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Trunk or Treating and a sunny fall day to close out the 2020 season

By DJ Everett

It was a beautiful fall day in the Magic Valley to go racing for the final time in 2020 on O’Reilly Auto Parts and ICCU Night that featured the ICCU Modifieds, Denny’s Minis, Cactus Petes Streets, and the Northwest Tour Truck Series!  The day started out with a trunk or treat for our little friends that dressed up for the occasion.  Many racecars lined the track with drivers giving out candy making for a fun time for everyone!!

The first race of the day was the first Denny’s Minis main event.  The action happened right away as the field went into turns one and two for the first time and contact between Mike Audet and Andrew Prince sent Audet into the spin cycle causing the field behind to scatter while collecting a few more cars.  The yellow came out and all cars that were involved were able to drive away with the exception of Audet who ended up in the wall and needed assistance back to the pit area but was able to rejoin the field for the restart.  The green came back out and Roy Boots Jr led the field early with Cecil Miles filing into the second spot.  A few laps later, Miles started to challenge Boots for the top spot.  The two put on a great battle running side by side for a few laps when Miles got loose coming off of turn two and spun to the infield.  The field stayed green and now it was Jordan Carpenter’s turn to challenge Boots for the lead.  Another great battle was going on for third between Manda Haye and Gary Luck when Luck sent his car spinning to the infield coming off of turn four.  Once again the field stayed green with Boots and Carpenter still battling up front as they approached lapped traffic.  Boots was able to get back out in front of Carpenter with Chad Everett now working his way through the field landing himself in fourth at this point.  Carpenter again put it down below Boots creating another door to door battle for a couple of laps when Boots’ car began to slow ending a great run for him.  Carpenter was now in sole possession of the lead but broke out a few laps later running faster than the mandatory 16.750 break out time handing the lead over to Manda Haye.  The yellow flag flew for Audet spinning in turns 3 and 4.  The restart showed Haye back out in front with Everett close behind and Jon Quinton showing some strength late in the race running third.  Boots came back from his early mechanical issues and was now running fourth.  As the field rounded turn four for the white flag, Everett put it on the outside of Haye when Haye got loose and opened the door for Everett to grab the lead.  Haye again got loose coming out of turn 4 heading to the checkers allowing Boots to go by for second and Everett taking the win.   

The ICCU Modifieds came out for their first main event of the day with a good field of modifieds for the final event of the year.  Dan Root Jr took command of the race early at the drop of the green with Zach Webster right on his bumper.  Lynn Hardy and Jason Quale were able to get by Matt Egley to put themselves into third and fourth. Webster put it on the high side of Root and into the lead bringing Hardy into second.  Hardy kept Webster within striking distance with Eric Rhead starting to make his way to the front of the field getting by Quale and Root to move himself into the third spot.  Quale eventually was able to get by Root and into the fourth spot with Webster starting to stretch his lead out over Hardy.  The leaders entered heavy lapped traffic giving Hardy an opportunity to catch leader Webster.  This didn’t phase Webster as he took the checkered flag and another win this year.

The final race of the year for the traveling Northwest Tour Truck Series happened right here at Magic Valley Speedway with the first of two main events on the day.  The green flag flew and polesitter Sam Harris was out to an almost full truck length lead over DJ Everett who was making his very first start at the fast 1/3-mile oval trading in his microphone for a firesuit and helmet on this day.  Everett used the high line to pull even with Harris and eventually into the lead.  Everett led the next few laps until Jenna Quale started to challenge.  The two ran in close formation until Quale was able to clear Everett for the lead.  The next driver to challenge Everett was Drew Reitsma but this time for the runner up spot.  The two ran hard when they made contact in turn one sending Everett sideways but was able to gather it back up when Jacob Smith and John Newhouse got by for third and fourth.  Smith put it down low on Newhouse making a bid for the third spot with Reitsma right in front of both of them in second.  Smith was able to get by Newhouse and right away challenged Reitsma.  After a couple of laps of some great door to door racing, Smith was able to grab second and go after leader Quale.  In the middle of the pack Everett, Ron Lawser, and Jerry Rice were having a great battle for fifth in the closing laps.  Up front, Quale pulled out to a straightaway lead on everyone with Newhouse able to get by Reitsma for third.  Checkered flag was waving and Quale picked up her second main event win of the year both coming at MVS. 

The R&A Trucking Big Wheelz race featured our young racers with Emersynn Edens taking home the trophy.  Great racing all year long by our big wheelz racers and we look forward to more next year!!

