ALL ROADS LEAD TO MERIDIAN, SEPTEMBER 29TH AND 30TH, FOR THE ASA/NSRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

Source: Gene Cannon and Bill Adams
Date: 09/26/2006

With a week remaining in the 2006 ASA/NSRA season, the battle for the number one spot is fiercer than ever. A mere forty-seven points separate the first and third place drivers, making the two night finale crucial in determining the season’s final standings. The tight small quarter-mile track, located in Meridian, Idaho, couldn’t be a better place for championship night, a track where one mistake could end your night early, but if you don’t make some bold moves you will simply finish where you started. While each driver has brought a lot of excitement and dedication to the season, each one has experienced very different ups and downs throughout the year.

Craig Deaver’s twenty-seven-point lead over second place driver, Jeff Montomery will be an obvious advantage going into the two-night show. Deaver had a rough start to the 2006 season. Brake problems early on forced him to go through his car’s entire system, a move that proved to be worth its weight in gold. He was rewarded with four consecutive wins leading many to wonder if he could be stopped. The ferry ride over to Vancouver Island answered that question. He qualified third, but due to a tough heat race Deaver was forced to run in the B-main. He won the B-main, earning himself a spot in the A-main. Despite some aggressive moves towards the front, contact with another driver sent him to the back. Deaver fought his way back with only laps left and would finish in an impressive ninth position.

Jeff Montgomery was having a less than enjoyable year, no matter what the 33j team did they couldn’t quite finish in front. Frustrating week after frustrating week Montgomery would be on the podium, but then true disaster struck in Roseburg. Twenty cars came barreling out of turn four for the green flag of the A-main, Montgomery and Mike Basher tangled up and spun to the infield ending Montgomery’s night. He took a huge hit in points. Montgomery struck back in front of his home crowd and his family he dominated the Daffodil Cup, qualifying second and moving from his ninth starting position to the front of the toughest field the ASA/NSRA has seen all year. That win was enough to put him twenty points ahead of current third place driver, Andy Alberding.

With all of the hardships suffered this year, none may be worse than those suffered by Andy Alberding. His season began with a win at the first ASA/NSRA show in his hometown of Roseburg, but his season went into a downward spiral from there. At South Sound Speedway, Alberding began the night by breaking a long-standing track record formerly held by his father-in-law, Rick Brown. The night ended in a disappointing sixth place finish. Alberding has struggled since. Alberding caught the ferry to Victoria, to run on a track where he had never completed an A-main. This year he would finish the race, but not in the front where he would have liked to. He never could get a handle on the set-up of the car and was never able to make up any ground. Alberding is now sitting forty-seven points out of first and looking to make an impact in Idaho.

Justin Mack is sitting eighty-one points out from first and although taking the points lead may be too far out of reach, he is well within striking distance of the top three. Mack has been improving every week, with his best finish coming in Roseburg where he finished second behind point’s leader Deaver. While Mack looks to sneak into the top three, he must watch out for Monte Zema Jr. Zema won his first ASA/NSRA feature win earlier this year, and has had his struggles along the way, including two races where he missed set-up and would slip to the back. Only six points back from Zema is former point’s champion, Pat Bliss. Bliss and the Freeman team have battled many problems this year, it seems to be one bad thing after another for them. Despite all the frustration Bliss has put the Freeman team sixth in points and in a position to advance into the top five.

The man who is in a league of his own when it comes to motors has found himself again in the top ten, that’s right the “Ford Man” Dan Fisher, the 2005 ASA/NSRA rookie of the year, is sitting seventh. Fisher finished fifth in points his rookie year and will be looking to the jump back into the top five.

Jake “Mad” Mann, in only his second year with ASA/NSRA is sitting in the top ten and is in position to make an advance in points. The Waller and Son Motorsports team is running a new chassis this year and with a new chassis comes the new set-ups. Mann has fought his way into the eighth position in the point’s race, and Meridian will be no exception. But tailing closely behind in ninth is Brian Smith, who has had many heat race victories, and with exception of Western Speedway Smith has had a pretty successful year. Smith has been strong all year and with only six points separating him and Mann it will a true battle for advancing in the point’s race.

Jeff Bird is holding on to the tenth spot but he has two drivers nipping at his heels to break into that spot. Bird has battled motor problems the last two ASA/NSRA races and has fallen back in the points and allowed Greg Middendorf and Ralph Deaver to catch up to him. With only four points separating these three drivers Meridian will be the place where somebody ends up outside the top ten bubble.

