7/14/2025
Meridian Speedway
Latham Sweeps NASCAR Modified Double
The summer sun was on full display at Meridian Speedway Saturday, July 12, as the quarter-mile asphalt oval played host to the Roto-Rooter Twin Turdy-Fives presented by Toyota Dealers. The NASCAR Modifieds powered through a pair of tough thirty-five lap features, while the NASCAR Trucks, Zamp NASCAR Latemodels, Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets, and Trammel Construction Stingers battled the heat and each other for the night’s PBT Auto Sales trophies.
A dozen NASCAR Modifieds roared to life for their first feature. On the green Dan Doan worked his CBH Homes, Apex Containers racer around polesitter Mike Davis’ Bigelow Tea, Moodlight Welding Services machine to take the early lead. After two laps out front Doan fell victim to Joe Daily and James Strikwerda, who would come to grief in turn three on lap nine.
With Daily and Strikwerda relegated to the back of the pack for the restart Chuck Youngblood inherited the top spot in his PBT Auto Sales, Idaho CDL Training racer. On the green division point leader Brendon Fries followed Youngblood past Doan into second place with points runner up Kyle Latham third.
Fries dove his Ryan Shelby at Guild Mortgage, ATS Inland Northwest modified inside of Youngblood, but found a lapped car in his way and was forced to hit the brakes and fall to third. As Fries’ chances of winning evaporated Latham pushed his Conrad and Bischoff, Trophy Fuel and Wash machine past Youngblood to take the lead. Once out-front Latham set sail and looked to cruise to the victory when the engine in Rusty Houpt’s Crown Utilities, Catapult3 mount detonated and soaked the front stretch in oil.
After an extended cleanup the green flag waved over Latham and Youngblood. Latham blasted back to the lead while Fries took over the second spot from a faltering Youngblood. Though Fries could see Latham, he couldn’t catch him in the closing laps and was forced to settle for second place.
Beating and banging was the rule in the night’s second NASCAR Modified feature. While Davis and Doan jockeyed side-by-side for the lead patience ran out behind them. With five laps left Doan slipped out of the high groove and opened the floodgates as Latham charged to the head of the pack with Fries in tow.
The white flag waved with Latham and Fries settled into the first and second spots while Davis tried desperately to hang onto third place. But contact would be made in turn four that shot Davis up the track where he collected Youngblood and both cars launched headlong into the frontstretch barriers. Davis and Youngblood were both okay after their hard hits, though the damage to their machines was extensive.
The NASCAR Trucks ran a pair of physical 25-lap features. Neil Boyle got to the gas pedal first to take the early lead but came under immediate attack from Tanner Wong. Wong worked his Champion Produce, World Star Packaging truck around the inside groove and took over the top spot after a handful of hotly contested laps.
But Wong wasn’t safe up front as point leader Jesse James Lawson joined the lead fight. Lawson pinned his Antler’s Boutique, Maverick Car Company pickup to the inside line and nearly had the pass made before a caution flag reset the field with Wong on the inside and Lawson up high. Wong got a good start and tried to close the door on Lawson down the back stretch, but Lawson kept his foot on the gas pedal and after three laps of rubbing and racing Lawson took the lead.
With five laps left on the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard Wong launched a counterattack against Lawson’s left rear quarter panel, but Lawson kept control of his machine and wheeled his way into the Caleb’s Chop Shop Winner’s Circle.
Boyle and Wong traded paint in the NASCAR Trucks’ second feature. Boyle again sprang to the early lead with Wong all over his tailgate. This customary game of NASCAR Truck bumper tag went south just past the race’s halfway mark as one bump too many sent Boyle spinning on the frontstretch. This left the lead to Lawson, who outdueled Jeff Wade to score his second piece of PBT Auto Sales hardware on the night.
Zamp NASCAR Latemodel racer Andrew Palmer carved his way through the field to tally yet another win behind the wheel of his Bobby’s Transmission, Freedom Payments machine. Niko Heinzel brought his Loya Tire, Palm Meto Automations racer home second ahead of final podium finisher Neal Latham’s Limitless Pressure Washing, Canyon Auto Sales entry.
The name of the game this week in the Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets division was ‘Podium Shuffle’ where the top three racers after each lap were detoured through the backstretch chicane. The green flag dropped and chaos erupted as cars scattered here, there, and everywhere around the quarter-mile. When the dust settled Tommy Harrod found himself atop the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard ahead of Ron Clausen and chicane standout Alannah Trammel.
Michael Trammel held off a hard-charging Kalli Weller to win the Trammel Construction Stingers feature.
Meridian Speedway celebrates a bonus night of short track action this Saturday, July 19, with the newly scheduled Enduro Night at the Races. The Zamp NASCAR Latemodels, Pepsi Sprintcars, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, and Trammel Construction Stingers battle for crucial mid-season points while a No Prep Gut-and-Go Enduro rounds out the night’s festivities. General admission to Saturday’s Enduro Night at the Races is just $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military members, $9 for kids 7-11, and free for kids 6 and under. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. Saturday with racing at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at www.meridianspeedway.com through the Tickets link. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower this Saturday, July 19, for Enduro Night at the Races at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild