5/22/2024
Meridian Speedway
Newhouse Sweeps NASCAR Truck Double
Things got wild at Meridian Speedway on Saturday, May 18, as the Project Filter Twin 25’s brought a double dose of action to the quarter-mile asphalt oval. The NASCAR Trucks, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks, Meridian Speedway Midgets, Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets, and Firehouse Pub and Grill Bombers kicked the 2024 season into high gear as they chased the night’s PBT Auto Sales trophies.
Thirteen NASCAR Trucks took the green flag for the first of their two 35-lap features. Andrew Prince was the first to take the top spot in his Highline Powersports, Bad Fast Engineering pickup, but soon faced heavy pressure from John Wong. Wong’s Champion Produce, World Star Packaging mount was strong on the inside line and he carved his way to the lead with a dozen circuits remaining.
In Wong’s tire tracks was John Newhouse, who followed Wong past Prince before he immediately juked low and went to war for the lead. Newhouse and Wong beat and banged through the race’s final ten laps and crossed the line all but dead even. After official review, it was determined that Newhouse crossed the line first in his truck.
“These trucks are just awesome,” Newhouse said. “That was just really close racing.”
Lapped traffic was the story in the NASCAR Trucks’ second feature. Tanner Wong rolled into the race’s final ten laps with a comfortable lead over Newhouse but was slowed by traffic. Now on Wong’s tailgate Newhouse applied heavy pressure to the leader. Wong and Newhouse raced hard for the top spot, but in the end Newhouse got the better of this duel to snag the PBT Auto Sales feature flag and sweep the night.
The Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks set Saturday night’s tone with an early-race melee that swept up seven competitors, including reigning Meridian and Magic Valley Speedway champions Don Trafford and Tyler Palmer in turn one.
Once the track was cleared Gary Luck and Travis Pavlacky raced into the top two spots. Luck and Pavlacky threaded their way through heavy lapped traffic as the laps wound down, but Pavlacky’s Modern Auto Service, FVC Construction machine couldn’t run down Luck, who scored the night’s first feature victory.
Michael Capps piloted his Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stock to the early race lead, but soon fell back as Trafford and Pavlacky raced into the top two spots on the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard. Try as Pavlacky might, he couldn’t keep up with Trafford and his Quick Dry, Quality Alignment racer.
“Holy cow that was fun,” Trafford said of his second feature win. “Turn one [in the first feature], that was not fun.”
In Meridian Speedway Midget action Chuck Groat parked his Idaho Powder Coating, Grip Suspension midget in the Caleb’s Chop Shop Winner’s Circle after a dominant run in the night’s first feature. But Groat’s luck wouldn’t hold through the night’s second race as he hopped a tire and pounded the turn four and front stretch walls.
As Groat’s teammate Devin Westover took control of the race rookie runner Brady Ransom ran into trouble in turn two and took a wild ride into the pit area. Though shaken, Ransom was able to climb from his machine under his own power. When the race resumed Westover retook the lead and scored the victory.
The Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets had an eventful Project Filter Twin 25’s Saturday night. Their first feature saw several intense battles at the head of the field before Kyla Vanderpool and Karl Cupps came together on the front stretch. Vanderpool’s PBT Auto Sales, BC Mobile Repair racer cartwheeled over the start-finish line. In the resulting stack up Larry Little’s car vaulted over Karyssa Wilson’s machine but stayed upright as it crashed back to earth.
Everyone involved was okay after the spectacular accident, with Vanderpool reportedly describing her ride as “fun” to Neil Alan Fine Jewelry Safety Crew members.
Once the carnage was cleared and the race resumed Kevin Matuska took over the lead with Cris Endicott on the hunt in second. Endicott’s pursuit of Matuska was aided by a late caution flag which lined the defending division champ up outside of Matuska for the restart. The green flag waved and Endicott motored to the lead and, five short laps later, the Caleb’s Chop Shop Winner’s Circle.
Ben Sommerfeld charged to the top of the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard in the night’s second Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets race and stayed there to take home the PBT Auto Sales feature flag.
Dale Bolinger piloted Boss Hogg to the night’s first Firehouse Pub and Grill Bomber feature victory, but was sabotaged in the night’s second feature by Corbin Black’s Cougar Uber, which allowed Keith Gonzales to speed by for the win.
The short track racing action rolls on this Monday, May 27, with the Memorial Day Races. All military member and their families get into the grandstands free with military identification Monday night to see the Speed Tour Sprint Cars powered by Pit Stop USA, Zamp NASCAR Latemodels, Pepsi Sprintcars, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, and Trammel Construction Stingers go wheel-to-wheel for the night’s Kim’s Kars trophies. General admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $8 for kids 7-11, and free for kids 6 and under. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. with the night’s first green flag at 6:30 p.m. Purchase your advance tickets now at www.meridianspeedway.com to skip the line at the ticket booth. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower Monday, May 27, for the Memorial Day Races at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild