BOISE, Idaho — The CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series returns to Meridian (ID) Speedway for the second visit of the season at the historic quarter-mile paved oval. The Gem State “100” will be the seventh series race staged at the tight and tricky landmark. John Dillon of Boise has a 39-point advantage over rival Jeff Jefferson of Naches, WA but several local stars are looking to etch their names in the series record books at the conclusion of the 100-lap event.
One of those local standouts has become a regular on the RMCS tour and is ready to take the next step in his racing career. Dylan Caldwell of Nampa is currently seventh in the series standings on the strength of one top five and five top ten finishes this season. Caldwell has come close to a win on several occasions but racing luck or misfortunes have sidelined the effort but he is optimistic that he will be in contention for the win Saturday night.
Caldwell cut his teeth at Meridian Speedway and winning races along the way. Last season he started to travel and gain experience in other forms of racing and gain seat time in stock cars. In just a few short years he has built quite a resume’ and knows a win in the RMCS will help propel him forward. “The RMCS is a really fun series to race in,” Caldwell said. “The series is all champions and full of really good drivers. I continue to learn each time out and feel we are getting better and more competitive.”
When asked about the one important lesson he has learned he is quick to state. “You have to keep your nose clean,” Caldwell stated. “The invert is awesome as it teaches you how to pass and handle traffic. We have become better and better at qualifying so by default we are getting a lot better at passing. I have learned a lot about reaction time and when to try to make a move. The other drivers won’t give you anything but they will race you clean and I have learned a lot from them.”
It is important to point out that Caldwell is just 17-years old and a Senior at Nampa High School, which makes his accomplishments all the more impressive as he is competing against some drivers who have been racing all or part of his 17 years. While Caldwell is now splitting time between racing, working on the racecar, and school, he is also a star on the Nampa High School Bulldog football team where he plays Outside Linebacker. “It’s a lot to juggle but I would not have it any other way.”
Caldwell has no plans of slowing down his racing efforts this fall. After the race at Meridian on Saturday night, the team is loading up and heading to Hermiston, Oregon to compete in a big open Late Model show at Columbia Motor Speedway on Sunday. Caldwell credits his crew chief and mentor Scott Walker for his improvement and recent success. “Scott has been awesome to work with,” Caldwell said. “He has taught me how to run and find the fast groove at each of the tracks we race on. He keeps me calm on the radio and helps me with decisions during the race. I give Scott a lot of credit for how good we have become.”
While Caldwell looks to add his name to the series record books, John Dillon of Eagle has plans of his own. Dillon has had an impressive racing career for more than 30 years and is closing in on his first RMCS championship as he holds a 39-point margin over Jeff Jefferson who won the last time the series visited Meridian Speedway. Former series champion John Newhouse is coming off a strong second place effort last weekend and holds down the third spot in the standings. Craig Bell sits fourth while rookie competitor Jonathon Gomez of Twin Falls rounds out the top five.
Gomez is making his debut in the ARCA debut this afternoon at Chicagoland Speedway in Illinois and will take a red-eye flight back to Boise for the RMCS race tomorrow. Northwest racing legend Garrett Evans is expected to return for the event after finishing second to Jefferson back in July.
The RMCS will make their 7th visit to Meridian Speedway Saturday night and in the previous six events there have been no repeat winners. Craig Bell has the best collection of finishes with four top five performances including a runner-up finish back in 2006. Dave Minegar holds the track qualifying record with a quick lap of 13.520 seconds. Minegar will not be in action Saturday night.
The RMCS utilizes a racing format not found in ANY other regional touring series around the country. The top 20 qualifiers are inverted for every race putting fast time in the 20th starting position. This format ensures race fans see what they paid for and that is passing. Each driver is awarded three points per position gained in the event. Points are also awarded for qualifying and heat race finishes. Through the history of the series, the winning driver has averaged a 15th place starting position. To ensure competition, the RMCS pays it purse based on total point accumulation for the event and provides several special performance awards for the event.
The CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series is a regional touring series that allows all competitors to race and gain experience on different types of racetracks. It is a high-quality professional racing series that offers maximum opportunity at an affordable price serving the intermountain West. The motto of the series is to “Race Hard and Have Fun!” For all the latest news and information regarding the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series log on to our website at www.rmcsracing.com
