9/24/2020
Magic Valley Speedway
The first champion is crowned for 2020
By DJ Everett
Cooler temperatures graced the fans as the season of fall is starting to set in on Magic Valley Speedway. This past Saturday night featured the Brennan’s Carpet Midgets, Dennis Minis, Project Filter Bombers, Valley Office Systems Hornets, Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers, and the Extreme Staffing Double Decker’s all on Watkins Distributing Night!! The season is nearing the end as we crowned the first champion of the year!!
The first main event of the night was the Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers as they took on the ¼ mile hornet track this evening for the first of two races for them. The green flag flew and polesitter Roxy Nolan took to the lead with Angel Newberry in tow. Lap 2 featured Newberry making an aggressive move to the outside of Nolan to take the lead. Kayli McKean was also able to get by Nolan to move into second and started to track down leader Newberry. The two did a great job weaving their way through traffic when McKean ran it off into the grass heading into turn 1 and coming to a stop bringing out the caution. Back to green flag racing and Newberry drove away from the field to take the checker flag again in 2020. Newberry has been amazing this year collecting the wins!
The Denny’s Minis were out next for their first of two main events and when the green came out it was Christina Williams with the early lead. Kip Lash driving Mike Fuller’s #9 this week slotted into the second spot but that didn’t last long as he found his way past Williams to be the next leader of the race. Mike Audit, Cecil Miles, and Chad Everett all were close behind Lish making this a great four car battle for the lead as they were making their way through lapped traffic. Lish started to pull away from the three behind him with Miles making his way past Audet pulling Everett with him moving both into second and third. Danny Gilliam made contact with the turn 2 wall and came to a stop on the backstretch bringing out the caution. Gilliam received the hook back to the pits and the field was back to rows of two for the restart with Lish and Miles on the front row. The green was back out and as the field rounded turns 1 and 2, Lish and Miles made contact in turn 2 sending Lish out of control. As Lish’s car came back up the track, he collected Everett sending both hard into the wall and Lish’s car turning over on its roof. Audet also caught a piece of the accident and was sent spinning down the backstretch but was able to continue on after coming to a brief stop. Both Lish and Everett emerged from their cars and walked away under their own power to the applause of the crowd. A red flag to clean up the area and to tow some wrecked cars off the track and we were back to racing again. Miles was now the new leader with Audet right on his bumper and as the two took the white flag, Audet gave it one last try in turns 3 and 4 but came up a little short giving the win to Miles to add to his win total this year.
The R&A Trucking Big Wheelz race featured some of the future racers of Magic Valley Speedway with Jesalyn Sweatfield victorious on this night.
The Extreme Staffing Double Deckers were on the track next and as in usual fashion, this race featured a lot of side by side action with plenty of passing. The team of Brayden Sweatfield and Zach Rydalch were able to maneuver their double decker through all of the traffic to find victory. Sweatfield and Rydalch seem to be a potent team in the double deckers as they always seem to be in contention for the win.
The Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers rolled out for their second main event of the night. Jr Flagger, CJ Everett threw the green flag to get this one going and it was Roxy Nolan leading the way. Kaili McKean did some impressive moves on the first lap as she went from fourth to second in one turn. As the field went into turn 1 for lap 2, contact between Angel Newberry and Kaethyn Gilligan sent both for a spin with Kasen Powell coming to a stop trying to avoid the two and also bringing out the caution. Back under green, Nolan had McKean on her rear bumper and as they rounded turns 3 and 4, McKean put it up on the outside and vaulted her way into the lead. After that, Kaili McKean drove away from the field and was never challenged. McKean looked very impressive in this one as she drove it to the checkers. McKean running an abbreviated schedule this year is always a threat when she does race. Jr Trophy Presenter, Kole Wagnaar joined in on the popular victory lane ceremonies.
The Denny’s Minis were on the track again for another main event and Zaine Newberry from the outside front row powered his way into the lead and automatically put distance between himself and the rest of the field. Behind him, Cecil Miles and Mike Audet started working their way forward occupying spots two and three. As Miles started to catch leader Newberry, Miles ran faster than the mandatory breakout time and was put a lap down. This put Audet now in the runner-up spot but was a full straightaway behind Newberry at this point. Caution flew for a spinning Chad Everett who was driving Adam Roth’s #16 in this main event. Everett was able to rejoin the field when the green flew and now Audet was running side by side with Newberry for the lead. Newberry was able to get back out in front of Audet to resume his lead with Jon Quinton filing into the third spot. Audet tried to stay close to Newberry within the closing laps, but Newberry was too strong as Newberry picked up his second main event win of the year making the Newberry family double main event winners on the evening.
