SPOKANE, Wash. -- There is a new love affair in the inland northwest, Naches, Washington super late model driver Owen Riddle and Ford Fusion are now two for two in the Dr. Pepper super late model series at Spokane County Raceways Super Oval. Saturday began with anyone’s guess on what would happen with Mother Nature as she teased everyone all day long with small amounts of rain for race two for the super late models. Practice started on time and Owen Riddle took to the half mile with all the confidence in the world and looked cool as a cucumber at the local market as he set the pace for all practice sections with the quickest times. Just midway through practice rain delayed the next practice session by forty five minutes, officials decided after track drying was successful to extend practice and delay qualifying by a half hour. Joining the nights racing were the Hot 96.9 Road Runners with the Zips Pony Stocks and the SCR Sportsman series. Car count for race two was great with a field of just over 20 super late models.

The big surprise of the night turned out to be Taylor Riddle from Naches, Washington to take the top spot for qualifying for the Venom 100. Later this evening after a great showing of main events by the supporting groups it was time to rumble on the half mile tonight as the strong field of Dr. Pepper Super Late Models took to the track for the much anticipated Venom 100 main event. Opening green flag brought out a quick and unfortunate disappointing end to the night just a half lap for two favourites, drivers Jason O’Neil and his #29 Chevrolet and Blake Williams #16 Ford as drivers got loose out of turn four and force the retirement of O’Neil and Williams. The first restart made for a much cleaner start as Giles Thornton took his Toyota out front with local favourite Andy Brown right behind. Brown did not hesitate to put his Zips Chevrolet to the front for a couple of laps when Mike Longton appeared from mid pack and drive around Brown and open up a very impressive lead. Lap 25 brought more disappointment as Longton holding of Eric Hargraves and Owen Riddle when all three drivers exited turn four three wide and got hung up with lap traffic and put front runner Longton to the pits unable to return. Owen Riddle found himself and his Ford back in a very familiar spot on the half mile right out front. Riddle calm cool and collected held on for the remainder of the night out front and take home the number one spot and top purse. Owen Riddle now two for two in the Dr. Pepper Super Late Models and points leader in the series.

RESULTS

Qualifying:

Hot 96.9 Road Runners: Ben Cramer #85 24.100

Zips Pony Stocks: Kameron McKeehan #72 21.957

SCR Sportsman: Trayten Tarr #64 20.714

Dr. Pepper SLM: Taylor Riddle #15 17.908

Trophy Dash:

Hot 96.9 Road Runners B: Don Shelby #96

Hot 96.9 Road Runners A: Britney Rupert #11

Zips Pony Stocks A: Kameron McKeehan #72

SCR Sportsman A: Trayten Tarr #64

Dr. Pepper SLM B: Jesse Taylor #7

Dr. Pepper SLM A: Owen Riddle #10

Heat:

Hot 96.9 Road Runners: (1) Ben Cramer #85 (2) Brenden Tarr #71 (3) KC Garber #30

SCR Sportsman: (1) Trayten Tarr #64 (2) Rusty Webb #88 (3) Brenden Tarr #84

Main:

Hot 96.9 Road Runners: (1) Brenden Tarr #71 (2) Ben Cramer #85 (3) KC Garber #30 (4) Britney Rupert #11 (5) Matt Hoyt #27 (6) Scott Soderberg #8 (7) Buck Miller #12 (8) Don Shelby #96 (9) Ken Huck Jr. #1 (10) Matt Anselmo #23 (11) Joel Barnard #73 (12) Kelly Nutter #70 (13) Brysen Tarr #91

Zips Pony Stocks: (1) Kameron McKeehan #72 (2) Steve Coyner #11 (3) Ben Cramer #85 (4) Mason Husk #84 (5) Ty Murry #51

SCR Sportsman: (1) Rusty Webb #88 (2) Trayten Tarr #64 (3) Vance Reynolds #200 (4) Brenden Tarr #84 (5) Chase Kirk #32 (6) Dustin Chase #19

Dr. Pepper SLM Venom 100: (1) Owen Riddle #10 Naches, WA (2) Jake Bisset #96 Valley Ford, WA (3) Andy Brown #41 Spokane, WA (4) Ryan Tarr #13 Spokane, WA (5) Eric Hargraves #51 Yakima, WA (6) Taylor Riddle #15 Naches, WA (7) Travis Allen #80 Spokane, WA (8) Chris Kellogg #98 Spokane, WA (9) Breaden Havens #83 Spokane, WA (10) Rob Reinbold #6 Davenport, WA (11) Giles Thornton #12 Whitefish, MT (12) Todd Havens #20 Spokane, WA (13) Rusty Webb #88 Deer Park, WA (14) Bryon Philly #3 Tacoma, WA (15) Tim Eickstadt #71 Spokane, WA (16) Mike Longton #37 Moxee, WA (17) Jesse Taylor #7 Clayton, WA (18) Blake Williams #16 Spokane, WA (19) Jason O’Neil #29 Spokane, WA

Racing continues Friday night Pony Stocks, Bump to Pass and NW Early Stocks

Saturday Night Appleway ICAR Late Model Series, Road Runner enduro 50 and Hobby Stocks