5/12/2026
Meridian Speedway
Grice Wins First NSX 360 Feature
The next evolution of weekly winged sprint car racing at Meridian Speedway took the green flag Saturday, May 9, as the Modelo Mother’s Day Especial featured the all-new NAPA Auto Parts NSX 360 Sprint Cars. The Pizza Hut Legends, Allied Fence Mini Stocks, Mini-Mods of Idaho, Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets, and Speedway Bandoleros completed a jam-packed slate of racing for the night’s Road Runner Driving Academy trophies.
The NAPA Auto Parts NSX 360 Sprint Cars took their first feature laps during the Modelo Mother’s Day Especial. Outside polesitter Rob Grice got out of the blocks quick and piloted his Westside Machine sprinter to the early lead while fellow front row starter Jett Nelson fell into the clutches of Andrew Palmer. Palmer’s NAPA Auto Parts, Bobby’s Transmission Center machine was strong, and he quickly overwhelmed Nelson to take second.
With Grice in his sights, Palmer put his head down and charged forward. At first, Palmer appeared to gain on Grice, but at the race’s halfway point Palmer’s pace began to slow and suddenly his focus shifted to defending the second spot from third-place runner Kate Jackson. With just two laps left Palmer’s throttle linkage came apart, and his car rolled to a stop in turn four.
This set up a green-white-checkered flag restart with Grice and Jackson on the front row followed by Nelson and a repaired Palmer. The green flag waved, and Grice roared back to the lead and, two laps later, the win over Jackson, Palmer, and Nelson.
Eighteen Pizza Hut Legends crowded the quarter-mile for a wild 35-ap feature. The hits came early and often as after one corner at least four cars had made contact, and one, Gary Luck, popped the wall hard enough to lift his machine skyward before it settled back down to earth on all four tires.
The restart saw two laps of clean racing before calamity struck in turn two when contact sent fourth-place Rod Stiller around in front of the pack. When the smoke cleared, Stiller, Brian Molloy, and Bristol Monroe sat in pieces. Monroe was slow to exit her vehicle but did so under her own power.
On this restart, Payton Weller zipped to the lead with Mason Nelson, Ace Bowen, and Chase Gilbertson in hot pursuit. Weller kept her Idaho State Towing and Recovery, Roots bar and Grill racer in the lead until two consecutive corners of contact from Nelson moved her up the track and dropped her into a battle with Gilbertson for second.
Once clear of Weller, Gilbertson reeled in Nelson, passed him, and settled into the top spot on the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard. Behind Gilbertson, Bowen and Leon Tridle joined in a clash for the runner up spot. Contact would remove Bowen’s rear bumper with two laps left, but he would maintain control and bring his Utah Motorsports Foundation, Dream Woods Inc. racer home ahead of Tridle. But it all happened behind Gilbertson, whose cheers from the Zamp Race Products Winner’s Circle could be heard all the way across Main Street.
The Allied Fence Mini Stocks saw Travis Pavlacky and Morgan Trammel continue their season rivalry with an extended battle for the lead. Trammel overpowered Pavlacky on lap eleven of the thirty-lap feature before he engaged cruise control and sauntered to the win. Behind Trammel, Riley Rogers raced his way to second on the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard ahead of Craig Taylor, Scott Heap, Fred Vigil, and sixth place Pavlacky.
Josh Fanopoulos wheeled his Mr. Mudd Concrete Corp., Bare Beans Bikini Coffee machine to the inaugural Mini Modifieds of Idaho feature victory. Eddie Griffith brought his Concrete Construction Supply, Riverside Embroidery racer home in second place ahead of Mike Gill, Kalli Weller, Daniel Soto, and Jason Rupp.
Dusty Sterner survived a bruising Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets feature to park his racer in Zamp Racing Products Winner’s Circle.
Cru Bowen took control of the Speedway Bandolero feature early in his Wilson Excavation, Emissions Made Easy racer but was under constant attack from Tayton Monroe and Cayden Barker. Monroe was first to make his move, and the youngster piloted his Torch Towing and Transport, Idaho Wrecker Sales machine to the lead on the outside. Barker was next to challenge Bowen and the resulting battle was thrilling as both drivers wrestled their racers through the corners with reckless abandon.
Something had to give, and with eight laps left contact sent both Bowen and Barker spinning out of turn two. Both drivers kept their cars from hitting the wall but were forced to restart at the back of the pack. Once the green flag waved again, Monroe rocketed to the lead while Barker and Bowen climbed their way back to the front of the field. A caution flag with two laps left brough Barker and Bowen to Monroe’s back bumper for one final chance at the win. But Monroe got a great restart and outran Barker and Bowen to take the victory.
Speedway season continues this Saturday, May 16, with the American Staffing Twin 35’s. The NASCAR Modifieds take on double main events Saturday, while the NASCAR Latemodels, Pepsi Sprintcars, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Vintage Sprintcars, and the Tates Rents Stingers go wheel-to-wheel for the night’s Allied Fence trophies. Plus, don’t miss the night’s Les Schwab Tire Race. And, we’re serving up buy-one-get-one hot dogs while supplies last! General admission to Saturday night’s American Staffing Twin 35’s 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 races going green at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at www.meridianspeedway.com. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower for the American Staffing Twin 35’s featuring the Les Schwab Tire Race and BOGO hot dogs at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild