10/14/2025
Meridian Speedway
Strikwerda, Clancy Duel for NASCAR Modified Finale
Meridian Speedway held one last Boat Race of Destruction on Saturday, October 4, as the quarter-mile asphalt oval hosted the ATS Inland Boat Race of Destruction Finale presented by Ryan Shelby at Guild Mortgage. Before the boat bashing destruction kicked off, 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 went wheel to wheel for the night’s Trammel Construction trophies.
The NASCAR Modifieds capped their 2025 campaign with a 25 lap feature race. Tommy Harrod jumped out to the early lead with James Strikwerda and Titus Clancy in tow. A lap ten caution flag bunched the field and lined Strikwerda up outside of Harrod for the restart.
The green flag waved, and Strikwerda motored to the lead with Clancy in his tire tracks. Another timely caution flag allowed Clancy to line up on his inside for the restart. Clancy dug hard to put his Radiator Experts, Tire Reclaim modified in the lead, but Strikwerda had the momentum on the outside and after two hard fought laps Strikwerda pulled back into the lead.
But Clancy wasn’t done yet. After a two lap regroup, the youngster took the fight back to Strikwerda. Clancy dove hard into the corners to pull alongside the leader, but Strikwerda’s All Parts Brokers, Alder Farms machine was too powerful on corner exit. With one set of corners left in the season, Clancy ripped into the corner but couldn’t make the heroic move stick as he watched Strikwerda roar across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe first. Brendon Fries finished third ahead of Harrod and Caity Miller.
With his third place finish Fries secured the 2025 NASCAR Modified championship for his ATS Inland Northwest, Guild Mortgage team.
A strong field of Zamp NASCAR Latemodels took the green flag for their final feature of the season Saturday. Shawn Lester motored to the early lead in his Jackson Spuds, Red’s Cleaning Service machine while back in the pack contact sent Jesse James Lawson sliding sideways through turn two. Lawson regained control of his Antlers Boutique, Candor Pest Control mount and continued to march forward.
At the race’s halfway point Lawson jumped to the outside of Lester and stormed to the top spot. As Lawson set sail, Lester fell into the clutches of championship points leader Andrew Palmer. A late caution flag bunched the field with Lawson and Lester on the front row, Palmer and Pat Tully in the second. The green flag waved, and Lawson bolted back to the top of the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard. Palmer followed Lawson past Lester and immediately moved his Freedom Payments, One Truss Roofing and Solar racer to challenge for the lead. But Palmer ran out of laps and was forced to settle for second behind Lawson.
Palmer’s second place finish was the proverbial cherry on top of a championship winning 2025 season.
Sanity took a back seat to spectacle as eighteen Firehouse Pub and Grill Thunderdogs ran their final feature of the year. Smoke and sparks flew, fenders and bumpers were bent, fires and tempers flared; and that was just in the first four laps. The rest of the proceedings carried on in a similar manner until the checkered flag fell over the flaming pickup truck known as Walter White.
Andrew Palmer needed a good run to regain momentum in his chase for the Idaho CDL Training Street Stock title. After missing a race night to run the Pink Lady Classic Palmer’s once insurmountable point lead had dwindled to just thirteen markers.
While Palmer navigated his way forward Josh Parkkila seized control of the race. But Palmer’s Bobby’s Transmission, Freedom Payments machine was strong, and with ten laps to go he arrived on Parkkila’s rear bumper. Half a lap later Palmer took over the lead and cruised to victory. Second place standings runner Scott Groom finished second ahead of Parkkila, Ronn McClimans, and Jake Altman.
Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stock point leader Morgan Trammel found trouble early in Saturday night’s feature as he was swept up in a lap two melee. This turned attention to second place point runner Chase Parker as he worked to eat into Trammel’s lead.
Parker hooked the inside line and drove himself into the top three early, but an odd mid-race restart dropped him back in the pack. As Parker clawed his way back into the top five contact cut his left front tire. With just four laps left Parker was forced to the pit area and had to settle for a tenth place finish, just two spots ahead of Trammel.
While drama enveloped Parker back in the pack, Riley Rogers found the handle on his Performance Signs and Graphics mount and stormed to the win.
The Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets ran their penultimate feature of the season on ATS Inland Boat Race of Destruction presented by Ryan Shelby at Guild Mortgage night. Impatience took over early as lap three started with contact and ended with a pileup in turns one and two. Slightly cooler heads prevailed on the restart despite several thrilling four-wide passes and contact seemingly every corner.
Through the chaos and carnage Travis Pavlacky emerged in the lead with division dominator Ron Clausen in hot pursuit. Pavlacky threw his 208 Towing, Crushin’ It machine around the corners and through traffic in a desperate bid to keep the top spot. With four laps left Clausen motored around Pavlacky to take the lead but immediately ran afoul of a lapped car. Contact was made, Clausen shot to the infield, and Pavlacky was back in the lead. With suspension damage from the hit, Clausen had his hands full simply getting to the finish and could only watch as Pavlacky scampered across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe.
At the end of a wild Boat Race of Destruction Amanda Rua was voted the winner in her Boise State Bronco-colored Ford Bronco.
The 2025 Meridian Speedway season concludes Saturday, October 25 with the Trunk or Treat Championship Races. Throw on your favorite costume and join us from noon to 1:30 p.m. for a free trunk or treat in the pit area. Then, sit back and enjoy the Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks as they run triple 33 lap features to settle their season, along with the Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks, Project Filter Pro-4s, Trammel Construction Stingers, and Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets.
General admission to the Trunk or Treat Championship 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 2:30 p.m. Saturday, October 25, with races going green at 3:00 p.m. Purchase your tickets online at www.meridianspeedway.com before Friday, October 24 and save three dollars on adult and senior or military tickets. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower Saturday, October 25, for the Trunk or Treat Championship Races at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild