9/25/2024
Meridian Speedway
Willison, Margeson Square Off for Pink Lady Classic Win
Twenty-five of North America’s best winged sprint car drivers took the green flag at Meridian Speedway on Saturday, September 21, as the quarter-mile asphalt oval hosted the 10th annual Les Schwab Tires Pink Lady Classic. Along with the Speed Tour Sprint Cars powered by Pit Stop USA, the NASCAR Trucks, Idaho Vintage Racers Sprintcars, and Meridian Speedway Midgets settled their seasons and the Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets traded paint in search of the night’s Walking Sombrero Taco Truck trophies.
Hunter Stanley won the Last Chance Qualifier to advance to the Pink Lady Classic. But in keeping with his tough weekend Stanley’s brakes failed on the cool down lap, which forced his Idaho Powder Coating, PWS Trucking sprinter into the barriers at the pit area entrance. Luckily the damage was minimal, and Stanley was able to make the starting grid. Second-place finisher Matt Elliott was offered the final planned provisional and accepted.
Segment one of the Les Schwab Tires Pink Lady Classic got off to a halting start as the twenty-five best winged sprint car drivers in the country fought to occupy the same pieces of Concrete Jungle real estate. Once these territorial squabbles calmed down quick qualifier Aaron Willison asserted himself out front, followed by Jeff Montgomery, Kyle Tellstrom, Eric Humphries, and Evan Margeson.
The second segment saw an 8-car invert put Kyle Alberding and Tyler Roahrig on the front row for the restart. Roahrig got to the gas pedal first in his FirstLine Systems, Drywall Distribution mount and zipped to the lead with Margeson on his tail tank.
Within a handful of laps Roahrig raced his way into a knot of lapped traffic. After a series of close calls with multiple machines Roahrig’s luck ran out as he bounced off the apron and into Randy Price’s Millstone Heating and Sheet Metal, Shark Racing Engines sprinter. Roahrig hitched a quick ride on Price’s front wing before he bounced back onto the pavement and continued.
This run-in put Margeson in the top spot with Kyle Alberding second, Roahrig in third, Willison fourth and Bryan Warf fifth. A restart soon thereafter allowed Alberding to roll his Holte Drilling Tools machine around the outside to take the lead. Alberding’s lead was short lived as Margeson picked him off in lapped traffic and dropped him into the clutches of Willison. One last restart allowed Willison to dispatch Alberding to third, but he couldn’t track down Margeson, who cruised to the second segment victory.
In a replay of the overall race start, Willison and Margeson led the final segment’s twelve car field to green. Margeson wheeled his Huxdotter Coffee, Kennelly Keys Music sprinter hard to take the lead, but Willison kept his foot on the gas pedal and blasted his way to the top of the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard. Once out front Willison put his Tri-X Group, BrickLok machine’s speed to good use as he sped across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe first. Margeson brought his machine home second ahead of Alberding, Tellstrom, and Warf.
Colton Nelson could only muster a twelfth place finish with his damaged Busch Light, Freedom Payments sprinter. Though disappointing, this finish didn’t keep Nelson from winning the Speed Tour Sprint Car powered by Pit Stop USA championship.
John Newhouse did everything he could Saturday night to catch NASCAR Trucks point leader Jenna Quale. But despite victories in both of the night’s features Newhouse had to settle for second place in the standings. For her part, Quale finished third and second, respectively.
Devin Westover delivered a walk-off win in the Meridian Speedway Midgets division at the controls of his Grip Suspension, Idaho Sandblast and Powder Coat machine. But despite his Meridian Speedway division title, Westover came up two points short of Chuck Groat in the overall Speedway Midget Series standings.
Tempers flared early in the Idaho Asphalt Services Hornet ranks as after a bizarre feud broke out between Tommy Harrod and Stefano Meeks, who came to grief at the end of the backstretch near the race’s halfway point. But Kyle Latham charged through the carnage to score the feature win.
John Coogan made his move late to win the Idaho Vintage Racers Sprintcar feature. Dan Arriola finished second while Joey Layman laid claim to the division championship with his third place run.
Friday night’s action saw Josh Jackson sweep the night’s NASCAR Modified features, Chase Parker outrun his father Donovan to take the Boise Bath and Kitchen Mini Stock victory, and Makayla Trafford take another step toward the Trammel Construction Stinger championship as she won her fifth feature of the season.
Meridian Speedway returns to action on Saturday, October 5, with the Boat Race of Destruction Season Finale presented by Ryan Shelby at Guild Mortgage. Before the boats beat and bash their way to the checkers, the NASCAR Modifieds, Zamp NASCAR Latemodels, Pepsi Sprintcars, Project Filter Pro-4s, Firehouse Pub and Grill Bombers, and Idaho Asphalt Services Hornets battle among themselves for the night’s YMC Mechanical trophies. General admission to a full night of short track thrills and spills is just $21 for adults, $19 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 with the first green flag waved at 6:30 p.m. Purchase your advance tickets now at www.meridianspeedway.com to skip the line at the ticket booth. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower on Saturday, October 5, for the Boat Race of Destruction Season Finale presented by Ryan Shelby at Guild Mortgage at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild