NW MOTORSPORTS:Behar turns attention to karts

Paul Delaney
Correspondent
April 27, 2007

It's a good bet that a new champion will again be crowned at the conclusion of the 2007 Inland Northwest Superstock Association (INSSA) season.

For the second consecutive year, the defending champion has opted to pursue other racing interests. But unlike 2005 winner Kevin Richards, who chose to race in the Late Model Challenge, defending 2006 champ Mike Behar has decided to go kart racing.

No, Behar will not take to the driver's seat himself. Instead, he will perform crew chief duties for his 9-year-old daughter Nicole's kart team that opens the season Saturday afternoon at Sunset Speedway.

Behar had ideas of making the INSSA opener Saturday evening at Stateline Speedway but just ran out of time. The 35-year-old Behar, who won the 2006 title by a single point over Dan Garber, has scored victories in each of the last two series-opening events – another streak that will come to an end.

But it's all worth it.

"We're going dirt track racing," Behar said. "(I hope) I'm going to make a woman late-model racer out of her eventually."

Nicole turned heads in her rookie effort racing the Winter Indoor series at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center.

"The first night she started in the back of the pack and finished third," Mike said.

The next race, she challenged for first and second all night.

So who are the likely candidates to fill Mike Behar's void? There's Garber, who, unlike last year, is unlikely to take another trip to Bristol, Tenn., to watch a Nextel Cup race when INSSA is running. Garber's replacement driver that night didn't finish high enough to get Garber the points he needed to take the title.

Andy Brown (third) and Jack Morse (fourth) are other favorites based on last year's results.

Stateline, which had Saturday racing rained out for the second consecutive week, will also feature Late Model 4s and Hobby Cars. Time trials begin at 6 p.m.