4/22/2024
Meridian Speedway
Quale, Wong Duel for NASCAR Truck Victory
Meridian Speedway cranked up the carnage last Saturday, April 20, as the quarter-mile asphalt oval hosted the Crown Utilities Boat Race of Destruction. Before the boat bashing, the NASCAR Modifieds, NASCAR Trucks, Domino’s Legends, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets, and Firehouse Pub and Grill Bombers raced door-to-door for the night’s Trammel Construction feature flags.
Brendon Fries and Caity Miller dueled for the season’s first NASCAR Modified feature victory. Miller took the early lead in her Insidious Designs, Kustom Fab machine, but Fries methodically worked his way through the pack to take the lead on a lap fifteen restart. Once out front, Fries managed the gap between himself and second place and cruised to the victory.
Jenna Quale would not be denied in the NASCAR Truck ranks. The Twin Falls, Idaho racer took the lead from Neil Boyle with eight laps left in the division’s first feature of the night. The second feature saw Quale engage in an all-out dogfight with Tanner Wong over the race’s final 22 laps. At the white flag Quale had her Quale’s Electronics, Fusion Mechanical and Process racer out front by a bumper, while Wong wheeled his Wong Farms, Champion Produce entry hard to keep pace as the pair exited turn four. Quale reached the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe first, while Wong lost control and spun into third place finisher Jeff Wade.
Fourteen Domino’s Legends took the green flag for their thirty-lap feature. Roxali Kamper shot out of the blocks and piloted her racer to the early lead. Meanwhile, defending division champion Leon Tridle III picked his way forward and by lap eighteen was right on Kamper’s bumper. An ensuing caution flag bunched the field, and when the green flag waved again Kamper and Tridle III went back to work. Kamper held on for a handful of laps, but Tridle III’s LaMoure Trucking, Knife River entry proved too strong, and he blasted past Kamper to the lead. Kamper couldn’t mount a challenge in the closing laps and Tridle III cruised to the win.
Taylor Occhipinti took the early lead in the Idaho CDL Training Street Stock feature, but Kyle Latham’s Conrad and Bischoff machine was fast, and he kept the pressure on Occhipinti until a caution flag flew with three laps left. Occhipinti got a good jump on the restart in his Marv’s Tire Service, Sonic Crush car, but couldn’t fend off Latham, who rumbled to victory.
The Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks ran a special slow trophy dash in honor of the late Sam “The Pirate” Newcomer. Jake Altman roared to the lead in his All-Pro Refinishing and HVAC, Outlaw Excavation and Construction machine and held off a hard charge from Kendra Occhipinti to take home the trophy.
There’s no rule in the Idaho Asphalt Services Hornet rulebook that states drivers must run three-wide, but with two dozen machines packed into the Concrete Jungle it proved the only option for most of the field. After two early race cautions the race ran green, and saw Blaine Waller work his American Staffing, Born Weird Tattoo mount through the crowded pack to take the victory. Carl Cupps came home second with defending champion Cris Endicott third.
The spray paint was still wet on Corbin Black’s Firehouse Pub and Grill Bomber as he took the green flag in the night’s feature race. Black sped to the early lead, but with the white flag in the air Keith Gonzales dove to his inside and muscled Black out of the groove. Black fought back, but Gonzales was too strong down the stretch and beat Black to the line.
At the wheel of his John Deere-themed green truck, James Shepherd won the night’s Crown Utilities Boat Race of Destruction. Though knocked out by a raging engine bay fire two-thirds of the way through the race, Jeff Peck’s 14-year-old demolition machine the ‘Woodpecker” was revived by Peck shortly after the event's conclusion.
The short track thrills are replaced by the daring drift racers of Apex Idaho this Saturday, April 27, and a Track Shark Car Show on Sunday, April 28. Meridian Speedway gets back to racing Saturday, May 4 with Grace Assisted Living Night at the Races. The NASCAR Modifieds, Vintage Sprintcars, Pepsi Sprintcars, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks and Project Filter Pro-4s will be on hand for a full night of high-octane action in pursuit of the night’s Powers Transport trophies. General admission is just $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military members, $8 for kids 7-11, and free for kids 6 and under. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, May 4, with races getting under way at 6:30 p.m. Purchase your advance tickets now at www.meridianspeedway.com, and be sure to text ‘meridianspeed’ to 84483 to receive exclusive updates from our text club. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower Saturday, May 4, for Grace Assisted Living Night at the Races at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild