6/28/2021
Meridian Speedway
Nelson Avoids Carnage for Dairy Days Friday Win
It was anything but a milk run at Meridian Speedway on Friday, June 25, as the quarter-mile asphalt oval hosted the Idaho CDL Training Dairy Days Races. With the annual carnival in the background the Bud Light NASCAR Modifieds, Pauly’s Bar Room Street Stocks, Project Filter Pro-4s, Firehouse Pub and Grill Bombers, and Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets battled to the checkers.
The Bud Light NASCAR Modifieds had 35 laps to find a feature winner. Young Carson Ackerland got to the gas pedal first to move his Ackerland Construction, YMC modified to the early lead with Rus Ward and Joe Thuss in tow.
On the move early was Kyle Latham, who used the inside line to make his way into the top five early. After a strong start, Latham’s run to the front was stymied by a side-by-side battle as faster traffic worked past Thuss’ BoiseWindshields.com, ABC Grounds Care machine.
Latham decided it was time to go on lap nine, and dove his Conrad and Bischoff, Knott Hott Ceramic Coatings modified to the inside of Thuss in turn one, who was already being overtaken by Josh Fanopoulos. Quarters were close through turns one and two, but Latham pushed the issue down the backstretch and into turn three where contact was made.
Latham climbed the driver’s side of Thuss’ modified, pinwheeled back to earth, and spun to a stop. When the smoke cleared five cars sat scattered in various states of destruction throughout turns three and four.
On the restart Ackerland motored back to the top spot while Ward and Mike Davis went wheel-to-wheel for second. Ward got the best of this battle in his Boise Sprint Works, Tackle Tom’s machine, but quickly fell to Colton Nelson and his Bud Light, Division Construction racer.
With the leader in his sights Nelson laid down a bevy of fast laps and stormed around the outside of Ackerland with twelve laps to go. This dropped Ackerland into the clutches of defending division champion Brendon Fries, a resurgent Latham, and Fanopoulos.
Each of these drivers would dispatch Ackerland in the closing laps, but no one could mount a challenge for Nelson, who cruised across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe.
Fourteen Pauly’s Bar Room Street Stocks rumbled to green for a 35-lap Friday night feature. After a physical battle, Troy Evans parked his Matt Compton Race Engines, Gem State Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning racer in the Caleb’s Chop Shop Winner’s Circle.
The complexion of the Project Filter Pro-4 feature changed on lap three when contact at the front of the pack spun four cars into the wall. Despite taking some damage in the early-race melee, Jordan Harris wheeled his Allan Marsh Travel Center, Kim’s Kars machine to the checkers first.
Firehouse Pub and Grill Bomber competitor Shane Parkkila slid over the finish line first Friday, but it was second-place finisher Jeff Matuska who edged Trent Wilson to take home the second-over-the-line victory.
Tommy Harrod navigated the carnage of a well-watered Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornet main event to take home the Idaho CDL Training Feature Flag in his PBT Auto Sales racer. Harrod also claimed an extra $100 for winning the Idaho CDL Training Milk Run challenge, where competitors were challenged to keep as much milk in a red party cup as they could during the feature.
Meridian Speedway celebrates Independence Day this Sunday, July 4, with the annual Stinker Stores Firecracker 50. After the Speed Tour Sprint Cars powered by Pit Stop USA, Pepsi Sprintcars, Mulder Engineered Junior Late Models, Project Filter Pro-4s, and Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets provide a full night on on-track fireworks, the City of Meridian fireworks show lights up the skies over the big yellow water tower. General admission is just $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military members, $7 for kids 7-11, and, as always, free for kids 6 and under. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. with qualifying at 6 p.m. and racing at 6:30 p.m. Purchase your advance tickets online at www.meridianspeedway.com before they’re gone, or watch live, flag-to-flag coverage of the night’s festivities at SpeedCast.tv. We’ll see you this Sunday, July 4, for the Stinker Stores Firecracker 50 at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Clint Doll