IDAHO 200: The constant of change

A decade can fly by when you’re having fun.

And through good times and those not-so-good, it helps to have family around for support and reassurance.

Corey Allard and his father (and crew chief) Brad, both of Sagle, attempted to qualify for the 2005 running Idaho 200, but fell short that first year, Corey’s first full year in a super late model.

The Allards ran in the Inland Northwest Super Stock Association (INSSA) series at the time, and Corey cut his teeth at Stateline Speedway and other regional tracks, gaining confidence and consistency. After competing in the series and other super late model events for a number of season, the Allards took a look at their operation, and decied it was time to invest in a new car. That decision kept them away from the track for a few years, as they slowly built and worked out the kinks in the new machine. The Allards — along with help from the extended family, are now back stronger than ever and ready for this weekend’s edition of the Idaho 200 at Stateline Speedway.

Coinciding with his racing career, Allard has worked at James A. Sewell, a civil engineering company in Sandpoint for a decade. Allard is now survey technician. “I’ve moved up through the company,and initially I went to school for mechanical engineering and drafting, and this job opportunity presented itself.”

Allard said he has gone about as far as he can in the industry, without getting into a different sector.

When it comes to free time, Allard has very little these days. “I’m still single, and between the long days of work and racing, I just don’t have much extra time.”

Allard says he enjoys getting with friends and shooting pool or throwing darts, but he’s not able to do it too often.

“Racing is pretty much full time job on its own along with full time job,” Allard said. “I go to the gym to stay in shape, and weekends are usually at race track or working on the car, I’d say 5-6 months out the of year.”

When he’s not working on his own car, Allard has had a chance to help fellow super late model racer Ryan Wells with setting up his car. “I’ve been over there (Hingham, Mont.) to work on his car. He’s really in the same boat as us — Ryan and his dad do most of the work on their cars, so I understand his position.”

Allard said Wells started driving the super late models a couple years after him, and Wells has tested a lot and he now has good information on his car. “For years he has been a strong runner wherever he goes.”

The Allards’ years-long journey to get their new car up to speed has led them back to racing the super late model circuit, and this will be the second Idaho 200 with the new car.

“Technology has changed over the years (in super late model racing) and we are still chasing it,” Allard said. “Garrrett Evans seems to be ahead of everybody, and he and his team have been doing this for around 30 years. They have a lot of knowledge, and they can get info and help from a lot of people.”

Allard said that for his team, it’s always been a family thing. “When my uncle (Andy Allard) was alive, he used to help us quite a bit. He and dad started racing on dirt at the track in Colburn (north of Sandpoint, now defunct). Now Andy’s daughter Brittany and her husband Mike Bartle (along with Mike’s father Loren) are part of the pit crew. Corey’s sister Jennifer also lends a hand, but now has a family of her own to attend to. Andy died roughly eight years ago.

“But since I was 14 or 15, the majority of those years, it’s been dad and me,” allard said. “There’s no way I could do this without him. When he stoppped driving, I started.

The Allard family will come to this year’s Idaho 200, knowing a decade has passed since Corey first tried to qualify for the race. For Corey, the learning curve on the track has all but leveled out over the years, but in the pits and at the shop at home things have changed. “The time and expense you have to put into racing against guys that have more backing and help has increased. That is definitely a big factor, as it has gotten a lot more competitive at the super late model level.”

Allard continued on about the status of racing in general.

“Really it’s just racing as a whole — not just super late models — as there is lot more young talent that is coming up. They are out to try and prove something, and jump up in the ranks, so they’re more aggressive. The quality of the cars is better, and guys go through a year or two of searching to a setup and when they find it, they are able to remain at that level for awhile, The car counts may not be as high but quality of racing is still very high.”

At the recent Tuneup 150 at Stateline Speedway, Allard was involved in an early caution, making contact with another car. He worked his way back through the pack, and was caught up in a few more altercations, eventually suffering a bent rear pan hard bar, which kicked the rear end to the left (driver’s side). The team has been busy repairing the damage and Corey expected the car to be complete well before the Idaho 200.

At last year’s Idaho 200, Corey’s car would backfire and shut off, and the team did not find the problem — in the ignition — until after the race.

The car the Allard’s are currently racing was bought a few years ago, and the team has been slowly gaining on all the little issues and gremlins a new car presents. “That first year in a new car is a sorting-out period.” Allard said those little things sneak up on you, and it takes quite awhile to sort things out and gain some consistency.

“For us the last few years, we haven’t run nearly as often and when you’re not racing weekly, those little things tend to bite you more often — when you only run a few races per year — not constantly racing and finding those little things.”

To that end, Corey’s father sought some outside assistance.

“We purchased this Port City chassis, and got it home and got it ready to race, but I wasn’t really happy with the results,” Brad said. “So I called Chuck Carruthers up to see if he’d be interested in helping up figure it out, and he did a fantastic job. Now we’ve got a car that is capable of competing in this series.”

“We are under no illusions of ever being one of the best in the Northwest — that’s just not feasible with what we do in our operation,” Corey said. “I enjoy what we do and what we can afford. We’ll do it a few more years, until we get tired or run out of funding, or it ceases to be fun anymore.”

Corey wanted to also point out the unwaivering support at home that helps them to do what they love. “My mom (Nita) has been involved with racing since my dad started all those year ago. We love her support and understanding, as she listens to us complain and gripe, but she understand this is what my dad I and love to do so her support is very appreciated.

Corey said his mom she does not travel to most races anymore. “After after 30 years of it, it’s just not her favorite thing to do, but she supports us both in our endeavors and understands the amount of money we have put into this.”

Allard is in 11th place in the Northwest Super Late Model Series. The Idaho 200 is a NWSLMS event, and Garrett Evans, Ryan Wells, Nicole Behar, Brittany Zamora and Mitch Kleyn hold down the top five in points. JC Wofford of Wopato, Wash., won last year’s 200.

Evans, a former Idaho 200 winner, will compete with his son Jan, who is also entered in this year’s 200.

Behar will not be competing as she is currently serving a suspension from the series and the speedway as a result of a fight in the pits involving her crew after she and Braeden Havens made contact multiple times in the waning laps of the Idaho Tuneup 150 race in mid-June.

Havens was put on probation with the series by the NWSLMS board of directors.

Other area drivers confirmed include former Idaho 200 winner Blake Williams, and fellow Spokane drivers Dave Garber and Joey Bird. Former Montana 200 winner Shane Mitchell will travel from Orondo, Wash., to compete.

It should be a great event,” Dean Boever, Stateline Speedway general manager said. “We’ve got 25 cars confirmed for the 20 with 3 or 4 more planning on coming in, so we’ll have more in attendance than can run the race, so we expect to see a shootout in the last chance qualifer on Friday.”

Boever said they have lowered the ticket prices to $13 for tonight’s activities, which includes Idaho 200 qualifying, a 30-lap last chance qualifier race and a 75-lap Hobby Stock main event.

Today’s events kick off with super late model hot laps at 3 p.m., with qualifying slated for 6.

Saturday’s intinerary kicks off with Outlaw Compact qualifying at 6 p.m, and opening ceremonies at 7, followed by Outlaw trophy dashes, a last chance qualifier for the Outlaws, and then the 17th running of the Idaho 200. The cars will take a break at the 100-lap mark as the 75-lap Outlaw Compact runs. The super late models will return to run the last 100 laps and the top 3 finishers will stop in Victory Circle after the race.