KENNY RICH, LEONARD REED AND DON TOLSMA WIN

Source: Rob Dorris
Date: 06/11/2000

June 10- Despite the Fall like weather conditions, Meridian Motor Speedway hosted the Center Lane Construction 150 Presented by Brown Construction. Despite nearly 60 cars qualifying, the racing action concluded at 9:30pm. Quite a few fans stayed home this weekend because of the cold wind. However those that toughed out the cold, witnessed Kenny "I gotta get" Rich's return to his home track, with his NASCAR Northwest Tour Late Model. Kenny won the Main Event, with Dennis Wurtz glued to his bumper and Dave Brodigan a close third. Leonard Reed won his second Bombers Main Event in a row, and Don Tolsma grabs his first AT&T Cable Limited Stock Main of the year.

Meridian's NAPA Auto Parts Late Models put on another excellent show for the fans. Great driving kept the competition close and the fans on the edge of their seats. The 50 lap race started with Boise resident and NASCAR Northwest Tour racer Kenny Rich sponsored by K&L Excavation and Dr. Paul Kelson #30 Chevrolet, on the last row. Unlike most Tour races, at Meridian Motor Speedway the fans get to watch the faster cars work their way to the front of the pack from the back, rather than seeing them start in the front of the field. The first half of the race had car #69 driven by Paul Young leading the way. Meridian Motor Speedway track promoter Tony Whitaker driving the Interstate Trailers #32 Monte Carlo did all he could to get around Paul. Behind the leading duo of Paul and Tony, fighting for position, were the cars of Lee Hackney, Kenny Chandler in his Fairly Reliable Bob's #33 Late Model, Dennis Wurtz in the Loon Outdoors #01 Dodge Avenger, Mike Marston in his MAZ_TECH #58 Monte Carlo, and Kenny Rich, in order on lap ten. On lap fourteen, the top six cars were stacked together like Lego blocks. Lap fifteen Kenny Chandler's motor broke a rocker arm, sending him to the pits. Lapped traffic then started playing a role on lap sixteen. Dennis Wurtz made a gutsy move on Tony Whitaker on lap eighteen, getting second spot the next time around. Tony, not giving up, got second place back on lap twenty. The pack was running so close, that on lap twenty, Mike Marston-because of cars checking up a little-got under the rear of Dennis Wurtz's Dodge Avenger and actually lifted his rear tires off of the ground. Thinking the night was over for at least one of the cars, they surprised everyone one and kept racing. (Later that night Dennis showed me all the bent parts UNDER his car from the contact.) The first Yellow came out on lap twenty three for the spinning Kenny Longwell on the back stretch. When the Green fell Tony Whitaker, in second place, got a jump on the leading Paul Young, on the high side. Mike Marston now in third and Dennis Wurtz in fourth, racing inches from the two leaders, were also running side-by-side for position. On lap twenty five contact between Dennis Wurtz and Paul Young caused Paul to spin and Dennis was then relegated to the rear of the field for excess contact. Paul's car got nailed head-on by Lee Hackney as he spun, sending Lee to the pits on the hook. Paul's car looked undamaged.

When the Green fell again on lap twenty six, the top nine cars were Tony Whitaker, Mike Marston, Kenny Rich, Dave Brodigan in the Brown Racing Team, Thiel Dairy/Dave's Autobody #10 Monte Carlo, Don Donsereau, Skip Taylor in the Center Lane Construction/ESI Corp/Idaho Peterbuilt #3 Chevrolet, Kenny Longwell sponsored by Dave's Auto Body/Alphagraphics, Paul Young, and Dennis Wurtz. Kenny Rich grabbed second from Mike Marston on lap twenty eight then muscled his way (most of the fans cheering) into first moving under Tony on the front stretch and going into turn one. Mike, following Kenny, then tried to get under Tony, but instead of getting around him, we had the left rear quarter panel of Tony's car, and right front nose of Mike's car come together giving us the classic 'look out everybody there he goes' spin coming out of turn two. Two more cars to the rear of the field. Now the top three running order on lap thirty three is Kenny Rich, Dave Brodigan, and from last place a few laps ago, Dennis Wurtz. The rest of the race ran Yellow free. Lap thirty six saw Dennis beat Dave for second, while Kenny Rich was moving away. Once Dennis could run his own line around the track, he began catching up to Kenny. The last few laps had Dennis on Kenny's bumper, but not able to keep enough speed to carry him around for the lead. Dave Brodigan, meanwhile caught up to the front runners on the last two laps and may have been able to challenge the leaders had there been enough time. At the Checkered Flag we had Kenny, Dennis and Dave finish one, two, three. Tony Whitaker and Mike Marston who came back through the field, finished side-by-side at the line, with Mike beating Tony by inches for fourth.

