9/4/2024
Meridian Speedway
Nelson, Hamilton Duel for Supermodified Victory
The Speed Tour Supermodifieds powered by Pit Stop USA blew into Meridian Speedway on Monday, September 2, as they headlined the Labor Day Supermodifieds presented by A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Electric event. The Zamp NASCAR Latemodels, Pepsi Sprintcars, Idaho Vintage Racing Association Sprintcars, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks, and Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets joined their speedy open-wheel counterparts in pursuit of the night’s Trammel Construction feature flags.
Ten Speed Tour Supermodifieds powered by Pit Stop USA roared to the green flag for their 35 lap feature. Randy Anderson got the drop on the legendary Kenny Hamilton to take the early lead. But Hamilton gathered his machine and hunted Anderson down to take the lead back.
While Hamilton worked Anderson for the lead, Colton Nelson lit the wick on his YMC Inc., Hunziker Racing machine and sliced his way through the field. High and low Nelson dispatched car after car until he took the runner up spot by force on lap sixteen.
A handful of laps later Hamilton found himself stymied behind lapped traffic. Nelson studied the situation and after two laps he swung to the outside and took the lead.
As Nelson sped to a sizeable lead mechanical gremlins struck Art McCarthy as something let go on his car on the front stretch. McCarthy’s Salon Blonde, Stallion Vinyl and Graphics car hooked a hard right, pounded the wall, then rode it into turn one before it settled back on the track.
Once the green flag flew again Nelson dropped the hammer and flashed across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe first. Hamilton held onto the second position, while Jim Birges brought his Precision Tint, Virtual Construction.com machine home third.
Coleman Green jumped to the early Zamp NASCAR Latemodel feature lead on Labor Day Supermodifieds presented by A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning, and Electric night. But the youngster couldn’t keep his HazTech Drilling, Beautiful Barker Art mount ahead of division leaders Andrew Palmer and Melissa Weaver, who took over the top two spots and then went wheel to wheel for the victory.
Palmer was first around Green and had pulled to a sizeable lead before the race was slowed for a bizarre accident that saw Beau Phipps spin into the wall before Stacy Borgeman monster trucked his way on top of Phipps’ stricken Western Mountain Inc., PMT racer. Both drivers were okay after the incident, with Borgeman’s crew effecting quick repairs to get his car back on track for the finish.
With the track cleared racing resumed with Palmer and Weaver wheel-to-wheel. Palmer held his Bobby’s Transmission, Freedom Payments entry up high to keep the lead, while Weaver worked her Marv’s Tire Service, Nampa Sonic machine around the bottom. Despite Weaver’s best efforts she would come up short and could only watch Palmer race his way to the feature win. Green held on for third ahead of Dustin Millard and Neil Wassmuth.
The Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks ran their feature in two halves due to mother nature Monday. The first portion ended with a bang as contact sent Scott Heap’s G and S Excavation machine hard into the frontstretch wall. Gary Luck bounced off Heap and pounded division championship contender Don Trafford, who spun and backed into the turn one water barrels.
When the race resumed Morgan Trammel overpowered Donovan Parker to take the lead. Behind Trammel, Trafford was on the move. Despite the damage acquired in the earlier dust up, Trafford tore through the field and took over the runner up spot until his engine detonated in turn four.
With Trafford retired Trammel had the rest of the field covered, and he raced his way to the division’s Trammel Construction feature flag. Drew Crenshaw finished second ahead of Parker, Chase Parker, and Craig Taylor.
The Pepsi Sprintcar feature saw Kate Jackson fend off a hard charging Casey Tillman to score her fifth victory of the season behind the wheel of her Jackson Custom Machining, Advanced Suspension sprinter. Mike Anderson finished third ahead of Jordan Harris and Carson Ackerland.
Ron Clausen and Ben Sommerfeld dueled for the Idaho Asphalt Services Hornet win. Sommerfeld wheeled his PBT Auto Sales, Mountain Steel car hard to pass Clausen, but Clausen’s machine proved too strong, and he dashed across the Caleb’s Chop Shop victory stripe first. Tommee Harrod brought her machine home third ahead of Cris Endicott and Trent Wilson.
Kenny Hamilton piloted his legendary Pink Lady sprintcar past Casey Heesch to score the victory in the Idaho Vintage Racing Association Sprintcar feature. Johnny Wigginton brought his sprinter home third with Dan Arriola fourth and Cris Endicott fifth.
Meridian Speedway roars toward championship season this Saturday, September 7, with Zamp Night at the Races. The Speed Tour Modifieds powered by Pit Stop USA, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, Project Filter Pro-4s, Trammel Construction Stingers, and Firehouse Pub and Grill Bombers are slated to take on the Concrete Jungle in pursuit of the night’s trophies in memory of Mike Hasson. General admission for Saturday night’s action is just $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military members, $8 for kids 7-11, and free for kids 6 and under. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. Saturday with the first green flag waved at 6:30 p.m. Log on to www.meridianspeedway.com to purchase your advance tickets. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower this Saturday, September 7, for Zamp Night at the Races at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild