Roberts on easy street

With a substantial lead in the points, Northwest Modified leader Josh Roberts could pretty much take this Saturday night off when the series visits Stateline Speedway.

But considering how the Ephrata, Wash., driver has been running lately, don't count on it.

Roberts carries more than a 100-point lead over Spokane's Alan Quist and is nearly 300 ahead of Colville's Dave Weaver with three races remaining on the schedule, all at Stateline in the next three weeks.

Weaver, who presides over the group as its president and has been chasing Roberts without much success this season, all but concedes the title to the Ephrata youngster.

"He pretty much just has to show up." Weaver said. "He's been just about perfect. He hasn't had a stitch of trouble."

That was evident last Saturday at Yakima Speedway, where Roberts won for the second time in four weeks on the half-mile. Not only did Roberts win the 35-lap main event, his sixth victory in 11 races, but he also scored a rare sweep by being the top qualifier (a 19.634 lap) plus winning won his trophy dash and heat.

After a rainout last week at Stateline, this week's schedule, which includes Sportsmen, Street Stocks and Hobby Cars, picks up where it left off in the race toward season championships.

Brian Nevers (608) is leading in Street Stocks over Joe Owens (571) and Dan Bacon (566). Bill Currier (1,183) continues to cruise way out in front of a pair of drivers, Ron Collison (945) and Jim Babcock (920), in the Hobby Stocks. Pat Lewis (763) seems safely in front of Tony Holcomb (647) and Cox (581) in the Sportsmen class.

Pro Gas racers aim for title

A three-driver battle for the 2000 Spokane Pro Gas Associations Modified Gas division championship is shaping up for Saturday night's final race of the season at Spokane Raceway Park.

Randy Ray (1,185) holds a five-point lead over K-n-K Racin's Kenny Newitt. Mark Resen is just 25 points back in third place.

In the association's other two brackets, drivers in the lead appear safe. Pro Gas leader Scott Benner is 445 points ahead of Dave Holmes. Dave Oien has a 190-point cushion over Don Juel. At the last race, Benner went to the final round for his 4th time and his 3rd win.

SRP also has a regular bracket drag racing program, plus stock cars on the oval track. Drag time trials begin at 3:30 while the stock cars qualify at 5 p.m.

Kopp on top

A tight three-way race for the top spot in the American Motorcyclist Association Grand National flat track series may be pared to two riders going into this weekend's race at Vernon, New York.

After a successful Labor Day weekend at Springfield, Illinois, two runners-up and a third-place finish, Mica's Joe Kopp moved into a fivepoint lead over Will Davis and leads Chris Carr by 11.

It may, however, very well end up being a two-rider race. Reports indicate that because of his contract with the rival PACE series, which runs at Portland this weekend, Carr will not race the AMA event. That could knock him out of contention.

Kart Racers busy

The Spokane Kart Racing Association begins one of its busiest parts of the season on Sunday with the first of three races in four weeks that will close out the 2000 schedule. Time trials begin at noon.

Additional points races are scheduled for Sept. 24 and Sept. 30.

Pit stops

Outlaw go-kart racing kicks off the weekend schedule at the Spokane Motorsports Complex with time trials at 5:30. The motocross track at the complex also hosts a Night Series race on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. . . . The Stateline Outboard Racing Association will race Saturday and Sunday at the Waitts Lake Resort beginning at noon each day.

Streaks & stats

By taking his sixth straight win and eighth victory in 10 races Saturday at Yakima Speedway, Lewiston's Kevin McKeehan won the Northwest Late Model Four championship. . . . After a 16th-place finish in Monday's NASCAR Winston West race at Salt Lake City, Spokane's Kevin Richards has fallen from second to fifth place in points.

Copyright 2000 Cowles Publishing Company
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