MERIDIAN, Idaho — Racing fans may not be able to beat the heat in the middle of an Idaho summer, but they can get an entertainment bargain at Meridian Speedway if Saturday's temperature soars to 95 degrees or better.
Management at the ASA-sanctioned track will charge $5 admission for everyone who comes through the gates if the mercury reaches 95 or greater. On top of that chance, fans will get to see Pepsi Late Models, an ASA Modifieds double feature, Street Stocks, Legends and Hornets.
If the temperature stays below 95 degrees, general admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for senior citizens, $6 for children ages 7-11, and children 6 and younger will get in free as always.
Advance tickets are available at NAPA Auto Parts locations in Meridian and Kuna for fans who don't want to stand in line Saturday night.
Gates open at 4 p.m. with qualifying at 5 p.m. and racing at 6:30 p.m. For more information about the speedway, call (208) 888-2813 or log on to www.meridianspeedway.com.
The Pepsi Late Models return Saturday to headline, and fans can expect Meridian, Idaho's John Nesmith to be on hand to try to maintain his series lead at the paved quarter-mile oval.
Points leader Rus Ward of Boise, Idaho, and the rest of the ASA Modifieds competitors will run two main events in an attempt to get in the required 14 feature races for the season in order to qualify for the ASA Joe Gibbs Driven National Member Track Champion Award. Ward sits sixth in the West Regional standings for the national member champion award.
Kuna, Idaho's Jaramie Fuss leads the Street Stocks division back onto the track for the first time since the Meridian fast qualifying time fell three times in one night on July 11. Fuss set the record first, smashing Keri Sigman's two-year-old record. But Nampa, Idaho's Melissa Scott finished the night with the fastest Street Stocks time in Meridian history, roaring to a 15.315-second fast lap. In all, Scott and Fuss shaved more than a quarter-second off the record Sigman set on July 7, 2007. Sigman now races ASA Modifieds as Keri Davey.
Boise Legends driver Travis Anderson leads the pack by nearly 100 points after his thrilling victory on July 11.
Vern Cornish of Nampa holds a 30-point edge over Boise's Mike Davis in the Hornets standings.
As an American Speed Association-sanctioned track, Meridian Speedway is part of the ASA Member Track National Championship for the Modified division.
The goal of the ASA Short Track National Championship is to activate a measuring system that takes into account many variables, such as field size, inversion, wins and number of races in a season, and create a level playing field to determine who is the ‘best-of-the-best’ of the ASA Member Track Champions Nationwide.
The ASA Joe Gibbs Driven National Member Track Champion Award was designed to give the National Champion exposure with one of the top teams in racing – Joe Gibbs Racing. Joe Gibbs Driven Oil, a division of Joe Gibbs Racing, sells the actual oil products developed and used by Joe Gibbs Racing to racers at all levels. More information can be found at www.joegibbsdriven.com.
The ASA Member Track program is comprised of a network of short tracks around the United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series. For news and information from all the racetracks and tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.ASA-Racing.com.
Meridian Speedway
Meridian, ID
2009 points standings
(Through July 18 races)
ASA Modifieds — 1. Rus Ward, Boise, ID, 415 points; 2. Tom Hill, Eagle, ID, 369; 3. Charlie Ham Jr., Boise, ID, 335; 4. Tony Ackerland, Star, ID, 328; 5. Chris Fenton, Meridian, ID, 318
Winged Sprints — 1. Chris Ratterree, Nampa, ID, 413 points; 2. Cory Lockwood, Nampa, ID, 381; 3. Cody Veenstra, Emmett, ID, 335; 4. Sierra Jackson, Middleton, ID, 306; 5. Jim Todd, Weiser, ID, 283
Non-winged Sprints — 1. Johnny Giesler, Meridian, ID, 604 points; 2. Wyatt King, Meridian, ID, 544; 3. Rob Grice, Nampa, ID, 407; 4. Zach Wilson, Boise, ID, 341; 5. Richard Perkins, Caldwell, ID, 255
Super Stocks — 1. Phillip Zubizareta, Boise, ID, 263 points; 2. Dennis Brodigan, Nampa, ID, 248; 3. Gale Carter, Boise, ID, 242; 4. Rick Baldwin, Middleton, ID, 225; 5. Terry Lydell, Mountain Home, ID, 193
Late Model Lites — 1. Joe Barton, Nampa, ID, 322 points; 2. Shaun Tubbs, Nampa, ID, 287; 3. Rob Powers, Meridian, ID, 267; 4. Jim Bailey, Middleton, ID 259; 5. Kale Freedman, Meridian, ID, 254
Street Stocks — 1. Jaramie Fuss, Kuna, ID, 448 points; 2. Marv Weaver, Nampa, ID, 391; 3. David Short, Meridian, ID, 345; 4. Chad Bess, Nampa, ID, 315; 5. Steve Bosselman, Nyssa, Ore., 275
Mini Stocks — 1. Ray Bolinger, Meridian, ID, 461, points; 2. Eddie Abels, Meridian, ID, 443; 3. Jason Sanders, Caldwell, ID, 424; 4. Tyler Burlingame, Meridian, ID, 322; 5. Dell Scott, Nampa, ID, 271
Late Models — 1. John Nesmith, Meridian, ID, 196 points; 2. Jeff Jefferson, Yakima, Wash., 122; 3. Garrett Evans, East Wenatchee, Wash., 104; 4. John Dillon, Eagle, ID, 95; 5. Dan Buckley, Emmett, ID, 89
Legends — 1. Travis Anderson, Boise, ID, 434 points; 2. Ryan Byrd, Salt Lake City, Utah, 338; 3. Camron Madsen, Boise, 335; 4. Rob Collins, McCall, ID, 218; 5. Kenneth Allen, Meridian, ID, 171
Thunder Dogs — 1. Tommy White, Boise, ID, 332 points; 2. Bill Lacy, Melba, ID, 255; 3. Chris Carlson, Boise, ID, 245; 4. Jim Anderson, Meridian, ID, 232; 5. Darrell Stogsdill, Meridian, ID, 181
Hornets — 1. Vern Cornish, Nampa, ID, 347 points; 2. Mike Davis, Boise, ID, 317; 3. Tyler Saxton, New Plymouth, ID, 277; 4. Tony Johns, Boise, ID, 263; 5. Art Heath, Nampa, ID, 239
Jr. Stingers — 1. Andrew Clark, Meridian, ID, 163; 2. Chance Davis, Emmett, ID, 143; 3. Colton Nelson, Meridian, 121; 4. Jonathan Hull, 59; 5. Mike Williams, 52
Bandoleros — 1. Andrew Clark, Meridian, ID, 155; 2. Chase Gilbertson, 149; 3. Brok Kidd, Meridian, ID, 128; 4. Michael Hilliker, Sheridan, Mont., 72; 5. Cameron Cotta, 61
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