October 20, 2023

 CHAMPION PROFILE - ROSCO SMIDT

ROSCO SMIDT • Junior 1 Briggs 206

 Rosco Smidt age 10 has been racing since he was 5 years old.

In 2021, in his final year of kid kart, he had an undefeated year with the Spokane Kart Racing Association, winning all ten races.

He currently holds the kid kart track record at SKRA, breaking it twice in 2021. Rosco has won the SKRA Championship for three years in a row (2021-kid kart, 2022-JR1, and 2023-JR1).

This is his second year racing in the regional series, Padholder, where he was able to take 5th place. This year, he got a new race factory kart and raced for Midnight Motorsports, getting tremendous knowledge and support from all his coaches.

He was homeschooled for 2nd and 3rd grade, started attending public school again in 4th grade, and is currently in 5th grade in Post Falls School District.

His hobbies are racing. Anything and everything race related, he loves! After school, he likes to go bike riding with his friends.

Rosco has two younger siblings, Rylee who is 8 and Ryatt who is 7. They both are racing as well, and when we are at the track, Rosco is by their side, helping coach them to be better racers.

 JUNIOR 1 BRIGGS 206
Pos.                  Driver                                Points 
1..................Rosco Smidt..........................1,646
2..................Corbin Hayes........................1,485
3..................Kimber Wheelock..............1,441
4..................Rylee Smidt...........................575
5..................Kandice Guyton..................523

 Rosco Smidt takes the checkered flag like he did numerous times in 2023 in winning the Junior 1 Briggs 206 title for the Spokane Kart Racing Association.

- Photo courtesy of Smidt Family

 Rosco Smidt waits to go racing .

- Photo courtesy of Smidt Family

 CHAMPION PROFILE - NICK GIBSON

NICK GIBSON • Racecals Late Models

Nick Gibson might have gotten extra consideration winning the 2023 Stateline Speedway Racecals Late Model championship when you know he would commute about 700 miles to race.

The Nampa, Idaho racer had quite the year at Stateline in 2023 winning four of six races and landed in the top-5 in another. Oh, and add to that he was the 2023 Idaho 200 champion!

Gibson ran super late models in the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series from 2006 to 2008 then took a 12-year break working on his business. Last year was his first year traveling the Northwest.

The 36-year-old owns a diesel repair shop in Nampa Idaho. He has a 9-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. “When I’m not racing, I like boating, shooting sporting clays, hunting and camping with my family,” Gibson wrote in a text message.

Sponsors are Karcher Auto Body, Cristiani Motorsports, Rent Rite, Gibson Diesel Performance and Pathfinder Chassis

RACECALS PRO LATE MODELS
Pos. Car#   Competitor                           Hometown                             Points Gap
1...... 11....... Nick Gibson........................ Nampa, ID........................... 638 -
2...... 77....... Scott Murphy..................... Spokane, WA..................... 524 -114
3...... 93....... Dave Garber....................... Spokane, WA..................... 471 -167
4...... 5.......... Jess Havens........................ Airway Heights, WA....... 377 - 261
5...... 45....... Aleena Schovaers(R) ...... Spokane Valley, WA........ 318 -320

(R) = Rookie

 Nick Gibson is the Racecals 2023 champ at Stateline Speedway having won four of six races.

-Photo courtesy of Nick Gibson

 Remembering Toby Combs

Medical Lake resident and long-time racer and car buff, Toby Combs, was honored at halftime ceremonies during the high school Homecoming celebration Oct. 13. Combs’ cherished 1964 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 led the parade of custom cars that carried Homecoming royalty. Combs passed away September 21, 2023, at 66 years old.