Garber remains revved up by INSSA
Three years ago, when Bruce Garber envisioned the future of the Inland Northwest Super Stock Association, the veteran former stock car champion saw one thing clearly.
“I figured we’d have a good car count,” said Garber, who serves as the group’s president.
But another by-product of the formation of the first cohesive organization to sanction late-model stock cars in more than two decades took Garber by surprise.
“The competition is awesome,” said Garber, who was one of the top performers in the Northwest Superstocks of the 1970s and 1980s. “I never dreamed it would be this good.”
His assertion is backed up by results of the first two title chases. Garber’s son, David, won the inaugural title while Kevin Richards won last year.
The INSSA cars – about 18 of them, Garber figures – will kick off their season Saturday night at Stateline Speedway in the first of 11 races. Drivers include Richards and Dan Garber, who battled all season long, finishing 1-2 and separated by just nine points. Time trials begin at 6 p.m. in a program that also includes Hobby Cars and Street Stocks.
The NASCAR Northwest Series will end after this year. Garber is hoping that as the replacement series is crafted by some regional track operators that they make the rules closer to INSSA. That would allow his drivers to go run at that level.
The Tour has out-priced itself, according to Garber.
“They were racing for peanuts,” Garber said, alluding to the relatively small payouts for the huge investments many teams had in their cars.
Pit stops
The Northwest Modifieds will run a makeup race of their rained-out April 10 event Sunday at Spokane Raceway Park. Also on the oval will be a variety of local classes. The drag strip features bracket cars and imports in the final Sunday race date until October. Racing begins on both tracks at 1:30.
•Saturday’s Speed Sport Report (9 a.m. on AM-790) will feature live interviews and chat with 2005 INSSA champion Kevin Richards and runner-up Dan Garber.
•In other INSSA news, Tony Berry has announced the Idaho Army National Guard will be the primary sponsor. The National Guard Monte Carlo will make its debut Saturday.
•The Spokane Kart Racing Association will stage its second points race of the season Sunday at the Spokane Motorsports Complex in Airway Heights. Racing begins at noon. Info: Bob Thompson, 924-6755, or Chris Oakley, 465-1301 (evenings).
•Spokane drivers Matt Hall and brother Mike Merry will make their 2006 NASCAR Northwest Series debut driving the Affordable Graphics Chevrolets in the season’s first race Saturday at Meridian Speedway near Boise. The first race of the season was rained out and hasn’t been rescheduled.
Streaks and stats
Josh Goeds (Fever 4), Pat Bradeen (Street Stocks) and Gord Zaitsoff (Modifieds) all claimed both the A-Heat and Main Event wins in the season-opening race last Sunday at Northport, Wash. The Next event is May 7. … Joe Kopp won an ice motorcycle race last Saturday night in San Juan, Puerto Rico Coliseum, beating fellow AMA dirt track racer Johnny Murphree. Next up for Kopp is the resumption of AMA Flat Track racing at Joliet, Ill., on May 20. … K.C. Garber beat cousin Colton Garber to the finish line in the Fever 4 main event in last week’s Wednesday Night Fever program. Roadrunner driver Craig O’Neal set fast time (16.68), and won the Trophy Dash and Main Event. Also in the Roadrunners, Chris Gilson won the B-Main, his first career victory outside of a trophy dash win. Keith Williams was the Bump-To-Pass main event victor. … Burt Gasaway drove his way to victory last weekend at Horn Rapids ORV Park track. Gasaway drove the GT Karts Gladiator Chassis kart into an early lead and won easily.