Idaho Racing News

I have had a coouple weekends away from racing and look forward to getting back on the track. In my absence a few things in the motorsports world came about. For the last couple seasons we have had the privelelge f watching Butch Gilliland run laps at Meridian Speedway. Butch has an extensive professional racing carreer and has settled in the treasure valley. Last weekend at infineon raceway Butch's son, David, had a tremendous finish in the nextel cup series. A second place behind the streaking Kyle Bucsh. Now I know that Butch and David are not originally from Idaho, but there are not many tracks where a up and coming nascar star has a father racing with our local guys and gals. So wat to go David!!! We hope to see more of Butch at Meridian Speedway in the weeks to come. I recieved news that I was invited to return to the radio and host a show about the local motorsports scene. I have tried it in the past and loved it. I do owe all the opportunities in the media side of racing to my brother in law, Brian Rodgers. Me, as a kid always wanted to race, but looking back i had a passion for commentating sports. While I would shoot hoops, I would commentate, while riding my bike around our cicle driveway, I would commeentate--now I probably looked nuts talking to myself all those years, but it was good practice. My life never did take me down the road of broadcasting, but a big break with Brian on Race Traxx Radio a few years ago has landed me in a dream position at Meridian Speedway and now back on the air, not with Brian, but with local racing legend Dave Parrie, someone I watched as a kid at our little bullring. So I owe it all to "the man in the booth"--Thanks a ton Brian--my dream is coning true and I owe it to you and you are pretty damn lucky to have a brother in law like me if I say so myself. Thanks, I owe ya one! The one thing that all of us know as we strap in the car, or sit in the stands, is that racing is a dangerous sport and there are those times when we may not climb out of that car at the end of the night. This past weekend we lost another champion. Scott Kalitta was tragically killed in Englishtown NJ while qualifying for and NHRA event. For those who have seen the crash, it is hard to watch--a fireball rolling down the track and then an explosion of tremendous magnitudes. It was hard to watch because of the first sign of fire, my thoughts were that he was going to be in bad shape, then the explosion--no one could survive that--as the smoke billowed into the air, so did the spirit of Scott--I dont care if you are are a racer or a fan, if you turn left or go straight, or if you have two wheels or four--this hurts-racers and the motorsports community worldwide is a family, and last weekend a member of OUR family was lost--so again, hug your family a little tighter now, put those grudges behind and join us in remembering the champion, who has now taken his seat beside all the others in the grandstands in the sky--Scott left behind a legacy, a wife and two young children-to his family, our prayers are with you, to Scott--god speed, we will see you on the other side of the checkered flag when it is time ....................

Military honor day at Meridian Speedway the 28th, all military members with ID get in FREE, big military displayes at story park all afternoon--bring the kids and friends ang honor those who keep us free--take care everyone, we will see you at the races!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Brent