Fast Time for the AT&T Limited Stocks was set by Craig Doehling with a 16.186. Heat race winners were Jeff Wurtz, Troy Evans, and Bruce Frank.

The AT&T Cable Limited Stocks started their 40 lap Main Event with 20 cars. Only one Yellow Flag fell tonight, when David Doan spun into the infield on lap six. Sixteen cars were still running at the Checkered Flag, unlike last weekend's race, when only 9 cars survived to the end.

Bruce Frank lead the race, for the first three laps. Adam Nelson, who was running a backup car, because his regular ride is badly bent, grabbed the lead on lap four. Fourth row starter, and unsponsored, Don Tolsma, the uncle of the NASCAR Craftsman's Truck Series driver Randy Tolsma, went from eighth spot on lap one to second on lap five. The next lap, Adam's transmission died causing him to pit. Don then took over the lead for good. The biggest move came from second place finisher Jeff Wurtz (sponsored by Copazzi Espresso Drive Thru/Carpets West/Kathie House Cleaning/ Wurtz Construction/Lawn Barbour/Rose Lady). Starting in fourteenth place, on lap two he was in tenth. On lap four he was in sixth, and lap ten, third. He had his work cut out for him, trying to catch and pass Steve Wood (sponsored by Jamba Juice/Dave Adams Windshields/Lazaris Reality/The Wiz) for second, but did on lap fifteen. Craig Doehling Sponsored by Superior Paint & Glass/C&T Racing) started last in the field finished third and Steve Wood fourth.

The "Bomb'n" Bombers where in full attendance tonight with 22 cars qualifying. Marv Weaver, after blowing his motor last week, set fast time with a 17.160. Winning the Heats were Tim Elam, Roger Cornish, and Rod Cummings. The Consolation race was taken by Drake Nelson who transferred to the Main and then finished on the same lap as the winner in eleventh.

It took the unsponsored Leonard Reed three races before he won his first Main this year. Now he has won two out of four. Leonard, a School Bus Driver by trade, must be fired-up with the end of the school year in sight. This 40 lap Main Event was a first this year for the Bombers, going wire-to-wire race with no Yellow flags. At the Green, the field of cars ran, basically side-by-side for the first ten laps. Leonard, who started sixth moved into first on lap fifteen. Darrell Lankford in the RGB Automotive(Rick Beutler)/Dean's Goodyear #11 car, who started in eighth spot, and finishing second, took after Leonard on lap twenty seven. Mr. Consistency himself, Brock Nelson, last year Points Champion, who once again started in the last row, moved into third on lap thirty. The last six laps had Leonard holding the Low Groove, allowing Darrell to run the slower--for most cars--Upper Lane. Darrell could get a run going on the staightaways, only to loose it in the turns. The race concluded with Leonard leading Darrell and Brock to the line.

Bombers
Fast Time- Marv Weaver 17.160
Trophy Dash- David Wurtz
A Heat- Tom Elam, Darrell Lankford, David Wurtz
B Heat- Roger Cornish, K. Derrickson , Mike Winje
C Heat- Rod Cummings, , Drake Nelson
Consi- Drake Nelson, Roger Cornish, Jason Staley
Main- Leonard Reed, Darrell Lankford, Brock Nelson

AT&T Cable Limited Stocks
Fast Time- Craig Doehling 16.186
Trophy Dash- Craig Bell
A Heat- Jeff Wurtz, Craig Bell, Wes Pogue
B Heat- Troy Evans, Don Tolsma, Steve Wood
C Heat- Bruce Frank, S. Walker, Adam Nelson
Main- Don Tolsma, Jeff Wurtz, Craig Doehling

Meridian's NAPA Auto Part Late Model Stock Cars
Fast Time- 15.034
Trophy Dash- Kenny Chandler
A Heat- Dennis Wurtz, Tony Whitaker, Mike Marston
B Heat - Paul Young, Kenny Longwell, Art Smith
Main- Kenny Rich, Dennis Wurtz, David Brodigan

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