Saturday, July 8, 2000, Twin Falls, Idaho, Joe Hood, a former tack champion, and Brett Thompson a Mountain Dew Modified Competitor finished one-two in the fifty lap late model feature for Oasis Stop-n-Go night presents the Cactus Petes Intermountain Late Models.. The rest of the top five were made up of Marty Zehr, Chris Schrade and Russell Butler. The race was slowed by many caution periods that eliminated almost two thirds of the 24-car field. Joe hood has had several good runs at Magic Valley Speedway over the past few years after leaving the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series to join the Intermountain Late model Series. The Spring Creek, Nevada driver says he always likes coming back to Magic Valley. Bret Thompson took the lead early in the race and looked to be on his way to victory when after one of the many restarts he and the second place runner tangled sending both cars to the back. He made a fine run back to the front as he pressured Hood the last several laps for the win, coming up just short at the checkered flag. The order of finish in the A heat was Jeff Hillock, Gary Porter, Joe Hood. The B heat was all Marty Zehr ahead of Russell Butler and Dennis Wurtz, and Zan Sharp bettered Clint Kidd and Jeff Flynn for the C-heat victory. Jerome, Idaho’s Eddy McKean set fast time in McDonalds time trials in a debut appearance of his new car but was unable to compete the rest of the evening after suffering engine problems.
Budweiser Grand National Sportsman action saw Jeff Meads extend his season point lead to forty-five markers by taking the 35-lap feature in convincing style. Brian Welch, Dan Doan, Charlie Ham and Dale Miles trailed him at the finish. It was Jeff’s second win of the season in the closely contested NASCAR Exide ShorTrack division. The order of finish for the heat race was Welch, Meads and Tom Powell.
Lady racer Billi Miles dominated the wild action in the NAPA Auto Parts Pony Stock division setting fast time in qualifying then wining the B-heat and running away with the 25-lap main event. Billi missed most of the early season and then had engine trouble the first night back but showed she is still a tough driver to beat in Saturday’s racing action. Cory Kehrer, Mike Prara, Alan Larson and David Caldwell completed the top five in the main. Kehrer and Larry Morris trailed Billi to the finish in the B-heat, while Prara bettered Larson and Todd Audet in the A-heat. Mike Prara on the strength of his evening’s performance is the new leader for the season championship by a scant nine points over David Caldwell.
