Mix And Match Drags At Srp
To some, the picture of a fox hunt consists of a group of neatly dressed Englishmen on board their handsome horses. The riders are all properly attired in their white breeches, red blazers, knee-high boots and those cute short-billed caps. A pack of yelping Beagles nervously sniff the ground waiting their signal to begin the chase.
To the drag racing fans assembled this Saturday night at Spokane Raceway Park, the Fox Hunt takes on a different color.
It’s flaming jet cars, smoky funny cars and a chance for women to get in free.
Believe it or not, drag racing’s version of the fox hunt is one California import that has proven to be popular in the area. The event, now in its 15th year, ranks second in attendance to SRP’s World Finals and generally packs the seating sections.
Four jet dragsters, two alcohol funny cars and a pair of altereds headline this year’s event, and SRP president Orville Moe said he plans to do some mixing and matching when it comes to racing.
“We’re going to try to do something we haven’t done in a while and that’ll be running the jet cars against the funny cars,” Moe said. “It’ll be interesting. The funny cars leave the line quicker, but the jets have more speed on the top end.
“The funny cars don’t want to get behind that flame coming out the back of the jet car,” a chuckling Moe added.
Along with the jets and funny cars, SRP’s regular bracket drag racers will get to show themselves off before the big crowds. Time trials begin at 4:30 Saturday.
A couple of alcohol dragsters are expected, as well as a duel between the wheelstanders of “Diesel Louis” Force and Chuck Swift. It was prior to that first Fox Hunt back in 1981 that Swift decided to take his wheelstander out on SRP’s oval track, where he promptly rolled and totaled what was then his brand new “High ‘N Mighty” Dodge Challenger.
There will be no stock car racing at SRP Saturday.
On the road again
A group of area drag racers who won’t be at SRP this Saturday night, or a lot of other Saturdays, for that matter, are Rod and Todd Hoerner, James Arsenault and Dr. Allen Bostwick.
This foursome is busy with excursions to major drag racing events on four of the next five weeks.
An NHRA Division Six points race at Seattle kicks off the grueling schedule this weekend. The racers take the next week off and then head to Sonoma, Calif., where Arsenault goes for an unheard-of third straight Super Gas title at the Autolight Nationals July 28-30.
The California race is followed by the Northwest Nationals back at Seattle Aug. 6, and then a rescheduled Division Six race at Woodburn, Ore., Aug. 12. Good news is that the next race isn’t until Sept. 24 at Ashcroft, British Columbia.
Pit stops
The Hamms All-Star Series returns to Stateline Speedway on Saturday night with time trials beginning at 6 p.m. Local racer Dave Garber hopes to cash in for his first All-Star victory. Also on the schedule Saturday are Compacts, Hobby Cars and Sportsman. … Shane Mitchell of Wenatchee won his second Northwest Modified series race of the season last Saturday at Stateline Speedway. This Saturday, the open-wheelers head to Tri City Raceway to try out the half-mile tri-oval, with Colville’s Greg Ochs leading the points. … The NASCAR Northwest Tour visits Yakima Speedway for the final time this season on Saturday night. That race begins a busy three weeks for the late-model series, then heads to Wenatchee July 22 and closes out the month with the Western 250 at Monroe’s Evergreen Speedway on July 30. Spokane’s Rick Schultz is sixth in ‘Tour points. … A “Bogging For Dimes” competition to raise money for the local March of Dimes has been scheduled for Aug. 27 at the Spokane ORV Park. The event is being produced by the Sunset Four-Wheel Drive Club. Pledge forms are available by calling the March of Dimes office at 328-1920. Further event information is available from Gwen Williams at 467-3519.
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