Nitro cars racing this weekend

AIRWAY HEIGHTS - In the year that remembers the 50th season of drag racing at the former Spokane Raceway Park, the renamed Qlispe Raceway will bring back some of the sights and sounds of nitro-methane June 21-22.

Owned by the Kalispel Tribe and located adjacent to Northern Quest Resort in Airway Heights, Qlispe's "Nitro Jam" featuring a field that also includes nostalgia funny cars, fuel alters that will offer the smell of nitro in the air and cackle in the ears.

A half century ago the track first hosted drag racing with the American Hot Rod Association Spring Nationals from May 31 to June 2, 1974.

Then it was a field of the most notable names in drag racing - Don Garlits and Don Prudhomme among others - who traveled to Spokane. Prudhomme and Gary Beck came away top professional winners.

This time it will be a mix of local and regional entries like Spokane's Chris Davis and his "Old School Nitro" Firebird, as well as Tim Eickstadt from Nine Mile Falls and his "Hitman" Camaro who will battle with a handful of others.

They include Ron Smith's Camaro, Jason Busy Firebird, Mike Peck in the "The Instigator" Camaro, the John Tillman "Dave Benjamin" Firebird, Canadian Nathan Sitko's "The Bubble Up" Firebird and Wally Giavia in the "G-Men" Dodge. Smith won a title in Spokane in 1994 in top fuel. Sitko's the son of

former pro alcohol champ, Kenny who won events here in the 1980s.

The unpredictable fuel altereds include: Tom Padilla "Red Dragon", Jason Pettit "Hell Raiser 2", Keith Wilson "The Witch Doctor" and Shane Harter "Not So Funny."

Derek Snelson "Tomahawk" and Mark Stevens "Hocus Pocus" are jet cars doing exhibition racing.

Gates open Friday June 21 at 3 p.m. Fuel cars will run at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. and jets will follow the 9:30 p.m. show.

Gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday June 22, with fuel cars scheduled to run at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. and jets follow.