Idaho Racing News

By Jon Brown
MERIDIAN, Idaho — Two racecar drivers found bright spots Saturday night in their otherwise gloomy 2010 seasons at ASA-sanctioned Meridian Speedway.
Tyler Bailey of Middleton, Idaho, and Meridian, Idaho's Wyatt King finally discovered winning recipes during Domino's Pizza Night at the paved quarter-mile oval.
Bailey won the Project Filter Pro-4 feature, and King collected the checkered flag in the Pepsi Sprintcars. Both young guns picked up their first wins of the year.
"It's a great feeling after the year we've had," King said, alluding to engine problems and cooling problems that have kept him out of the winner's circle after losing a tight 2009 points battle to current series leader Johnny Giesler, also of Meridian.
Meridian 14-year-old Colton Nelson made a late-race pass to secure his second straight Jr. Stingers victory.
The most physical and exciting NAPA Latemodel Sportsman feature of the season capped the wind-whipped evening.
Twin Falls, Idaho, visitor Jeff Pohlman survived a wild 40-lap race and a late double-criss-cross lead change with Nampa, Idaho's Dylan Caldwell to take the checkered flag in the Latemodel Sportsman main.
"Dylan was scaring me quite a bit out there," the 2009 trucks series champion at Magic Valley Speedway said. "We kept banging into each other a couple of times, but that was fun. That was a lot of fun."
Caldwell and Pohlman weren't the only ones trading paint in the Latemodel Sportsman feature.
Tyler Monroe of Star, Idaho, was black-flagged with 14 laps to go when officials ruled he intentionally wrecked Meridian's Chris Fenton on the backstretch. The two drivers were making considerable contact in in the laps in a battle for second place before Monroe ended the discussion.
Once that duel was out of the way, Caldwell and Pohlman began duking it out -- with Meridian series leader Dan Buckley of Emmett, Idaho, lurking in third place. With 13 laps left, Caldwell got loose coming out of Turn 4 and washed up into Pohlman's high racing line, making contact but failing to knock the Twin Falls driver out of first. A lap later, the pair took a page out of a speedskating manual, trading the grooves twice while also swapping the lead. Caldwell went high to take the lead as Pohlman went low only to have Pohlman sling-shot back across the track and reclaim the advantage.
Caldwell's tires eventually went away and he finished out of the top five. Buckley settled in to second while former ASA Modified driver Rick Fowble, like Pohlman a rookie Latemodel shoe from Twin Falls, grabbed third.
In the Pepsi Sprintcars, King made a pass on Boise, Idaho, veteran driver Kelly Newman in Turn 4 with 17 laps left in the 30-lap main event and didn't look back. Newman faded to finish fifth, and Giesler collected a fourth-place showing.
Even at 20 years old, Bailey understands the importance of Mom in his racing career.
The Middleton racer made sure to tip his helmet to his mother after a dominant Pro-4s win.
"I've got to thank Mom for letting us stay in the shop too late," Bailey said.
He needed the shop time after getting knocked around last time out with a blown engine and hard lick into the wall.
Then, Saturday morning hours before racetime, the rebuilt engine wouldn't cooperate.
"We started it this morning, and it locked up on us, and we had to put a new motor in it. Frank Wolfkiel helped out with that, so thanks to him," Bailey said.
Bailey rolled through the field and into third place 11 laps into the 30-lap feature.
"Man it was hooked," he said.
Bailey maintained his momentum as the top three racers -- points leader Kenny Chandler Jr. of Boise, Jim Bailey of Middleton and Bailey -- ran away from the rest of the field.
Chandler eventually slowed, but Bailey kept keeping on.
"It's been a rough year," Bailey said. "We really needed this one."
A fourth-generation driver getting his start in the Jr. Stingers class for 11- to 14-year-olds, Nelson used the apron to push past Emmett's Chance Davis, 13, for his second career victory. The pass allowed Nelson to complete a journey from the back of the pack to the checkered flag in the 25-lap race. He started in the final position after setting the quick qualifying time with a 17.861-second tour of the quarter-mile paved oval.
