KALISPELL, Mont. — Tragedy and triumph came in equal measure at the 18th running of the Coors Light Montana 200.
In a lights-out performance, defending race champion Gary Lewis overcame a broken power steering pump to become the event’s first back-to-back winner on Saturday, July 19 at Montana Raceway Park.
Moxee, Wash., native Mike Longton chased Lewis down and raced the Snohomish, Wash., driver hard over the final 25 laps but fell just short en route to a runner-up finish.
“Man that was a lot of hard work. Mike Longton raced me clean there at the end,” Lewis said. “I kept looking back in the mirror and he stayed there over the last few laps and it was awesome to race him for the win.”
Shelby Thompson, who had one of the strongest cars of the Montana 200 during the first half of the race, came home third. Mike Obrist and Wes Rhodes rounded out the top-top.
While heading to the event, 2004 Montana 200 champion Christian Roeder’s Brandt Law Firm team was involved in an auto accident that claimed the life of car owner Frank Brandt.
Tributes poured in by drivers and crews for their competitor including Lewis’ victory lap.
Not to be outdone, Montana Raceway Park fans, teams and officials raised close to $8,000 in a helmet pass and other fundraisers with all of the proceeds being donated to Brandt family and team.
The race was halted by several caution flags and a more than hour-long delay due to an electrical issue in the front stretch lighting system.
Once replacement lights were in place, the 24-car field took to the track at just past 10 p.m. PDT.
Brandon Riehl and his Aero Exhaust Chevrolet led the field to the green flag and set the early pace with Obrist in hot pursuit. Obrist moved by Riehl by lap 7 and held the point for nearly two dozen laps as Thompson settled into a grove just behind the Portland, Ore., driver.
Obrist’s Darrel’s Economy Muffler Ford Fusion was strong in the opening portions of the evening but Thompson found a line that his Valley Bowl Chevrolet could use for a clean pass and the lead by lap 25. By lap 50 Lewis had caught the back bumper of Obrist with Reihl just behind and a three-way battle waged for the second position.
The racing allowed Thompson to move out to a more than 10-car length lead as the trio played cat-and-mouse for more than 25 laps.
With the hard racing among Obrist, Lewis and Riehl keeping the three drivers close together, Erick Hargraves was able to close the distance and began to challenge Riehl for fourth-place. Contact between the pair forced Hargraves to the pits with a cut left front tire, ending the Magic Metals Pontiac driver’s chances for a Montana 200 victory.
As the race stretched past midnight, Thompson took the yellow flag signaling the start of the 100-lap break. Changing tires and refueling their cars, 23 of the 24 starters were able to rejoin the event for the start of the second-half.
Thompson moved out to a three-car length lead as the green dropped but Lewis’ Sign Factory USA Chevrolet Impala was there to the challenge for the front position.
“When we pitted I just knew the car might change on me and it did there once we got going in the second half,” said Thompson, a native of Spokane, Wash. “I just couldn’t get my car to exit the corners like it was in the first half of the race and once Gary got by me I looked to try and make our car work in the outside groove.”
During the first-half it appeared that Lewis was content to simply ride in third place and wait for an opportunity to move forward. That was not the case, however, as the No. 73 crew discovered a broken power steering pump during the midway break and quickly went to work making repairs to get the three-time late model touring champion back up to speed.
“We lost the power steering pump there at about lap 60 and it was all I could do to get my car to turn through the corners until the break,” Lewis said. “My crew went to work on it in the break and we were able to get it taken care of just before they sent us back out for the second-half.”
Having the ability to navigate the tight high-banked corners of Montana Raceway Park with the proper mechanical assistance, Lewis was able to mount pressure on Thompson. Lewis made a strong move to the outside exiting turn 2 for the lead at lap 115.
By lap 164 Thompson had fallen back to Longton who had used a patient gameplan to keep his Nob Hill Auto Sales Ford near the leaders for most of the night. Longton dove underneath Thompson in turn 3 and made the move work entering the front stretch as the field worked lap 165.
Lewis, who had built a two-second lead over Longton, began to lose ground in the closing 25 laps and by lap 190 was receiving constant pressure on the back bumper.
Longton took several looks to the inside of Lewis and by lap 195 had pulled even with the defending Montana 200 champion but was forced to check-up as the pair encountered lapped traffic.
Unable to challenge Lewis’ strength of riding the inside line in the corners, Longton maintained the runner-up position as the checkered flag fell.
“I am so glad we could pull this out in front of these awesome race fans.” said Longton. “There in the last few laps it looked like he was beginning to lose the handle and I really tried to take advantage of it but he’s just too strong when out front and I am happy to come home with a second-place finish in the Montana 200.”
Lewis, who was clearly spent upon exiting his car, became the first back-to-back Coors Light Montana 200 champion in the 18-year history of the event.
“This is an unbelievable feeling —I can’t believe I just won the Montana 200 again,” Lewis said.
Despite falling back, Thompson was happy with his finish.
“We started to hook up out there but Wes (Rhodes) and (Mike) Obrist were pushing me pretty hard for position,” he said. “It’s just awesome to know we held them off to finish in the top-three after having such a good car.”
In the night’s companion main event, John Hilliker made it two wins in two nights for the INEX Flathead Valley Legend Car Series. Tim Corbett was second followed by Scott Moore. Adam Bishop and Tyler Corpron rounded out the top-5
18th annual Coors Light Montana 200
Saturday, July 19 at Montana Raceway Park, Kalispell, Mont.
1. Gary Lewis; 2. Mike Longton; 3. Shelby Thompson; 4. Mike Obrist; 5. Wes Rhodes; 6. Brent Harris; 7. Micah Sampson; 8. Dave Garber; 9. Tim Elliott; 10. Mark Sundberg; 11. Cory Wolfe; 12. Kirk Hennefer; 13. Agni Howell; 14. Erick Hargraves; 15. Kevin Goe; 16. Rocky Erickson; 17. Don Staggs; 18. Tom Sweatman; 19. Brandon Riehl; 20. Kevin Richards; 21. Alex Lessor; 22. Bodie Morton; 23. Troy Schweigert; 24. Clayton Richert.
DNS: Mark Owens, Wrango West, Andy Brown.
Inex Flathead Valley Legend Car Series
1. John Hilliker; 2. Tim Corbett; 3. Scott Moore; 4. Adam Bishop; 5. yler Corpron; 6. Brandon Sickler; 7. Jake Bissett; 8. Joey Bissett; 9. Scott Dalla; 10. Tyfini West; 11. Zack Havens; 12. Wrango West; 13. Trevor Corpron; 14. Frank Stainbrook.
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