WURTZ WINS BATTLE OVER BELL FOR BILL CROW MEMORIAL

Source: Meridian Speedway
Date: 07/09/2006

MERIDIAN, Idaho -- The Bill Crow Memorial ran Saturday night at Meridian Speedway after it was rained out on May 27th. This race is in memory of Bill Crow, a former promoter of Meridian Speedway and it is always contested by the Late Model Division. Fifteen drivers had their sights set on winning the most coveted prize of the year.

Brian Warf set the pace for the night qualifying quickest with a 13.915 second lap. Only 7 tenths of a second separated Warf from the fourteenth qualifier. With the cars this close in speed the fans were in for a great 100 lap main event.

Jaramie Fuss took the lead on the start and held it for the first four laps when fluid coming from his car drew a black flag and forced him to the pits. Nick Gibson assumed the lead and battled Quint Whitman for 16 laps. Gibbons went high out of turn 4 on the 20th lap giving Whitman a small opening to try to pass on the inside. As Whitman got his nose under Gibbons, Gibbons was trying to close the gap the two spun on the exit of turn 4 bringing out the first caution of the race. Warf got caught up in the two spinning cars and received enough damage to remove him from the race.

John Wood assumed the lead and held off Dennis Wurtz for 18 laps. Wurtz dove low on the 38 lap coming out of turn 2, rubbing fiberglass Wood squeezed past Wood for the lead. Wood got loose with the contact and let up allowing Jim Tremewan and Craig Bell to slide under him before he regained control of the car and 4th place.

Bell moved past Tremewan on lap 40 for the 2nd spot and quickly was on the rear bumper of Wurtz. The two separated themselves from the rest of the field and thrilled the fans with a 60 laps of exciting racing.

Wurtz, using the entire track made it difficult for Bell to get around. No more than a couple of feet separated the two over the last half of the race. Wurtz would go high and Bell would attempt to pass on the inside, but Wurtz would close the door. Bell’s driving ability was really put to the test as he avoided several potential crashes. The most spectacular was when Bell dove under Wurtz coming out of turn 2, Wurtz tried to cut off the move as he did successfully throughout the race, this time Bell was more forward than Wurtz realized and Bell wound up with his front left tire on top of Wurtz’s right rear deck lid. Bell kept his composure let up a little and Wurtz was able to pull out from under Bell and the race stayed green.

Wurtz and Bell were not the only race for position on the track. Less than 2 seconds behind the leaders, Wood and John Nesmith battled the same type of battle as the leaders for the 3rd and 4th spot.

Gibson brought out only the second caution of the race with only a few laps remain when he spun. The green flag flew with only 2 laps remaining, Bell continued to try to pass Wurtz but Wurtz closed the door on every turn crossing the line just 1 tenth of a second over Bell. The crowd cheered Bell for a great effort as he drove around the track on a cool down lap. Wood won the battle over Nesmith for the 3rd spot with Tremewan rounding out the top 5.

In stark contrast to the last time out for the late Models, in the Rocky Mountain Challenge Series race, which was cut short after 37 laps due to 12 cautions and over 80 minutes to run, this race only saw 2 caution periods and the 100 laps were completed in less than 45 mins.

Late Model Results:

Qualifying: Bryan Warf – 13.918

Trophy Dash: Jim Tremewan

B heat: Nick Gibson, Mike Marston, Tyler Monroe, Ted Garrabrandt, Scott Durbin

A heat: Quint Whitman, Craig Bell, Tyler Nelson, Dennis Wurtz, Warf

Bill Crow Memorial 100: Wurtz, Bell, John Wood, John Nesmith, Tremewan

The Idaho Super Stock Racing Association (ISSRA) ran their 30 lap main event in memory of Don Van Schoick and Dee Forrey. Both were former drivers in this division. Don passed away a few years ago and the race has been in his name until this year when they added Dee’s name to the trophy. Dee passed away right after the 2005 season from a 2-year battle with cancer. Dee raced the entire 2005 season and finished 3rd in points. Dee’s best friend and fellow competitor, Gale Carter, lead the entire race and stated after the race, “If there was any race I wanted to win this was it.”

ISSRA Results:

Qualifying: Darvin Ackerland – 14.969

Trophy Dash: Dale Bell

B heat: Gale Carter, Bob Cecil, Troy Evans, Charlie Stout, Frank Wallace

A heat: Rick Baldwin, Skip Taylor, Bell, Charlie Ham Jr. Ackerland

Don Van Schoick/Dee Forrey Memorial: Carter, Baldwin, Cecil, Bell, Evans

The Mini Stocks ran their main event in honor of Lee Roy Nelson, another former tack promoter. Justin Ellis gained 10 positions over this 30 lap race to claim victory the the Lee Roy Nelson Memorial Trophy.

Mini Stock Results:

Qualifying: Justin Ellis – 16.054

Trophy Dash: George Gorton

B heat: Jason Lampman, John Ellsworth, Kane Thomasson, Scott Heap, Chad Barker

A heat: Quinten Ward, Jason Sanders, George Gorton, Clint Whitney, Joe Fuentes

Lee Roy Nelson Memorial: Ellis, Eddy DelRio, Casey Hart, Lampman, Thomasson

In the Domino’s Pizza Bandolero Division Conner Elliot has set a track record twice this year only to have it washed away as each night he set the record the nights racing was cancelled due to rain before the night became official. Saturday night Conner again set the record and this time the record is his. This is the first season the Bandolero’s are qualifying and the record is likely to change a few more times before the season is over as the driver become more familiar with their cars and their crew (parents) learn what works for their driver. Andre Prescott set the previous record, 17.113, on July 1st.

Domino’s Pizza Bandolero Results:

Qualifying: Conner Elliot – 16.626 – New track record

Trophy Dash: Kyle Bowers

Main Event: Bowers, Sharde Bement, Hunter Moir, Elliot

Kenny Synder also set a new record in the Impact Wireless Hornet division. Synder broke the record, 17.961, set by Scott Shoecraft on May 13th

Impact Wireless Hornet Results:

Qualifying: Kenny Snyder – 17.865

Main Event: David Short, Jason McNeal, Brian Niblett, Billy Shipp, Rick Ward

Outlaw Kart Results:

Heat 1: DJ Hamilton, Dylan Stacy, Tyler Marston-Henderson, Jarrod McIntyre

Heat 2: Haley Hossfeld, Jenna Cullum, Michael Jones, Brandon McIntyre

Main Event: Hamilton, Hossfeld, Marston-Henderson, Stacy, Cullum

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