8/26/2025
Meridian Speedway
Ray Claims Second Snake River Showdown Feature
Over ninety racecars packed the Meridian Speedway pit area on Saturday, August 23, as the quarter-mile asphalt oval hosted the Bobby’s Transmission Legend-ary Race Night presented by Peterson Chevrolet. The Snake River Legends and Speedway Bandoleros contested the second leg of the Snake River Showdown, while the Pepsi Sprintcars and Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets battled for the night’s Trammel Construction trophies.
The Snake River Showdown’s Pro and Master divisions combined for a hard fought 35 lap feature. Auburn, Washington’s Dylan Wolf was quick out of the gate and piloted his racer to the early lead. But Wolf wasn’t safe up front as he soon came under fire from Gavin Ray. On lap four Ray wedged his Southwest Specialty Contractors, ThirdGen Racecars mount inside of Wolf and blasted to the top spot.
An early caution flag bunched the field and brought Friday night’s feature winner Tanner Reif to Ray’s outside for the restart. When the green flag waved Ray erupted back into the lead while Reif settled his JD Industries racer into second. Reif held second place until Brenden Ruzbarsky lit the wick on his machine and took over second place at the race’s halfway point.
Once in second Ruzbarsky sped to Ray’s rear bumper and began his challenge for the win. High and low Ruzbarsky searched for a way past Ray, but with each look the Tracy, California racer fell further and further behind Ray. Ruzbarsky was handed a gift with five laps left when Ray got trapped in a knot of lapped traffic, but before Ruzbarsky could capitalize Ray wriggled his way free and charged to the victory.
The Snake River Showdown’s Young Lion and Semi Pro feature started off with a bang as contact sent fourth-place runner Brody Glaze spinning in front of the field. Once the smoke cleared four racers found themselves in a heap against the turn one barriers.
On the restart Cole Dasenbrock established his GMC of Riverfront Park, H&D Construction machine in the lead with Austin Murphy and Chase Burgeson in tow. Murphy searched high and low for a way around Dasenbrock to no avail and instead turned his attention to the Burgeson behind him. This battle for second went wrong on lap twelve when contact sent Murphy hard into the backstretch barriers. The impact tore the right front corner from Murphy’s Phoenix Fire Games, Ace of Fades machine and sidelined him for the rest of the event.
On the restart Dasenbrock found himself under fire from Canyon Ashley, Kai Lovell and Ashton Williams. Ashley tried to move his Ashley Heating, Air, and Water, KD Roofing racer around the outside, but Dasenbrock proved too strong and he held the lead for two laps before Lovell hooked the inside line and drove his JD Industries racer to the top spot where he dashed out to a two second lead before a late caution flag brought Dasenbrock to his outside for the restart.
Lovell got to the gas pedal first and dispatched Dasenbrock as he zipped back to the point. Behind Lovell, Tridle III lost his battle for second with Williams, who immediately trained his sights on the leader. But Lovell proved too strong, and he would flash across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe first.
A dozen Speedway Bandoleros took the green flag for their Bobby’s Transmission Legend-ary Race Night presented by Peterson Chevrolet feature. On the break Cru Bowen sipped to the lead while chaos erupted behind him. A three-wide battle mid-pack ended in contact that shoved Mason Martin’s TI Company, TRQ Concrete machine up onto the backstretch wall then headlong into the turn three water barrels. Martin was okay after his wild ride but was forced to retire from the event.
On the restart Bowen came under attack from Jhett Phipps, who piloted his Western Mountain, Inc racer around the low line to the lead. While Jhett Phipps settled into the top spot ahead of his brother Kyro, Tayton Monroe threw his Torch Towing and Transport, Idaho Wrecker Sales entry through the corners to take over the third spot. Monroe, on the comeback from his involvement in the opening lap melee, raced his way to Kyro’s back bumper in the race’s closing laps, but ran out of time to make the pass as he settled for third behind the Phipps brothers.
With his victory Saturday, Jhett Phipps swept the two opening rounds of the Snake River Showdown.
Eleven Pepsi Sprintcars took the green flag for their thirty-lap feature. Jamo Stephenson got out of the blocks first but soon came under fire from Nate Little. Little sliced low and dispatched Stephenson’s YMC Mechanical sprinter with ease to take the top spot.
The battle mid-pack was intense as Kate Jackson, AJ Luttmer, Connor Elliott, Jordan Harris, and Riley Rogers formed a hornet's nest of open-wheels and nerf bars. With so many cars so close together something had to give, and on lap twelve it was Harris’ Honor Automotive, Challenger Auto sprinter that clipped Elliott’s right rear tire, jumped skyward, and made landfall in the turn one water barrels before it overturned. Harris emerged unscathed and gave the crowd a double thumbs up as he walked back to the pit area.
On the restart division dominator Riley Rogers made his move and roared into the runner up spot. With twelve laps left on the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard Rogers arrived on Little’s tail tank and the fight for first began.
After six laps of searching Rogers dove his YMC Mechanical, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company sprinter inside of Little in turn three, but Little slammed the door hard as the lead pair made contact. Both Little and Rogers recovered and went right back to racing for the win. Three laps later Rogers repeated his move in turn three, successfully this time, and took over the lead. Little had no time to mount a counterattack and was forced to settle for second place.
“I wanna say sorry to Nate,” Rogers said as he collected the night’s custom ApexPicks trophy. “I never meant to make contact.”
Idaho Asphalt Services Hornet point leader Ron Clausen tallied his third feature victory of the season in his PBT Auto Sales machine. Tommy Harrod came home second ahead of Kyla Vanderpool, Tommee Harrod, and Todd Hartwig.
Meridian Speedway honors military members past and present on Labor Day Monday, September 1, with the Freedom Payments Military Appreciation Night presented by A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning. All military members and their families get into the grandstands free Monday to see the NASCAR Modifieds, Zamp NASCAR Latemodels, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks, Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets, and Firehouse Pub and Grill Thunderdogs beat and bash their way to the night’s Ferguson Waterworks trophies. General admission to Monday’s Freedom Payments Military Appreciation Night presented by A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning is just $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $9 for kids 7-11, and free for kids 6 and under, plus military members and their families. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. Monday with the first green flag waved at 6:30 p.m. Skip the line at the ticket gate and purchase your advance tickets now at www.meridianspeedway.com. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower this Monday, September 1, for Freedom Payments Military Appreciation Night presented by A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild