6/3/2020
Magic Valley Speedway
A gorgeous night to go for a Cruise at Magic Valley Speedway!!
By DJ Everett
What a difference a week makes from chilly temperatures to temperatures in the low to mid 90’s seven days later. The return of the ICCU Modifieds for the second week in a row along with the Denny’s Minis, Valley Office Systems Hornets, and Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers filled the card on Marky’s Super Tow Night. Double main events for everyone!
The first round of main events kicked off with the Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers. Former Jr Stinger champion, Kaili McKean made short work of the field in this one as she jumped out to the lead from the start and never looked back. Brayden Sweatfield and Kristopher McKean had a meeting of the minds near the end that sent McKean for a spin on the frontstretch but it was all Kaili McKean as she made it look easy and cruised to another main event win in 2020.
The Denny’s Minis had another huge car count as they made their way to the racetrack for their first main event of the night. John Quinton led early for the first 7 laps but then the action got hot and heavy for the top spot. Cecil Miles caught Quinton and forged ahead to the lead. The two swapped the top spot a couple of times for the next few laps until Miles kept it permanently until the caution flew for Keri Cuff spinning to the grass in turn 4 with a flat tire. Back under green and now Manda Haye joined the party up front battling for the lead. Miles and Haye were also swapping the top spot a few times for the next few laps all while weaving their way through lapped traffic. Behind them, Meridian Speedway standout Fast Freddy Vigil making a visit to Magic Valley Speedway on this night, worked his way up to third and was fast closing in on the leaders. The caution flag flew once again for a spinning Steve Edens Jr in turn 2. Green flag racing again and it was a run to the finish between Miles, Haye, and Vigil for the win. Haye was able to grab the lead again but Miles didn’t let her get away as he was able to get by Haye with a few laps to go. Miles would keep the lead all the way to the checkers picking up his second main event of the year. Haye was able to hold off Vigil for the runner up spot.
The ICCU Modifieds were next up with some first-time visitors in 2020 that included Dalton Cristiani, Utah drivers Tim Fahrner and Jeff Longman, and ARCA West driver Zach Telford in Lynn Hardy’s Redbone Trucking #4. The green flag flew and Kris McKean led it early but as the field reached the backstretch on lap 1, disaster struck. Dan Root Jr and Jason Quale touched while battling near the front of the field which triggered a multi car wreck that involved 5 cars. Eric Rhead, who has won every modified main event so far in 2020, got a piece of the wreck also and suffered heavy cosmetic damage and possibly more. Rhead would not be a factor for the rest of this main event bringing his win streak of 4 in a row to an end. A red flag period to clean up the site of the incident and back under green flag conditions again with McKean resuming the lead. Behind him Zach Webster, who was involved in the multi car wreck, was working his way back up through the field. A quick caution for Tim Fahrner who spun in turn 4. On the restart it was still McKean over Quale. Webster was now putting the pressure on Telford for the third spot. Webster eventually found a way to get by Telford late in the race but it was Kris McKean scoring his first main event win of the year over Quale, Webster, and Telford.
The Valley Office Systems Hornets made their way onto the track to close out the first round of main events. Scott Gilligan led the field at the drop of the green but was soon spraying smoke out the back of his machine at the end of lap 1. That turned the lead over to Brayden Sweatfield and would never be contested for the rest of the race winning his first hornet main event of the year.
During intermission, the Classic Cruisers of Twin Falls featured a little over 30 beautiful cars that took a few laps on the speedway in front of a cheering crowd. Some did burnouts while others revved their motors to the delight of the fans. Also, 6-year-old Eli Egbert won an exciting Big Wheels race sponsored by R&A Trucking.
The start of the second round of main events featured the Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers. 8-year-old Jr Flagger, Branson Sink, waved the green flag to get things going. Angel Newberry led the field right away and looked like she was going to run away with it opening up a sizeable lead. Utah driver, Liyah Solomon, was working her way through the field making incredible passes using the outside line. Solomon found herself working on Brayden Sweatfield for the third spot. She jumped to the outside going down the backstretch and had the pass complete coming out of turn 3 when her car got loose and caught the outside wall with a heavy impact. Her car got stuck on top of the wall with fire immediately erupting from the engine compartment. A quick-thinking Solomon was able to climb herself out of the car to safety and to the roar of the crowd. The safety crew was able to extinguish the huge flames coming from the car during this red flag period. On the restart, Angel Newberry couldn’t be touched in this one as she drove away to her second Jr Stinger main event win in as many weeks. Our Jr Trophy Presenter of the night, 8-year-old Jenika Egbert, handed the hardware to Angel and celebrated with the entire Heavenly Racing team in victory lane.
