Doug Pace: Stateline Speedway’s Idaho 200 morphs into AutoSource 250

Stateline Speedway hopes to start a new tradition this weekend on a night usually set aside for the Idaho 200.

Yes, this is the weekend that the track hosts one the area’s biggest Super Late Model races. No, it’s not the historic 200-lap affair.

Facility leaders signed a title sponsor for a three-race series to be known as the Triple Crown, which featured events in June, July and now the pinnacle race of the quarter-mile oval’s season, Saturday’s AutoSource 250.

Don’t tell defending Idaho 200 champion Braeden Havens that this isn’t the weekend to go out and try for back-to-back victories. To the Medical Lake driver, Saturday is still the biggest race of the year at the Post Falls speed plant.

“They may have adjusted the length of the races this year, but to me this is still the weekend of the Idaho 200 with just a few more laps tacked on,” Havens said. “Instead of running 100 laps, you’ll go to lap 125 then take the break for adjustments. For our team the approach is the same – stay near the front, get to the break, manage our equipment well in the late stages then get after a win in the closing laps.

“Having an extra 25 laps to do all that in the second half just adds more fun to the night for all of us drivers, I think.”

One of the many drivers who will be out to challenge Havens is Naches, Washington, native Tayler Riddle. The 2016 Summer Showdown and Fall Classic champion is considered one of the top drivers in the country. Fresh off last weekend’s Northwest Super Late Model Series qualifying record at Spokane County Raceway, followed by a second-place finish to older brother Owen, the younger Riddle will be one to watch, Havens said.

“Those Riddle boys have their program going in the right direction,” Havens said. “Owen won the Montana 200 a few weeks ago, got us all in Spokane last week and Tayler’s been strong finishing second in both of those races. They’ve definitely got their Fords running well. We’ve got a good car for Saturday and have been right there with the Riddles the last few times we’ve competed against them, so it should be a fun night.”

The attention may be on the Idaho 200 defending champion making a run for another big Stateline win and Tayler Riddle’s entry into the race, but the Triple Crown Series has several drivers who will be formidable opponents.

Joey Bird, who has had stellar runs throughout his 2017 season, including a Summer’s Here 150 victory on the Triple Crown Series, rides into the weekend fresh off a runner-up finish in last month’s Freedom 200. The two finishes give Bird a 10-point lead over Jason O’Neil in the chase for the overall championship. Another solid effort this weekend and Bird may become the track’s first title winner of the new series.

O’Neil had a third-place finish in June’s race to go along with a sixth-place run last month. With one race to go, O’Neil will be out this weekend to add a third top-10 run to his season total.

Nicole Behar topped Bird, O’Neil and a strong field of contenders en route to July’s Freedom 200 victory. The Otis Orchards resident joins Brittney Zamora and Brooke Schimmel as the only female drivers to win Super Late Model races in the Northwest. Each of the three earned their historic victories in the last six weeks.

Locals expected to join Havens, Bird, O’Neil and Behar in Saturday’s race include David Garber, Kameron McKeehan, Corey Allard and Andy Brown.

The weekend’s support show will be the annual Stateline Speedway Mini Stock Shootout. Featuring the top four-cylinder drivers from across the Northwest, the 75-lap main event brings together a strong mix of local talent and regional hot shoes. Local drivers expected include Terry Armstrong Jr., Keaton Tarr and Stateline’s Mini Stock points leader, Rich Hatton.

Racing starts at 6 p.m. Saturday with qualifying, followed by opening ceremonies at 7. Info: raceidaho.com.