4/18/2023
Meridian Speedway
Lockwood, Grice Duel for Speed Tour Opener
The Speed Tour Sprint Cars powered by Pit Stop USA descended on Meridian Speedway on Saturday, April 15, for the Speed Tour Sprintcar Opener. Alongside their winged compatriots, the Pepsi Sprintcars, Salt Lake City Midgets, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, and Firehouse Pub and Grill Bombers went wheel-to-wheel in pursuit of the night’s Boise Bath and Kitchen Company feature flags.
Twelve ground-pounding Speed Tour Sprint Cars powered by Pit Stop USA roared to the green flag for their 35-lap feature. Cory Lockwood worked the outside of Rob Grice to put his Snake River Edge, Just Cater It by Chef Wally sprinter in the lead after one lap.
Deep in the pack Casey Tillman and Colton Nelson surged forward. Tillman ripped around the inside in his Ready-Made Plastic Trays, TS Fuel and Oil machine, and by the race’s first caution at lap fifteen the Kuna, Idaho racer sat fourth with Nelson’s PBT Auto Sales, Mulder’s Auto Machine sprinter on his tail tank.
When the green flag waved Tillman dove into third place behind Grice and Lockwood. Nelson followed suit and took fourth away from the Allan Marsh Travel Center, Division Construction entry of Bryan Warf.
As the laps wound down Lockwood’s lead only increased while Tillman worked to track down Grice for the runner up spot. This bid would come up short as Tillman took the checkered flag third behind Grice and race winner Lockwood.
The Pepsi Sprintcar season started off with a literal bang as Jett Nelson, Jamo Stephenson, and Sierra Jackson piled into the turn three concrete on lap one. All three drivers were okay after the incident but were forced to retire from the event.
Once the race restarted Rich Montes motored to the top spot with Tony Ackerland, Riley Rogers, and Nate Little in pursuit. Ackerland was first to make his move and on lap two the Star, Idaho racer dove low and powered to the lead in his Dick’s Chevron machine. Nate Little followed suit in his Absolute Construction and Consulting, A to Z Pool Supplies sprinter and immediately turned up the pressure on Ackerland.
With ten laps left, Little shot to the high side of Ackerland in turn four, took the lead, and never looked back on his way to the victory. Ackerland held onto second place with Kaleb Johnson third, followed by Rogers and Motes.
A six-pack of Salt Lake City Midgets carved up the quarter-mile for a 25-lap feature. Anthony Quintana wound his way to the top of the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard early and stayed there while Devin Westover, AJ Luttmer, River Merrill, Cheyenne Merril, and Nicholas Escobedo jockeyed to the finish.
Thirteen Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks rumbled to life for their 25-lap feature. Young Michael Bess navigated his machine to the top spot early but came under heavy attack from Pat Tully and Kane Thomasson as the laps wound down.
Thomasson lost the handle on his Burn the Boats Tattoo, EuroSport racer and pounded the front stretch wall with eight laps to go. This left Bess and Tully to battle for the win. Bess got the drop on Tully when the green flag waved, but Tully’s Pinnacle Appraisal, Impact Motorz machine was too strong to keep at bay, and the veteran Caldwell, Idaho campaigner sped to the victory. Bess would fall to Jesse James Lawson and Dakota Allen in the race’s final laps, finishing fourth. Scott Groom rounded out the top five.
The Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Mini Stocks saw a familiar battle for the win as Travis Pavlacky and Don Trafford went wheel-to-wheel over the race’s closing stages. Pavlacky wheeled his Modern Auto Service, FVC Construction pickup hard to keep Trafford at bay, but in the end, Trafford hooked his Pollo y Mariscos, American Tire racer to the inside line and took home the victory. Morgan Trammel held off Troy Palmer to take third and Jason Sanders rounded out the top five.
Defending Firehouse Pub and Grill Bomber champion Blaine Waller got the better of Keith Gonzales and Bill Lacy to take home the Boise Bath and Kitchen Company Feature Flag.
This Saturday, April 22, Meridian Speedway welcomes back the Bud Light NASCAR Modifieds for Boise Spa Movers Night. The Zamp Pro-Late Models, Domino’s Legends, Idaho CDL Training Street Stocks, Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets, and Trammel Construction Stingers do battle for the night’s Trammel Construction Feature Flags. Plus, Saturday features the year’s first Dairy Queen Bike Races for Kids. Advance tickets and further information available at www.meridianspeedway.com and text ‘meridianspeed’ to 84483 for special updates from our Text Club. We’ll see you under the big, yellow water tower this Saturday, April 22, for Boise Spa Movers Night at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway.
Submitted By: Tyler Schild
