Montana 200 Qualifying: Riddle takes pole, Howell starts in 10th
A familiar name at Montana Raceway Park and a newcomer locked down the top two spots during Friday night qualifying for the 25th annual Montana 200 super late model auto race.
Owen Riddle of Naches, Washington, earned the pole position with his fast lap of 13.075 seconds.
Riddle, 29, has now been the pole sitter for this event two-straight years and three times in his five trips to the Flathead Valley. He’s gone on to finish second and third in the 200-lap main event.
Riddle was on the pole last year with a 13.106 run. He finished 17th in the 200, completing 100 laps.
“I don’t know,” he said of having a reason for his posting the fastests times in qualifying here.
“I like this place.”
During a practice session early in the day, he had the 10th best time of 13.215.
His younger brother, Taylor Riddle, also from Naches, clocked a 12.980.
“We worked on it hard,” Owen Riddle said of the car before the night session.
He said being the fastest qualifier “is a little bit of a reward” for making those adjustments.
Bobby Hodges of Carson City, Nevada, was right behind Owen Riddle with his time of 13.117.
They will start first and second for the main event tonight, which begins at 9 p.m. The rest of the lineup order will be determined with other qualifying races late Friday night and today.
All 26 cars this year will advance to the grand finale.
Taylor Riddle, 13.119, was third in the qualifying followed by Jeremy Doss of Upper Lake, California, 13.132, and Joey Bird of Spokane, Washington, 13.165, to round out the top five.
“Always wanted to run this track,” Hodges said.
“You always hear about the Montana 200, even in Nevada. It’s one of the bigger races around.”
Hodges, 25, is driving Giles Thornton’s old car. He purchased the car from the Thorntons over the winter.
Thornton was the pole sitter in this car in 2013. The Whitefish teenager is not racing this year.
“Our goal (this year) was to run all the super late model big races, to run well and have fun doing it,” Hodges said.
Four-time Montana 200 champion Gary Lewis was seventh in Friday night’s qualifying with a 13.198.
Agni Howell had the best showing by a Kalispell driver with his 13.246 run. That was good for 10th place.
Last year’s 200 winner Garrett Evans of East Wenatchee, Washington, had the ninth best time — 13.230.
Gates open today at 3 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 6.
Drivers are competing for a total purse of $50,000.
The main event winner will earn $15,000. The runner-up gets $5,000 with the third-place finisher pocketing $2,500.
25th annual Montana 200
Montana Race Park
Friday Night Qualifying
Owen Riddle, Naches, Wash. 13.075
Bobby Hodges, Carson City, Nev. 13.117
Taylor Riddle, Naches, Wash. 13.119
Jeremy Doss, Upper Lake, Calif. 13.132
Joey Bird, Spokane, Wash. 13.165
Blake Williams, Spokane, Wash. 13.185
Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Wash. 13.198
Mike Longton, Moxee, Wash. 13.206
Garrett Evans, East Wenatchee, Wash. 13.230
Agni Howell, Kalispell 13.246
Shelby Thompson, Spokane, Wash. 13.320
Brock Denney, Columbia Falls 13.321
Dave Garber, Spokane, Wash. 13.338
Braeden Havens, Spokane, Wash. 13.348
Gracin Raz, Lake Oswego, Ore. 13.348
Brandon Sickler, Kalispell 13.362
Alex Lessor, Kalispell 13.363
Ryan Wells, Hingham 13.368
Mitch Kleyn, Quincy, Wash. 13.395
Chance Overholt, West Richland, Wash. 13.449
Jeff Smyth, St. Ignatius 13.513
Clint Habart, Cranbrook, B.C. 13.513
Hannah Newhouse, Twin Falls, Idaho 13.535
Tyler Corpron, Kalispell 13.546
Adam Kinkel, Somers 13.684
Kevin Goe, Lake Havusa City, Ariz. 13.762