SHAWN SMITH STAYS OUT OF TROUBLE AND WINS WINGED SPRINT RACE AT MERIDIAN SPEEDWAY

Meridian, Idaho – The early season blues tainted the Winged Sprints forty lap main event at ASA member track, Meridian Speedway, on Saturday May 3, when two of the sprint cars touched tires along the front stretch. The resulting wreck collected and wadded up almost half the field. In a wreck that tempts many to employ the overused phrase "the big one", Sierra Jackson and Jimmy Hamilton Jr. connected with several other cars that took the field from fourteen down to eight at the next restart. Also involved in the accident were Jimmy Hamilton Sr., Kenny Hamilton, Austin Hager, and Cody Veenstra.

At the start of the Winged Sprints scheduled 40 lap race Matt Elliott had the pole with Jim Todd on the outside. Elliott drove a tight line and held off Todd until mechanical trouble made Elliott slow to the infield on lap six. A two minute repair request was made and Elliott returned before the restart but at the rear of the field. Jim Todd now had the lead with Mike Cullum right behind. Cullum moved inside of Todd to try for a pass and completed it just before the six car pile up happened on the front stretch.

After the extensive clean up time the restart line up reverted to the last full lap and Cullum had to do the pass all over again. Two laps later Cullum had another chance to pass Todd and did so but another caution came out when Brandon Johnson tried to follow Cullum around Todd and touched tires with him instead. Johnson bounced and rolled along the backstretch wall and the final caution came out. Due to being involved in the accident Todd lost his position and Cullum had the lead with Shawn Smith, Corey Lockwood and Tyler Monroe following at the restart. At the green flag Smith pulled high around Cullum and passed for the lead with lots of smoke. Two laps later Smith took the white flag and had then a safe lead at the finish. Mike Cullum, Cory Lockwood, Tyler Monroe, Matt Elliott, and Steve Freeman completed the field that started out with 14 cars and drivers.

Smith, a fourteen year veteran of Sprint Cars, has driven mostly on dirt across the northwest for the past several years. Smith is a local resident and he stated that with the elevated diesel fuel prices he will probably spend a lot more time at Meridian Speedway this year. The fans gave him a warm welcome back to the speedway.

Meridian Speedway's Thunder Stock class brought out seven cars for the main event. The Thunder Stocks went green to checker without a yellow flag to slow down the action. Tommy White led the pack to the green flag with Bill Lacy on the outside. At the start Lacy rushed to the high side and took the lead. Bill Lawrence followed and a few laps later had a solid second. A third of the way through the race Lawrence moved up to the outside of Lacy and worked his way around to take the lead. The finish was Bill Lawrence in first with R.J. Lewis, Bill Lacy, Tommy White, and Dan Tyler.

The Mini Stocks brought out the largest car count of the night including several rookies. The 25 entries were divided up with 18 in the A main and seven drivers in the consolation main. In the ten lap consolation main David Short and Alyson Clark shared the front row at the start but Clark moved to the outside and around to take the lead when Short got loose on turn four. With one lap to go Short looked on the outside to take back the lead but a half lap later decided on the inside and the two had a drag race to the finish. Clark took the checkered and Short came up short with Josh Culley, Everett Meeks, and Travis Pavlacky rounding out the top five.

The Mini Stocks 40 lap main event started with Ernest Dodson on the pole and Brandon Shira on the outside. At the green Shira moved in behind Dodson and they stayed in this position for several laps. Casey Hart had third place until Eddie Ables worked his way up from mid field to take third away. On lap 12 Ables passed Hart on the outside and then set his sights on Shira and took second. When Shira tried to get his pass back on the outside of Ables Hart moved inside and Shira had nowhere to go but back to fifth place. By mid race Dodson had a 4 second lead over the rest of the field but lapped traffic helped Ables to close the gap. A caution and a subsequent restart allowed Hart to try his holeshot restart but Jeff Hasson took Hart's spot on the inside groove and Hart had to settle for a fourth place finish. Dodson crossed the finish line first with Ables, Hasson, Hart, and Scott Wilcox Sr. following. After review by the officials Dodson was disqualified leaving Ables with the win.

Dan Lyons Jr had the pole at the start of the Late Model Lites 40 lap main event with Pat Young on the outside. Casey Tillman followed Young around Lyons to take the lead on the first lap. Tillman and Young drove side by side for several laps with neither taking a sold lead. Casey Chandler and Jordan Fitch shared the second row until Chandler worked his way into the gap behind the leaders and Fitch had to take a backseat. Joe Barton then slid into fourth place and kept moving up. Chandler again moved around on the outside to take second place away from Young. Joe Barton followed Chandler's every move including when Chandler got a nose inside of Young and moved up to take the lead. After a mid-race caution and restart Kale Freedman moved up to third. Three more cautions and restarts did not change the leaders' positions but Freedman eventually worked his way around Barton to take second. With one lap to go Chandler got loose but was able to hold off Freedman for the win. Joe Barton, Casey Tillman, and Jim Bailey followed Chandler and Freedman across the finish line.

The Thunder Stocks trailer race brought out several familiar trailers and cars. Adam Ratliff drove the number seven with the boat trailer on back and Dion States converted an old Hornet race car to be a trailer. About halfway through the race Darrell Stogsdill took the lead when Dan Tyler spun to the wall and had to jockey the trailer around to get restarted. Dion States pushed to the inside of Verlon Wright several times and almost brought Wright's camp trailer around. At the end Darrell Stogsdill came in first with most of his trailer intact.

Next week the Late Models return along with the Non Winged Sprints, Legends, Street Stocks, and the Bandoleros. Gates open at 4 with the time trials at 5 and the trophy dashes at 6. For more information see www.meridianspeedway.com

See Also .:

News Index | E-mail to a Friend