The Northwest Super Late Model Series rolls back into the Spokane area twice in August to start the 2016 season’s second half after a mid-season break. First up is the Stateline Speedway’s 16th Annual Idaho 200 on August 5-6, followed by their August 20 race at Spokane’s Super Oval. Both races are series point races which always draw a strong field of cars. Stateline Speedway is a quarter mile banked oval track with an embedded figure eight, while the Super Oval is double in size at a half mile. Both offer engaging racing action. If you have not experienced local circle track stock car racing, I invite you to check out these two very popular races.

The series is full of local and regional talent which includes the Wild One Racing #1 car driven by Mitch Kleyn. Mitch began racing in 1990 after being taken to the track with his brothers by his dad, who always advised them not to race cars. Mitch met Rhonda Kleyn at the racetrack in 1996, the same year he first raced a late model (his brother’s) and won. Since then, there have been many victories including a two-time street stock championship in Ephrata. He has been racing late models for the past five years and the past two years he has been the runner-up in the Northwest Super Late Model Series (formerly called the Tri-Track Series).

The Kleyns are proud of their racing accomplishments and look forward to many more. But, ultimately, Mitch says, “The friends we have made at the racetrack and racing as a family is what is most important. If we can’t race as a family then we won’t do it.” And they do it well. Often, local teams struggle to keep crew members—for many reasons—but not the Kleyns. If they aren’t actual family members, they are treated as such. They value their team members who come from all over the Inland Northwest. Their team members include crew chief Daniel Henderson, car builder Travis Sharpe; as well as Sean Meyers, Tanner Williams, Travis Hilty, Tyler DeLong, Christian Roeder, Dan Grace, Fred Simon, Dave Garber, and “Grammy” Linda Meyers. Even their dog, Crusher, is along for the ride. As their Wild 1 racing team implies, this group knows how to have fun. On non-racing weekends you will often find the team together boating and camping, among other things. Mitch and Rhonda are the proud parents of Kasey, 8, and Brooke, 6. Mitch has scaled back a portion of his schedule in recent months to nurture son Kasey’s desire to race. Kasey started racing go karts last year, before a practice injury cut his season short. He races in the Stateline Speedway’s Bandolero series. Brooke has shown interest in racing, and they plan to forge out time for that as well, when she decides she is ready.  Whether you are new to racing or not, this team would be a great one to cheer on.

Michele Martin is a lifelong Spokane resident and motorsports photographer and enthusiast.  She can be reached at michelemartinphotography@gmail.com.