The Project Filters Bombers made their way onto the speedway for their main event and polesitter, Robin Finch was the early leader. Gracie Pehrson tried to put an outside move on Beverly Meyers in turn 4 battling for second and as the two made contact, that opened the door for Craig McCann to get by Perhson for third. Pehrson wasn’t going to be denied as she put it back down low on McCann with McCann on the inside of Meyers. A three-wide battle ensued for second on the backstretch with McCann and Pehrson still side by side for the position heading into turn 3. They stayed that way as they approached leader Finch and as they rounded turn 4, another three wide battle occurred with Finch, Pehrson, and McCann. Finch’s car slowed down the frontstrech taking him out of contention and while that was happening, Meyers somehow got back by McCann for second. Unbelievable battling was going on tonight with the bombers!! Leader Pehrson’s car started to smoke and eventually started to slow allowing Meyers to get by for the lead and McCann for second. The battling wasn’t done as Meyers slid up high in turns 1 and 2 allowing McCann to get by for the lead. McCann held that lead all the way to the checkers picking up his fifth win of the year.
The Brennan’s Carpet Midgets were up next for their championship race. Ashlynn Powell was the leader at the end of the first lap but as the field rounded turn 4 for lap 2, a three-wide battle down the frontstretch developed for the lead between Devin Westover, Natalie Waters, and Powell. Waters got the best of that battle as she powered into the lead on the outside. Westover found his way into second with Anthony Quintana hot on his heels. Quintana made short work of Westover and set sail after leader Waters. Quintana was able to close in on Waters but was only able to get within 3 car lengths as Waters started to pull away in the closing laps. Waters was able to drive it under the checkered flag picking up her second win of the year and the 2020 Brennan’s Carpet Midget Championship at Magic Valley Speedway!!
The Cactus Petes Streets rolled out next for their main event. Jeff Peck and Shawn Lester waged a great side by side battle for the lead for the first few laps and right behind them, Willie Dalton and Ronn McClimans were doing the same as the top 4 were side by side two rows deep. Dalton was looking to the inside of Peck having thoughts of going three-wide for the lead. Lester eventually emerged as the leader with Peck now battling Dalton, McClimans, and Tim Powell for second. Dalton moved into second with Powell following through into the third spot. Dalton started to slowly draw in on leader Lester with Powell right there also. Dalton’s run on Lester seemed to have stalled out for the moment with Powell mounting a challenge on Dalton for second. Powell looked up high but was unable to get the job done as the top 3 took the white flag. Down the backstretch, Dalton took a peek on the inside of Lester going into turn 3 but Lester was able to hold him off and drive it to the checkers.
The final race of the night was the Valley Office Systems Hornets that featured a combination race on the ¼-mile hornet track with the 1/5-mile stinger track. Wally Pierson led from his pole sitting position with Scott Gilligan battling Peggy Dean for the runner up spot with Zach Rydalch and Malaki Juarez also in the mix. Gilligan first got by Dean for second and then made a great move on the frontstretch to get by Pierson for the lead with Juarez following through into second. Caution flag flew for Shelby Dalton spinning in turn 3 of the big track after contact with Peggy Dean. Back to racing and Gilligan was still the leader with Juarez in second and now Rydalch holding down the third spot. The driver’s got the command from race control under green flag racing to now race on the stinger track and this is where things got interesting. As Gilligan approached lapped traffic with two laps to go, Gilligan and Dean made contact in turn 3 of the stinger track sending Dean for a spin and both cars coming to a stop. Juarez went around both of the stopped machines and took the white flag in which he drove it to the checkered flag to pick up his first hornet main event win this year.
Congratulations also go out to Todd Brix for winning the free Shari’s pie and also to Nancy Horn and Jerrica Carpenter for winning the selfie contest! This Saturday night is Quale’s Electronics Night featuring the ICCU Modified, Denny’s Minis, Cactus Pets Streets, and the Valley Office Systems Hornets!! We are nearing the end of the season but still have some great points battles going on with all of the divisions!! Gates open at 5pm with Nasar Racing at 6pm!! We will see everyone this Saturday Night at Idaho’s holy grail of racing……………Magic Valley Speedway!!