The Denny’s Minis were back out for their final race of the year.  On the pace laps, Cecil Miles made contact with another car unfortunately doing damage to his machine and retiring him from this race but still a good year for the young driver.  The green flag was out and Roy Boots Jr streaked out in front with Gary Luck making some impressive passes on the opening lap to move into second.  Jon Quinton was able to get by Mike Audet for third and while that was happening, Manda Haye got loose coming out of turn 4 and headed for the infield grass.  We stayed green as Haye rejoined the field.  Luck made a bid for the lead as he went to the inside of Boots but Boots used his high line momentum to put his machine back out in front.  The racing was great with the top six nose to tail at the halfway point.  Lapped traffic entered the pictured with the leaders snaking their way through.  The laps clicked away and the racing was starting to get serious up front.  Luck again tried Boots down low while Quinton and Chad Everett were side by side for third right behind the top two.  The white flag flew and Luck lunged his machine ahead of Boots going into turn three but Boots once again used that momentum up high to power back by Luck coming out of turn four and take the checkered flag.  Everett was able to sneak by Quinton at the line for third.  A great finish to a great year in the Denny’s Minis.  Jon Quinton is your 2020 Denny’s Minis champion.

The Cactus Petes Streets rolled out onto the speedway to close out their year.  At the start of the race, Ronn McClimans went to the front from his outside front row starting spot.  At the end of lap one, Jeff Peck came to a stop on the infield ending his race early.  McClimans started to check out on the field as Roy Boots Jr and Willie Dalton were having a great battle for second.  Shawn Lester and Josh Cuff were running in fourth and fifth at this point.  The battled continued for second with Boots taking a peek to the inside of Dalton but as the two went into turn three, Boots’ car went around on him bringing out the caution.  Lester did a fantastic job to miss Boots to keep it from being a two-car wreck.  On the restart, McClimans resumed his lead but Dalton had different thoughts as he put his nose down below McClimans to battle for the position.  Dalton eventually settled behind McClimans to rethink of another strategy.  The white flag flew and the top three of McClimans, Dalton, and Lester were running bumper to bumper.  As they rounded turn four for the checkers, McClimans picked up the win in a hard fought battle to the end.  Willie Dalton is your 2020 Cactus Petes Streets champion.  

The ICCU Modifieds final main event of the year was next.  Our Jr Flagger, Hunter Wilson flew the green flag to get this one going and polesitter Dan Root Jr jumped out to the early lead.  Former Intermountain Outlaw Modified champion Larry Hull III was able to move into second with Jason Quale and Eric Rhead running third and fourth.  Rhead started to make a charge to the front getting by Quale and Hull to move into the runner up spot and set after leader Root.  It took Rhead very little time to catch Root and even less time to get by him for the lead.  Rhead started to leave the field but the racing behind was starting to heat up.  Lynn Hardy and Zach Webster started making some moves through the field.  Hardy drove by Root for second and soon after that Eddy Cole got loose coming out of turn 2 and spun to the infield grass bringing out the yellow flag.  This put the Redbone Trucking teammates of Rhead and Hardy on the front row for the restart.  The green was back out and Rhead was able to lunge out in front.  Webster had a good restart and was able to get by Hardy on the high side to move into second.  Devin Burdette got loose going through turn 2 and climbed the wall putting his machine on his side and eventually turning over onto its roof.  Burdette was able to climb out under his own power to the cheers of the crowd.  A red flag to clean up the area and we were back to racing once again.  Green was flying with Rhead still in front and Webster right on his rear bumper.  Hardy running in third started to close the gap on Webster with Rhead once again driving away from everyone.  Cole and Hull were having a good race for fourth running wheel to wheel until Cole took the spot away from Hull.  Rhead stretched his lead to a full straightaway and ended the season with an exclamation point by taking the win and the 2020 ICCU Modified championship.  Our Jr Trophy Presenter, Emersynn Edens joined in on the victory lane celebrations handing out the hardware.

The final race of the year was the Northwest Tour Truck Series second main event of the evening.  At the drop of the green, front row starters Ron Lawser and DJ Everett put on a great show battling door to door for the lead.  Everett was able to get out in front using the high line and take sole possession of the number one spot.  That would last about five laps until Jenna Quale started to put pressure on Everett for the lead in a carbon copy of the first main event.  Quale dove down low on Everett and scooted on by for the lead bringing Jerry Rice into second.  John Newhouse and Everett ran side by side for third until Everett relinquished that spot and bringing Jacob Smith up into fourth.  Smith continued to roll through the field as he got by Newhouse but soon after that Newhouse started to slow on the frontstretch and pulled into the pit area.  Rice who was running second got extremely loose in turn four and that opened the door for Smith to get by for the spot and set sail after leader Quale.  Smith eventually caught Quale and measured her up for a few laps until making his move.  Smith found the opening down low to put the move on Quale for the lead.  Once out in front, Smith was unchallenged and drove it to victory putting in a great performance in his rookie year.  John Newhouse is your 2020 Northwest Tour Truck Series champion.  

We would also like to congratulate Sierra Wilson-Lang for winning the free Shari’s Pie!!  Our next event is the Champions Banquet at the Turf Club in Twin Falls in January 2021.  Stay tuned to our Facebook page and website for more details in the coming weeks!!  Do the same for our 2021 racing schedule as we already begin to put our racing dates together!! Magic Valley Speedway would like to thank our fans and sponsors for making 2020 a successful year despite the covid issues we experienced earlier in the year!  Without you, none of this would be possible!  Have a great holiday season as we look forward to seeing all of you this spring when we kick off the 2021 racing season!!

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