A familiar name at Montana Raceway Park and a newcomer locked down the top two spots during Friday night qualifying for the 25th annual Montana 200 super late model auto race.

Owen Riddle of Naches, Washington, earned the pole position with his fast lap of 13.075 seconds.

Riddle, 29, has now been the pole sitter for this event two-straight years and three times in his five trips to the Flathead Valley. He’s gone on to finish second and third in the 200-lap main event.

Riddle was on the pole last year with a 13.106 run. He finished 17th in the 200, completing 100 laps.

“I don’t know,” he said of having a reason for his posting the fastests times in qualifying here.

“I like this place.”

During a practice session early in the day, he had the 10th best time of 13.215.

His younger brother, Taylor Riddle, also from Naches, clocked a 12.980.

“We worked on it hard,” Owen Riddle said of the car before the night session.

He said being the fastest qualifier “is a little bit of a reward” for making those adjustments.

Bobby Hodges of Carson City, Nevada, was right behind Owen Riddle with his time of 13.117.

They will start first and second for the main event tonight, which begins at 9 p.m. The rest of the lineup order  will be determined with other qualifying races late Friday night and today.

All 26 cars this year will advance to the grand finale.

Taylor Riddle, 13.119, was third in the qualifying followed by Jeremy Doss of Upper Lake, California, 13.132, and Joey Bird of Spokane, Washington, 13.165, to round out the top five.

“Always wanted to run this track,” Hodges said.

“You always hear about the Montana 200, even in Nevada. It’s one of the bigger races around.”

Hodges, 25, is driving Giles Thornton’s old car. He purchased the car from the Thorntons over the winter.

Thornton was the pole sitter in this car in 2013. The Whitefish teenager is not racing this year.

“Our goal (this year) was to run all the super late model big races, to run well and have fun doing it,” Hodges said.

Four-time Montana 200 champion Gary Lewis was seventh in Friday night’s qualifying with a 13.198.

Agni Howell had the best showing by a Kalispell driver with his 13.246 run. That was good for 10th place.

Last year’s 200 winner Garrett Evans of East Wenatchee, Washington, had the ninth best time — 13.230.

Gates open today at 3 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 6.

Drivers are competing for a total purse of $50,000.

The main event winner will earn $15,000. The runner-up gets $5,000 with the third-place finisher pocketing $2,500.

25th annual Montana 200

Montana Race Park

Friday Night Qualifying

Owen Riddle, Naches, Wash.    13.075

Bobby Hodges, Carson City, Nev.    13.117

Taylor Riddle, Naches, Wash.    13.119

Jeremy Doss, Upper Lake, Calif.    13.132

Joey Bird, Spokane, Wash.    13.165

Blake Williams, Spokane, Wash.    13.185

Gary Lewis, Snohomish, Wash.    13.198

Mike Longton, Moxee, Wash.    13.206

Garrett Evans, East Wenatchee, Wash. 13.230

Agni Howell, Kalispell    13.246

Shelby Thompson, Spokane, Wash.    13.320

Brock Denney, Columbia Falls    13.321

Dave Garber, Spokane, Wash.    13.338

Braeden Havens, Spokane, Wash.    13.348

Gracin Raz, Lake Oswego, Ore.    13.348

Brandon Sickler, Kalispell        13.362

Alex Lessor, Kalispell    13.363

Ryan Wells, Hingham    13.368

Mitch Kleyn, Quincy, Wash.    13.395

Chance Overholt, West Richland, Wash.    13.449

Jeff Smyth, St. Ignatius    13.513

Clint Habart, Cranbrook, B.C.    13.513

Hannah Newhouse, Twin Falls, Idaho    13.535

Tyler Corpron, Kalispell    13.546

Adam Kinkel, Somers    13.684

Kevin Goe, Lake Havusa City, Ariz.    13.762