MERIDIAN, Idaho — Shelby Stroebel is ready to make his move in the ESI Express ASA Modifieds at ASA-sanctioned Meridian Speedway.
Seven days after winning a main event in which series leader Tom Hill of Eagle, Idaho, crashed out, Nampa, Idaho's Stroebel finds himself just 16 points out of the series lead as Wild 101 and V99.1 present ESI Express Night on Saturday. The ASA Modifieds racers will run two main events.
Admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for senior citizens, $6 for children ages 7-11 and free for ages 6 and younger. Fans can avoid the long lines on race night by purchasing tickets in advance at any of 14 participating NAPA Auto Parts stores in the Treasure Valley.
Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing at 6:30 p.m.
Other classes taking to the track Saturday include the Pepsi Sprintcars, College of Western Idaho Professional Truck Driving School Street Stocks and Tates Rents Hornets.
Hill and Meridian, Idaho's Chris Fenton -- who finished last week at No. 5 in the standings -- both had to work overtime to try to make this week's show on the paved quarter-mile oval. With twice as many points available than other nights, attendance is crucial, if not mandatory.
Hill and Fenton both hauled away from last week's action with heavily damaged racecars. With 13 laps left in a 40-lap race, Fenton lost control on the backstretch and collected Hill on the way to the wall, opening the door for Stroebel's victory.
Hill's lead shrank from 56 points over his brother, Jeff of Meridian, last week to 16 over Stroebel. Stroebel leapfrogged into second place over Jeff, who finished out of the top five last week after checking up to avoid his brother's crash.
Johnny Giesler continues to pace the field in the Pepsi Sprintcars. The young Meridian racer has a 86-point edge over Joe Ransom of Boise.
Former track champion Melissa Scott of Nampa has a commanding lead in Street Stocks. She holds a 158-point edge over her father, Marv Weaver, also of Nampa, while another Nampan, Chad Bess, finds himself 174 points back despite consistency in the past few outings.
Another Nampa racer, David Tankersley, has crept to within 23 points of Tates Rents Hornets series leader Art Heath, also of Nampa, after winning last week's main event.