The track in Meridian is a place where anything can happen, it’s small, it’s tight and horsepower doesn’t always mean victory, aggressive driving is essential but it can also cost you your night. With the point’s race remaining tight, the door is wide open for anyone to walk through.

The ASA/NSRA sprinters will have to battle the talented Meridian local drivers as they battle for position in their own point’s championship. “The Legend” Ken Hamilton leads Brandon Johnson in the local points battle by 41 points. Jimmy Ingham sits in the third spot 70 points out of 2nd but only 25 points in front of Dan Lyons in 4th. Thirty-nine points separate the fifth to eleventh place drivers.

With so many positions up for grabs in the final races of the season a local cars only race would provide for exciting racing action. Throw in the ASA/NSRA sprinters fighting for their own Championship you have a track full of drivers battling for the bragging rights to winning one of the toughest sprint car fields in the west guaranteed to provide outstanding racing action.

If the sprint car races were not enough five other local divisions will be battling for their own Championships over this 2 night show. The Big Bubba Trailer Legends and Impact Wireless Hornets will compete both nights while the Idaho Super Stock Racing Association completes their season Friday Night and the Cingular Wireless Grand American Modifieds and Domino’s Pizza Bandolero’s will only compete on Saturday night.

Craig Bell leads Al Colwell by 97 points and barring a complete melt down he should have no problem claiming his 2nd Championship this season. Bell was crowned the Late Model Champion Saturday Night. Colwell pretty much has his 2nd place position locked up as well with a 103-point lead over Bob Wood. However with ASA Championship money for the top 5 in the final standings 98 points separate 3rd to 11th place. Nine drivers vying for 3 positions will provide for an exciting main event.

Veteran driver Dale Bell, Craig’s dad, leads the Idaho Super Stock Racing Association point’s standings by 71 points over Charlie Ham Jr. Dan Lowther, Bob Cecil, Gale Carter and Rookie Rick Baldwin are separated by 25 points in 3rd to 6th spot. Baldwin will be trying to move up to the top 5 dropping one of these drivers out of the championship point’s fund.

Mike Cullum brings a 148 point lead into the Big Bubba’s Trailer Legends division’s final two night’s of racing. Although Cullum has dominated almost every night of racing this season the other drivers have been very competitive and refuse to just lye down and give it away. Sixteen year old Sierra Jackson, sitting 2nd in points, will give her seat in the Legend car to an unknown driver at press time so she can devote her efforts in the sprint car and compete with the ASA/NSRA. Jackson holds an 81-point lead over Dennis Sonuis in the 3rd spot and can lose the spot id Sonius does well over the 2 days. She competed full time in the Idaho Super Six Racing League as well this season, finishing 5th in the final points standing for that division. Jackson has run 3 winged Sprint races so far this season and plans to run this division full time next year. Several positions in the Legend division are close including Jimmy Gross in 4th and Eddie Sonius in 5th. Both these drivers are competing for Rookie of the year honors and are separated by 25 points. Beau Newhouse also a rookie is in 7th place only 44 points behind Gross.

Scott Shoecraft has been consistent all year in the Impact Wireless Hornet division and will take the championship leading his fellow competitors by 272 points. Only 90 points separate 2nd through 5th place with two Rookie contenders, Jason McNeal and David Short, battling for position.

Rounding out the weekends racing will be the Domino’s Pizza Bandolero’s. Kyle Bowers leads Shadre Bement in the point’s standings by 110 points. Hunter Moir in 3rd is only 41 points behind Bement.

Friday Night the Speedway will conduct a bicycle race for the kids up to age 16. Make sure they have a helmet and register when they enter the track. Saturday night will also be the final Racing For Smiles event of the season. The RFS program brings a child to the track that is seriously ill of injured and gives them a day away from doctors and hospitals. This program has brightened the lives of 5 children so far this year including Austin Christopherson who passed away from Muscular Dystrophy just 24 days after his visit to the track.

Dirt Track Champions will be determined next weekend Oct 6th and 7th and the Speedway will conclude the 2006 season Oct 28th with a 250 Hornet Enduro.

Gates open at 4pm each night with time trials beginning at 5pm and racing at 6pm. Admission Friday night is Adults $13.00, Seniors $7.00, Children 6-12 $6.00. Saturday Night Admission is Adults $ 16.00, Seniors $8.00, Children 6-12 $7.00. Children 5 and under are always FREE.

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