The Denny’s Minis were back out with their large field once again for their second main event of the evening. At the drop of the green, Zaine Newberry in his very first race spun in turn 2 bringing out the caution. Back under green again and John Quinton streaked out in front and put a straightaway lead on the rest of the field within a few laps. Quinton held the top spot until lap 10 when Chad Everett started showing some strength. Everett was able to get by Quinton for the lead in the middle of lapped traffic and was starting to set a torrid pace by lapping into the top 10 at the halfway point. While that was going on, the action was picking up within the top 5 with a three wide battle going on between John Quinton, Mike Audet, and Manda Haye. On lap 21, Cecil Miles who won the first Denny’s Minis main event earlier in the night, spun in turn 2 bringing out the caution and bunching the field for the restart. The green flag flew again and Quinton was right in Everett’s tire tracks now trying to take over the top spot. Behind those two, the sisters of Hannah Hatch and Katie Hatch were side by side trying to crack the top 5. At the front, Quinton did all he could to try to stay with Everett but Everett proved to be too strong and brought it home under the checkers making him the 5th different driver to win a main event in 2020 within 6 races.
The ICCU Modifieds returned to the track for their second main event of the evening. At the drop of the green, Eric Rhead’s machine did not go when he hit the throttle which gave him a shove from behind from another car sending Rhead to the infield grass resulting with front end damage as well. Rhead was towed off the track ending a day that the defending modified champion would like to forget. A complete restart and when the green flew, Utah’s Tim Fahrner found himself in the lead with Dalton Cristiani in tow. The action was exciting right away with Zach Webster and Dan Root Jr going side by side for third and behind those two, Jeff Longman, Zach Telford, Kris McKean, and Jason Quale were side by side two rows deep, all of this happening within the first 5 laps. Webster kept on charging through the field by getting by Cristiani for second and eventually grabbing the lead from Fahrner a couple of laps later. McKean lost the back end of his machine in turn 4 bringing out the caution. On the restart, Webster jumped back out in front and started to drive away from the field. Cristiani was able to move past Fahrner to put himself in the runner up spot but had a full straightaway deficit to make up on leader Webster. One more caution for Longman spinning in turn 3 after trying to get underneath Quale. The restart saw Webster once again driving away and the battle now was on second between Cristiani and Telford. In the closing laps, Telford was able to jump to the outside of Cristiani and the two ran wheel to wheel. Webster was able to pick up his first main event win of the year, Cristiani made valiant effort to try to hold off Telford but unfortunately spun it on the final lap giving the runner up spot to Telford.
The final main event of the night featured the Valley Office Systems Hornets. Scott Gilligan jumped out in front but his car started to smoke again just like it did in the first main event. As his car started to slow, the field behind him scrambled around to get by him and at one point was part of a three-wide battle. Once everyone got by Gilligan, Zach Rydalch was the next leader of the race with Shelby Dalton trying to stay with him. Dalton started to close the gap on Rydalch within the last couple of laps but it wouldn’t be enough as Rydalch crossed the line first and celebrated with a backflip off the roof of his car in victory lane.
Other winners during the evening were Verna Leon who won a free pie from Shari’s Café and Drew Hurd, Brittany Smith, and Jennifer Sanders won the Saturday Racetrack Selfie contest. This Saturday night is Shari’s night featuring the Cactus Petes Streets, Project Filter Bombers, Valley Office Systems Hornets, and the popular Extreme Staffing Double Deckers plus the Denny’s Minis Grand Slam Shootout. A full night of racing so you will definitely want to arrive early to get the best seats in the house!! Gates open at 5pm and we wave the first green flag for McDonalds Racing at 6pm!! Bring the entire family and friends to the best entertainment you will find in the entire valley………..Magic Valley Speedway!!
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