Open wheel returns to Champion

Western Modified open wheel racing returns to Champion Speedway when the Western Modified Shootout Twins 50s feature race is held tonight.

Late Model Sportsmen, Legends and Hornets will also be part of a program that gets under way with qualifying at 6 p.m. and racing at 7. The evening's 100-lap Western Modieid feature race is scheduled for a 9 p.m. start.

"This should be a good race," Champion General Manager Les Kynett said. "We had 25, 26 cars for this event last year and we're expecting close to the same this time, too."

The event is dubbed the "Twins 50s" because the yellow flag will drop after 50 laps and all drivers will be given an opportunity to refuel at that time for the final 50 laps.

"Modifieds that run methanol alcohol fuel cannot go 100 laps on one tank of gas, so we stop them after 50 and they can add fuel," Kynett said.

Last year's event winner Jason Philpott, along with Sam Solari of Salida, Calif., the 2004 track champion are entered. Gary Glenn, second fast qualifier a week ago in the WESTCAR Late Model Series 100-lap feature race at Champion, is also entered, along with Steve Daniels, Jay Linstroth, and the father-son team of Gary and Craig Swim.

Linstroth and Solari finished second and third respectively in a 50-lap Grand American Modified feature race at Stock 99 Speedway on June 4.

The purse to win tonight is $1,000.

Tonight will also mark the continuation of a Legends division season race that has turned into a hotly contested affair. Terry Madjeski of Incline Village still holds the season points lead with 215 points, just ahead of 15-year-old Carson City driver Mackena Bell (213) and Gary Hale (212).