Auto Racing: Season starts this week at Montana Raceway Park
<p>Jeff Jefferson, 42, of Naches, Wash. leads the field of 26 drivers on the back stretch in the Montana 200 at Montana Raceway Park in Kalispell July 21, 2012. (Inter Lake file photo)</p>
It’s a couple weeks later than normal, but the 2015 auto racing season at Montana Raceway Park finally kicks off Saturday night with super late models, bombers and hornets turning laps on the quarter-mile, high-banked asphalt oval north of Kalispell.
Super late models will be the top attraction for the first weekend with a 125-lap main event.
“Because it’s opening night and we’re opening with super late models, I’m hearing 18 to 20ish (cars on the track),” MRP manager/promoter Ted Cummins said.
“We’re expecting a lot of the same guys back (in all seven classes). We have the same divisions (this year) as we’ve always had. A lot of guys are digging their race cars out of the woods and getting them ready.”
Super Stocks, hobby stocks, legends and bandoleros make their season debut the following Saturday.
The only class not returning are the pro-modifieds.
Racing for the opener starts at 6 p.m. with qualifying.
Gates open at 5 p.m.
Admission for adults is $15 and for juniors (ages 7-15) $7. Children 6-and-under are admitted free.
A family pass (two adults and three juniors) for this race is $40.
Normally the race season at MRP begins in early May, but weather has been a factor in previous years with rainouts.
“That’s why we pushed (season opener) it back,” Cummins said.
Despite the late start, this year’s schedule will have just one less race than last year.
“We’re not taking any breaks through the summer,” Cummins said.
Racing will even take place during Northwest Montana Fair weekend in August.
A Monster Truck Show will be held on July 3-4.
The G.E.T. Rich at the Mt. Gold 212 was held this weekend a year ago, but has been dropped from the current schedule. Cummins said the race conflicted with other big money events at raceways throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The main event at MRP, however, remains the Montana 200 on July 16-18, which will be celebrating its 25th year. It’s the state’s biggest race for super late models with a purse of more than $40,000. The main-event winner pockets $15,000.
“We are already fielding calls from California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington and Idaho,” Cummins said.
“And a couple calls from North Carolina.”
The theme for the 200 this year is ‘Heroes and Villians.’
“Every fan has their hero they cheer for and their villan,” Cummins said.
Fan Appreciation Night is scheduled for July 25 with free admission for all. Racing that night are bombers, hornets, legends and bandoleros.
The other big race is the 14th annual Legend Thunder on June 27. Joining Legends on the track that evening are super stocks, hobby stocks and bandoleros.
The Super Late Models Can/Am 125 Shootout is June 20.
All total, there will be 16 Saturday nights for racing. The final is Sept. 19 for super stocks, hobby stocks, legends, hornets and bandoleros.
The last super late model race is the Championship 125 on Sept. 19.