Page 65 - Flathead Beacon // 7.15.15

SPORTS
The 25th annual Montana 200
will take place at Montana Raceway Park on July 17-18. BEACON FILE PHOTO
CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE
Only a few motorsports races in the Pacific Northwest demand the same level of respect and expertise as the Montana 200.
“We want to make sure we’re the best we can be for it,” said Gary Lewis, a four-time Montana 200 champion and one of the region’s top drivers out of Washington.
In its 25th year, the signature event at Montana Raceway Park remains one of the premier motorsports races, offer- ing a total purse of $50,000 and $15,000 to the winner. A bonus this year, a driver can achieve the “Hot Shot Bonus,” which entails winning the quick qualifier, heat race and main event. With that accom- plished, the driver will get another $5,000.
The top 24 drivers are guaranteed at least $1,000 apiece, which is why this weekend’s event will attract many of the region’s best Super Late Model racers.
This year’s event is July 17-18 at the quarter-mile-long high-banked oval track off U.S. Highway North between Kalispell and Whitefish. Practice runs Thursday and qualifying and heat races are on Friday. The last chance qualifier is on Saturday before the main event. Gates open at 3 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and qualifying begins at 7 p.m. Friday. The opening ceremonies on Saturday begin at 6 p.m.
Organizers are expecting another sold-out crowd of 4,000 spectators at each day.
“This race is a big deal,” Ted Cum- mins, general manager at Raceway Park, said. “This always attracts a big crowd and some of the best drivers. A lot of race tracks have geared their big races after what we’ve done.”
It all started when the racetrack — known as both the Kalispell Raceway Park and Flathead Valley Raceway Park — opened May 1, 1991 as the state’s only paved quarter-mile oval. It was a fam- ily business opened by John and Sharon Slack who were passionate motorsports fans and it hosted different races for all classes of stock car racing vehicles.
USA Today named Raceway Park one of the 10 best short tracks in the country in 2000. The weekly events between May and September offer some of the largest cash purses in the region, including the Montana 200, which rallies more than 40 drivers in pursuit of the top cash.
“All these racers throughout the country know about it. It’s got a good tra- dition,” Cummins said.
This year’s event is poised to keep that strong tradition alive. A group of drivers from California are slated to compete, as well as an elite crew out of Canada. Then there’s the familiar local faces who con- sistently chase the checkered flag.
Kalispell’s Alex Lessor is the current leader in the Super Late Models season standings. Lessor placed 16th a year ago at the Montana 200. He placed second in 2013, almost ending the drought for Mon- tana drivers seeking to win the pre-em- inent event. A Treasure State driver has not won the Montana 200 since Ken
Kaltschmidt of Marion won in 2003. Lessor could snap that streak, along with Agni Howell, another talented driver out of Kalispell. Howell ranks ninth in the points standings. The list of local talent goes on: Brock Denney ranks fourth in the standings, Brandon Sickler ranks fifth, Tyler Corpron ranks seventh
and Adam Kinkel sits eighth.
Garrett Evans of East Wenatchee,
Washington won last year’s Montana 200, earning his first victory at the event. BJ Tidrick of Kennewick, Washington placed second.
Lewis will be back as well and hopes to regain his winning ways, similar to his unprecedented run nearly 10 years ago. Lewis won the Montana 200 from 2007- 10. No other driver in the event’s illustri- ous history has even won back-to-back races, let alone four-peated.
“It was like I had the best luck ever right then,” Lewis said. “A lot of things have to line up just perfectly to win a big race like that.”
Lewis knows he has to bring his best this weekend if he wants to achieved the checkered flag.
“It’s definitely one of the most com- petitive races in the northwest,” Lewis said.
“We’ve been working on the car really hard to make sure she’s the best she can be.”
For more information about the Mon- tana 200, visit www.montanaraceway-
park.com.
25TH ANNUAL MONTANA 200 MONTANA RACEWAY PARK
THURSDAY, JULY 16
Practice
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Gates open at 3 p.m., qualifying, 7 p.m., followed by dashes, heat races and qualifying main.
SATURDAY, JULY 18
Gates open at 3 p.m., opening ceremonies at 7 p.m., followed by qualifying and main event.
PURSE
1ST - $15,000
2ND - $5,000
3RD - $2,500
4TH - $1,500
5TH - 1,250
6TH THROUGH 24TH - $1,000
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2014 — Garrett Evans, East Wenatchee, Washington 2013 — Jonathon Gomez, Twin Falls, Idaho
2012 — Jeff Jefferson, Naches, Washington
2011 — Shane Mitchell, E. Wenatchee, Washington 2010 — Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Washington
2009 — Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Washington 2008 — Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Washington 2007 — Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Washington 2006 — Jeff Jefferson, Naches, Washington 2005 — B.J. Tidrick, Yakima, Washington 2004 — Christian Roeder, Ephrata, Washington 2003 — Ken Kaltschmidt, Marion, Montana
[email protected]
JULY 15, 2015 | FLATHEADBEACON.COM
65