MERIDIAN, Idaho – The Late Models returned to ASA member track, Meridian Speedway, after taking three weeks off. They returned with a full head of steam both in the cars and the drivers. Sierra Jackson set the quick time with a 13.867 pass and was the fastest driver of the whole night.
The late model 35 lap main event started with Troy Evans and Bob Wood on the front row. Two laps later John Nesmith was showing signs of things to come when he moved up to fourth place in the first two laps from a seventh place starting position. Tyler Monroe tried to hold him off but the veteran racer moved around the outside. Sierra Jackson followed Nesmith to the front but Chris Ratterree passed Jackson a few laps later.
Monroe caught back up to the top four with two thirds of the race left to go but Nesmith had gained a comfortable cushion on which to rest with several car lengths between him and Ratterree. The race looked to stay that way until Nesmith caught up with lapped traffic but the obstructions did not help out the competition. Nesmith sailed around the traffic with ease while maintaining a safe lead until a caution came out in lap 30 bunching up the field for the restart. Nesmith again took over the race and eventually put himself in the winners circle one more time this year. Chris Ratterree got the checkered flag a half second later followed by Sierra Jackson, Tyler Monroe and Phil Dugan.
When the Grand American Modifieds came out on the track for the start many of the long time fans predicted a win for veteran driver Darvin Ackerland. The hard driving Ackerland had the pole with Joe Dailey on the outside. Gary Ovitt moved up to put the pressure on Ackerland by the fifth lap and then moved to the high side for a pass for second. Two laps later Ovitt moved back in single file line to await the next opportunity which came and went on lap 11 when a caution came out.
The Grand American Modifieds voted out the single file restart a couple of months ago at Meridian Speedway and now the every driver has the chance to decide his or her own fate by picking the outside or the inside at the commit cone just one lap before the restart. Ovitt predictably chose the outside and was followed by Jeff Wurtz, Tim Lawrence, and Tom Hill. Jeff Hill picked the inside row right behind Ackerland. At the restart Ovitt patiently pushed his way past Ackerland and completed the pass four laps later. Brothers, Jeff and Tom Hill also worked past Ackerland but Ovitt had gained a good lead and intended to keep it. At the checkered it was Ovitt followed by Jeff, then Tom Hill, with Darvin Ackerland and Tim Lawrence in the top five.
The Idaho Center for Professional Truck Driving brought 13 Street Stocks to the start finish line to take the green flag. Mark Finley had the pole with Brian Williams on the outside. At the wave of the green Williams took the early lead and held on for the first 20 laps. Steve Hansen Jr. starting fourth quickly made his move to second place. Williams and Hansen pulled away from the rest of the field and the racing commenced behind them. Third through fifth place switched back and forth between Bruce Zacharias, David Short, Scott Murray, Shawn Hansen, and Mickey Williams during the first half of the race. In lap eight Finley moved to the outside to make his move around Scott Murray. Finley got stuck on the outside and the field moved by him freight training him to the back of the pack.
In lap 19 Casey Hart made an impressive fish-tailing pass around Zacharias in turn four to take over eighth place. In lap 20 Mickey Williams got loose in turn one and slid into the side of Steve Hansen Jr. sending both of them into the water barrels and collecting Murray as well. The field had to be red flagged to clean up the water on the track. All three cars were checked out and returned to race.
At the restart Brian Williams had the top spot with Shawn Hansen, Darrell Lankford, Dave Harris, and Casey Hart rounding out the top five. Brian Williams spun one lap later and ended up at the back leaving Shawn Hansen in the lead followed by Lankford, Harris, Hart and Zacharias.
The 25 lap main event ended with Shawn Hansen claiming the hardware with Lankford, Harris, Hart and Murray rounding out the top five.
The Domino's Pizza Banoleros came out with a field of seven cars. Chase Gilbertson had the pole with Blade Ince on the outside. At the green Gilbertson and Cameron Cotta, who started fifth, quickly moved out from the rest of the pack. On turn two Alyson Clark got under Ince starting a chain reaction that collected everyone except Gilbertson and Cotta. The field was lined back up to try again. At the green Gilbertson once again jumped out in front bringing Alyson Clark with him. Andrew Clark, Collin Parker, Cotta, and Brok Kidd rounded out the rest of the field.
In lap six Andrew Clark got loose in turn one but was able to correct it and the race continued but one lap later he went to the pits. On the white flag lap Parker moved to the inside of Alyson Clark but was held off and went into a spin. The race ended with Gilbertson taking home the hardware, and Clark, Kidd, Parker, and Cotta, finishing the race in the top five.
The Legends growing class brought 20 cars to the track. Tom Matheson grabbed the pole with Jason Tilden on the outside. At the drop of the green Matheson made a big jump out front followed by Brent Collins, Tilden, Lloyd Bigler, and Darin Turpen. Matheson quickly made short work of the field and moved ahead by a big margin.
Joe Dailey driving for the first time in a Legend starting eleventh quickly moved through the field to claim the fourth spot in lap eight. Two laps later he had moved into third. Matheson was hot and by lap 13 he was a half lap ahead of the third place car driven by Dailey. The race continued with Matheson continuing on in his pursuit for the hardware. In lap 22 Dailey moved to the outside but was in the wrong place when Collins turned around in turn four. Dailey couldn't stop in time and gently bumped Collins head on. The yellow waved. At the restart Matheson was still in the lead with six lapped cars between him and the second and third place cars, Erik Miller and Dailey. At the drop of the green Miller and Dailey quickly made their move around the lapped traffic and closed the gap between them and the leader.
The race ended with some excitement as Miller moved to the inside of Matheson and came close to stealing the hardware at the start/finish line.
The Larry Miller Subaru Mini Stocks came to the track with 20 cars lined up at the start/finish line to take the green. Kyle Stradley jumped out in front at the drop of the green bringing Scott Wilcox Sr., Alyson Clark, Kirk Sanders, and Donavan Parker with him to round out the top five. Ray Bolinger moved to the outside of Sanders bringing Eddie Ables with him, but before the lap was completed Toby Vincent spun in turn four bringing out the yellow. The field was reverted back to the positions at the last full lap.
On the restart Bolinger was in fifth and Ables was seventh. At the drop of the green Ables made a quick move around those in front to claim the third place. Kirk Sanders was slow around the track and headed into the pits. Ables moved his way up and claimed the top spot in lap seven.
Clark spun in turn two in lap 12 bringing out the second caution. On the restart Jason Sanders started in the seventh position and started making his move. One lap later saw him in fifth and he kept gaining ground on the leader Ables. In lap eighteen Ables was close to a half lap ahead of the second place Sanders. In lap 22 Casey Hart lost his rear right tire and went into the wall in turn three. The field was red flagged to give Hart the hook.
On the restart lapped traffic separated Ables from Sanders. Jeff Hasson was in third and jumped the green and moved ahead of Sanders. Hasson held the position until the final lap when he got stuck behind lapped Kirk Sanders. Jason Sanders moved to the inside and slid past Kirk Sanders and Hasson to take second at the checkered flag. Wilcox and Scott Shoecraft rounded out the top five.
Next week the Meridian Dairy days is taking over the speedway so all racers have a week off. The speedway fires back up on June 28th with the Late Model Lites, the Non Wing Sprints, the Street Stocks, the Legends, the Bandoleros, and the Hornets. The gates will open at 4 with the qualifying and racing starting at 5 and 6. For more information see the Meridian Speedway website at www.meridianspeedway.com or call the office ar (208) 888-2813
