MOTOR RACING / SHAV GLICK : Hamilton a Triple Threat as Phoenix Tries Again

After a month’s delay because of flooded roads, the 16th annual Skoal Bandit Racing Copper World Classic is scheduled for this weekend on the one-mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway.

The four-division, $200,000 event has attracted 177 drivers to compete in three open-wheel races--United States Auto Club supermodifieds, Silver Crown dirt cars and USAC Western States midgets--plus another for NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour stock cars.

Davey Hamilton of Boise, Ida., a two-time winner of the supermodified race, will try for a triple with cars in all three open-wheel races. In the 25-lap supermodified feature, he will face two-time defending champion Rebel Jackson Jr. of Seattle, and Kathie Veenstra of Emmett, Ida., the first female entry in a Copper Classic supermodified race.

The 50-lap Southwest Tour race will be the season opener of the All-American Challenge series for late model stock cars. Tobey Butler, last year’s winner from Kirkland, Wash., will be favored to repeat in a Ford. Among his rivals will be two Palmdale drivers, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Lance Hooper. Hornaday is defending tour champion, and Hooper, the Saugus Speedway sportsman champion, will be seeking rookie-of-the-year honors on the tour.

Southwest Tour cars will race later in the season at Saugus, Cajon and Orange Show speedways and Mesa Marin Raceway.

Three-time winner Chuck Gurney of Livermore, Calif., in midgets and Jim Keeker of Cicero, Ind., in champ dirt cars will return to defend their titles. Practice will be held today and qualifying on Saturday. All four finals are scheduled for Sunday.

Briefly

HONORS--Jim Naylor, Ventura Raceway promoter, received the Curley Merrill Friend of Racing Award at the USAC Western States banquet last week in Ventura; and Andy Bondio, midget builder and owner, was given the Joe Lynch Memorial Mechanical Achievement Award. Also honored were 1992 champions Sleepy Tripp, who received $7,000 as midget champion; Rick Hendrix, three-quarter midgets; Greg Moore, Formula 2000; Tony Hunt, Pro Russell and Bob Negron, Pro Vee. . . . Former Formula One champion Phil Hill will be inducted into the San Diego Automotive Museum’s hall of fame on Saturday night. Hill won a 1955 race over the old Torrey Pines course, now the site of two San Diego municipal golf courses.

SPRINT CARS--Lealand McSpadden, defending California Racing Assn. champion, will open defense of his title Saturday night at Manzanita Speedway, his home track in Phoenix.

MISCELLANY--Blythe Speedway will open its second season of racing Saturday with the first event of a 20-race schedule. . . . Modified stock cars and a destruction derby are scheduled for Sunday at Imperial Raceway, near El Centro. . . . La Rana Desert Racing will present the Presidential 250 off-road race Saturday near Barstow.