The top three racers to finish the feature race for the class for 11- to 14-year-old drivers earned trophies
Racing continues Saturday with Racing for a Reason, featuring Boise Special Olympics and Lions Club Boxcar Races. The Mtn. Dew Winged Sprints, College of Western Idaho Professional Truck Driving School Street Stocks, ESI Express ASA Modifieds, Tates Rents Hornets and Thunder Dogs will compete during the night.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $7.50 for senior citizens and military personnel with ID, $6 for children ages 7-11 and free for children 6-and-younger.
Pick up advance tickets at participating Treasure Valley NAPA Auto Parts stores and save time waiting in line Saturday night. Ask for "Speedway" tickets.
Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the speedway's Web site or call (208) 888-2813.
Meridian Speedway
Domino's Pizza Night
Saturday's unofficial results
Main events
Pepsi Sprintcars (30 laps) —
1. Wyatt King, Meridian, Idaho; 2. Eric Ransom, Boise, Idaho; 3. Joe Ransom, Boise; 4. Johnny Giesler, Meridian; 5. Kelly Newman, Boise
NAPA Latemodel Sportsman (40 laps) —
1. Jeff Pohlman, Twin Falls, Idaho; 2. Dan Buckley, Emmett, Idaho; 3. Rick Fowble, Twin Falls; 4. Dave Brodigan, Nampa, Idaho; 5. Chris Fenton, Meridian
Project Filter Pro-4s (30 laps) —
1. Tyler Bailey, Middleton, Idaho; 2. Jim Bailey, Middleton; 3. Dave Short, Meridian, Idaho; 4. Rob Powers, Meridian; 5. DJ Lyons, Nampa, Idaho
Jr. Stingers (25 laps) —
1. Colton Nelson, Meridian; 2. Chance Davis, Emmett; 3. Charlie Fiscus, Star, Idaho; 4. Jonathan Hull, Boise; 5. Zach Blume, Eagle, Idaho
Heat races
(Eight laps each)
NAPA Latemodel Sportsman
Fast Dash —
1. Tyler Monroe, Star, Idaho; 2. Jaramie Fuss, Kuna, Idaho; 3. Dennis Wurtz II, Boise; 4. Chris Fenton, Meridian; 5. Dennis Brodigan, Nampa
B Heat —
1. Jeff Pohlman, Twin Falls, Idaho; 2. Terry Lydell, Mountain Home, Idaho; 3. Dylan Caldwell, Nampa; 4. Dan Buckley, Emmett; 5. Jeff Wilson, Mountain Home
Project Filter Pro-4s
Fast Dash —
1. Kenny Chandler Jr., Boise; 2. Jim Bailey; 3. Tyler Bailey; 4. John Peterson, Boise; 5. Kale Freedman, Meridian
B Heat —
1. Short; 2. Powers; 3. Cody Tillman, Kuna; 4. Lyons; 5. Danny Smith, Emmett
Pepsi Sprintcars
Fast Dash —
1. Kelly Newman, Boise; 2. Wyatt King, Meridian; 3. Joe Ransom, Boise; 4. Johnny Giesler, Meridian; 5. Eric Ransom, Boise
B Heat —
1. Carl Marcum, Boise; 2. Tyler Barrow, Boise; 3. Josh Allen, Meridian; 4. Aly Clark, Meridian
Jr. Stingers
(Six laps each)
A Heat —
1. Cody Garrett, Boise; 2. Hunter Gates, Nampa; 3. Chance Davis, Emmett; 4. Colton Nelson, Meridian; 5. Jonathan Hull, Boise
B Heat —
1. Charlie Fiscus, Star, Idaho; 2. Tyson Fuss, Kuna; 3. Zack Blume, Eagle, Idaho; 4. Jordan Kirkland, Boise
C Heat —
1. Matthew Burger, Meridian; 2. Nick Isaacson, Boise; 3. Tyler Sharp, Nampa; 4. Kendra Occhipinti, Nampa
Fast times
NAPA Latemodel Sportsman —
Wurtz, 13.427 seconds
Project Filter Pro-4s —
Chandler, 13.994
Pepsi Sprintcars —
Giesler, 13.624
Jr. Stingers
— Nelson, 17.861