Mini-Supers Plan Benefit To Send Disabled Fan To Charlotte

Racers rarely need a special reason to chase the checkered flag, but they’ll have one Saturday night at Stateline Speedway.

The Northwest Mini-Supers are running a benefit race to help send Tim Brophy on an expense-paid trip to the NASCAR Winston Cup race in Charlotte this October. Brophy, 29, has been a lifelong race fan, but muscular dystrophy has kept him wheelchair-bound since he was 12.

“Terri Little (Chad Little’s mother) came to me with the idea, and we ran with it,” said event organizer Sheri Herberholz.

The Northwest Mini-Supers will give their Empire Ford sponsor money to Brophy, said Herberholz. Additional money will come from Westberg Engines, First Class Screen Printing, Elite Painting and Scott MacLay of the Janeck Co.

“We also plan to pass the hat in the stands,” Herberholz added. Racing gets underway Saturday at 6 p.m. Joining the mini-supers are the Vintage Modifieds and Hobby Cars.

Season concludes

The fifth and final race of the season in the Spokane Pro Gas Association is Saturday night at Spokane Raceway Park, and it appears the drag racing group will crown at least one new champion.

Pro Gas points leader Jeff Mann has what appears to be an insurmountable lead over defending champ Todd Hoerner in the 10.20 elapsed-time bracket.

Randy Ray leads the 11.20 Modified Gas bracket by 100 points over Mark Resen, the 1996 champ.

SRP also has regular bracket racing on the schedule. It all starts with time trials at 5 p.m.

Northwest modifieds

The Northwest Modified Series charts unknown territory Saturday when the open wheelers run their first race at Yakima Speedway.

It will be the first race this season on a half-mile track for the modifieds, which generally race only smaller quarter-mile layouts.

“I’ve talked to some other drivers and I guess it’s a super-fast track,” said points leader and defending champ Jeff Zimmerman. “I’m excited to see what the car will do.”

Riding a two-race win streak, Zimmerman has put a 75-point cushion between himself and Colville’s Greg Ochs.

Northport Demo Derby Saturday

Northport International Raceway kicks off its busy holiday weekend with the first Can-Am Demolition Derby on Saturday. Time trials begin at 1 p.m. with crashing and banging beginning at 3. The demo is part of a two-event weekend that finishes with the track’s season championship Sunday at 1 p.m.

For info call (509) 684-1702.

Pit stops

Rod Nelson has moved into a tie with Bruce Pruitt in Pro Outlaw Kart Racing Association points. The POKR karts race tonight at 6 p.m. at the ORV Park… . Spokane Raceway Park has a demolition derby scheduled for Monday. … Tri City Raceway hosts the only Northwest appearance of the American Indy Car Series on Saturday. That race is part of the track’s Labor Day Spectacular that concludes with a NASCAR Northwest Tour race on Sunday… . Spokane’s Terry Moreau has returned from the Bonneville Salt Flats with two world records. Moreau’s partner, Don McBride topped the I/Gas Streamliner mark of 199.327 mph with a run of 214.391. Moreau, running nitrous, shattered the I/Fuel Streamliner record by 23 mph with a pass of 224.441… . Mica’s Joe Kopp placed fifth in last Saturday’s AMA Grand National flat-track motorcycle race in Hagerstown, Md.

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