Riddle goes wire-to-wire to win 25th annual Montana 200
Owen Riddle has won plenty of super late model races, including the major ones, all over the Pacific Northwest.
“Now the Montana 200,” he said with a big grin late Saturday night.
That title is finally his.
Riddle, 29, from Naches, Washington, went wire-to-wire to win the 25th edition of this event at Montana Raceway Park.
The last driver to do that was Jeff Jefferson, also from Naches, in 2012.
“The competition here is always so tight,” he said of what makes this race so difficult to win.
Riddle put on quite a dominating show before a sold-out crowd and avoided some late-race carnage that had six cars towed from the track during the last 12 laps.
The first-place finish earned the popular driver a check for $15,000.
The pole sitter, for a second-straight year, Riddle set the pace for all 200 laps of the main event. He completed the journey in 2 hours, 34 minutes and 6 seconds.
Last year he finished a disappointing 17th.
Riddle also has placed second and third in the 200. This was the fifth time he has entered this race.
“This race is so difficult,” Riddle said.
“You don’t want to get over confident. You just take it one lap at a time.”
Garrett Evans, the 2014 champion from East Wenatchee, Washington, was second.
Jeremy Doss, of Upper Lake, California, crossed the finish line third.
Doss started the race in the fourth spot, while Evans was seventh.
The field for the 200 had 26 cars. Only 11 were left on the track when Riddle took the checkered flag.
Nine drivers went the distance — 200 laps.
Taylor Riddle of Naches was fourth and Gracin Raz of Lake Oswego, Oregon, rounded out the top five.
Four-time champion Gary Lewis of Snohomish, Washington, was seventh.
The top Montana finisher was Ryan Wells of Hingham. He was ninth.
Kalispell’s Brandon Sickler was 11th, Alex Lessor was 15th, Agni Howell 18th and Tyler Corpron was 24th.
Adam Kinkel of Somers was 23rd, Jeff Smyth of St. Ignatius was 25th and Brock Denny of Columbia Falls finished 26th.
“We were a little tight at the end of the first 100 (laps),” Riddle said.
“We made some adjustments. The car felt good.” With 50 laps to go and with an eight-car lead on Evans, Riddle thought this could finally be his night.
“We started to fade a little after that,” he said.
“Go into a protect (the lead) mode.”
This was just the first time in three races this season Riddle completed a main event.
His next challenge will be at the Idaho 200 in two weeks.
25th annual Montana 200
Late Saturday Night
Montana Raceway Park
Final Results
1. Owen Riddle, Naches, Wash., 200
2. Garrett Evans, E.Wenatchee, Wash. 200
3. Jeremy Doss, Upper Lake, Calif. 200
4. Taylor Riddle, Naches, Wash. 200
5. Gracin Raz, Lake Oswego, Ore. 200
6. Mike Longton, Moxee, Wash. 200
7. Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Wash. 200
8. Chance Overholt, W. Richland, Wash. 200
9. Ryan Wells, Hingham 200
10. Mitch Kleyn, Quincy, Wash. 197
11. Brandon Sickler, Kalispell 197
12. Bobby Hodges, Carson City, Nev. 185
13. Blake Williams, Spokane, Wash. 181
14. Dave Garber, Spokane, Wash. 181
15. Alex Lessor, Kalispell 181
16. Shelby Thompson, Spokane, Wash. 181
17. Braeden Havens, Spokane, Wash. 181
18. Agni Howell, Kalispell 178
19. Kevin Goe, Lake Havusa, Ariz. 176
20. Clint Habart, Cranbrook, B.C. 173
21. Hannah Newhouse, Twin Falls, Idaho 155
22. Joey Bird, Spokane, Wash. 116
23. Adam Kinkel, Somers 107
24. Tyler Corpron, Kalispell 98
25. Jeff Smyth, St. Ignatius 30
26. Brock Denney, Columbia Falls 24