Jake Bisset are all past winners of the Dr. Pepper Super Late Model series. Riddle is the only repeat winner of the series winning the first two races of this season.
While defending Spokane 200 champion Shelby Thompson will not drive, former Idaho 200 winner Kevin Richards of Newman Lake will be behind the wheel of the McClintock and Turf Chevy.
While money is the biggest motivator, some season goals are also at state for a number of drivers.
Saturday’s race is also the season finale of the 2012 Dr. Pepper Super Late Model Series and that points battle is intense. Just one point separates Yakima's Hargraves and Tayler Riddle. Only four points back is Freeman's Jake Bisset, and eight points back is Riddle. “This is really anyone's championship to win,” Tarr said.
Pre-entry list as of Aug. 14
Pete Harding, Surrey, BC
Garrett Evans, Wenatchee, WA
Mike Longton, Yakima, WA
Shane Mitchell, East Wenatchee, WA
Owen Riddle, Naches, WA
Tayler Riddle, Naches, WA
Erick Hargraves, Yakima, WA
Jason Fraser, Bellevue, WA
Jay Sauls, Puyallup, WA
John Zaretzke, Snohomish, WA
Braeden Havens, Spokane, WA
Kevin Richards, Newman Lake, WA
Ryan Wells, Hingham, MT
Eric Schmidt, Roseville, CA
Dave Garber, Spokane, WA
Blake Williams, Spokane, WA
Andy Brown, Spokane, WA
Zack Moran, Kennewick, WA
Travis Allen, Spokane, WA
Dave Smick, Pasco, WA
Todd Havens, Spokane, WA
Jon Hubbert, Chehalis, WA
Giles Thornton, Whitefish, MT
Jessie Taylor, Clayton, WA
Jake Bisset, Freeman, WA
Dan Garber, Spokane, WA
Rusty Webb, Deer Park, WA
Chris Kellogg, Spokane, WA
Garrett Archer, Black Diamond, WA
Randy Marshall Jr., Moxee, WA
Corey Allard, Sagle, ID
Mark Jones, Smelterville, ID
Ron Rohde, Lewiston, ID
Garret Sawyer, Spokane Valley, WA
Billy Belton, Spokane, WA
John Gamble, Spokane, WA
Jason O'Neil, Spokane, WA
Tim Eickstadt, Spokane, WA
Brion Philley, Kirkland, WA
Shawn O'Reille, Salmon, Id
Terry Armstong Jr., Spokane, WA
Russ Osborne, Las Vegas, NV
Chase Kirk, East Wenatchee, WA
…and then there was those on the bubble, “Trying to make it,” Tarr indicated.
Gary Lewis, Snohomish, WA
Jeff Jefferson, Naches, WA
Jason Jefferson, Naches, WA
Joey Tanner, Portland, WA
JC Wofford, Wapato, WA
Todd Walters, East Wenatchee, WA
Alex Lessor, Kalispell, MT
Alex Kerslake, Maple Valley, WA
Ryen Tarr, Spokane, WA
Andy Sole, Quincy, WA
Cory Wolfe, Ronan, MT
John Lathrop, Puyallup, WA
Mike Camel, Kennewick, WA
Larry Todd, Lewiston, ID
Rob Reinbold, Davenport, WA
Barry Shingar, Cranbrook, BC
Clint Habart, Cranbrook, BC
Alan Cress, Coos Bay, OR
Mic Moulton, Eureka, CA
Mike George, Coos Bay, OR
SCR Super Late Model Point Leaders
Season: 2012
Pos Car No. Name Total Diff
1 51 Erick Hargraves 105 0
2 15 Taylor Riddle 104 1
3 96 Jake Bisset 101 4
4 10 Owen Riddle 97 8
5 41 Andy Brown 93 12
6 12 Giles Thornton 75 30
7 37 Mike Longton 67 38
8 64 Garrett Evans 66 39
9 16 Blake Williams 55 50
10 39 Pete Harding 51 54
