6/25/2021
Magic Valley Speedway
The Veteran Drivers Made it Happen!
By DJ Everett
It was a busy night of racing on Gibson Diesel Performance Night featuring the Gibson Diesel Super Late Models, ICCU Modifieds, Cactus Pete’s Streets, Project Filter Bombers, and the Magic Valley Pipe Hornets where the veteran drivers on this night schooled the rest of the field. The action was at an all-time high which had the crowd on their feet!
The ICCU Modifieds kicked off the evening with first of two main events with Jason Quale leading the field in the early laps after a fierce side by side battle with Natalie Waters. Quale and Waters immediately put distance between themselves and the rest of the field. Behind them, the action was unbelievable as there was three wide racing going on in the middle of the pack. Eric Rhead climbed his way into third and had a full straightaway deficit to make up in order to catch the top two. Kirk Hennefer slowed to a stop in turn 4 to bring out the first caution which bunched the field up for the restart. Green flag was flying again and Jason Quale launched back into the lead and Lynn Hardy was able to get around Waters for second but Waters wasn’t going to be denied as she fought past Hardy to regain the runnerup spot. Hardy was starting to fall back through the field as his Redbone Trucking teammate of Eric Rhead slid into third spot. Quale continued to stretch his lead when the yellow flew again for a spinning Waters. Restart once again and this time Rhead was able to get the best of Quale for the lead and that was all Rhead needed to drive it all the way to the checkered flag to add another win to his already multiple win season.
Double main events also for the Gibson Diesel Super Late Models and the big question on this night would be could anyone stop the dominance of Eddy McKean who has been victorious in all of the super late model main events so far this year. At the drop of the green it was front row starter Trevor Cristiani leading it early with Thane Alderman running second and Bruce Quale and Nick Gibson door to door for third. McKean from the back of the back started his march towards the front by clearing Quale and Gibson in a matter of a couple of laps. Alderman was next on McKean’s hit list as he made quick work of that situation moving himself into second. The battle was now on between two of the best late model drivers on the west coast, Cristiani and McKean. McKean was able to get to Cristiani’s rear bumper quickly and started to strategize on how he was going to get the job done. Cristiani put up a good fight as the two ran side by side for a few laps before McKean was able to clear Cristiani for the lead. A quick yellow for Eddy Cole who spun in turn two but when the field went green again, McKean put it in cruise control and drove it to victory. Cristiani came home in second and Gibson was able to get by Alderman late in the race to place third in the final rundown.
The R&A Trucking Big Wheelz race took place during opening ceremonies giving the young future stars of MVS a chance to showcase their talents. Emersynn Edens was victorious taking home the trophy on what would be only the beginning of an Edens streak of wins this evening.
The Magic Valley Pipe Hornets were next for their main event in a race that they ran the opposite way on the hornet track. We welcomed back former hornet driver Steve Edens Jr and his teammate Brenden Radabaugh debuting their Wasted Wages Racing machines. Zach Rydalch and Jeff Black joined the two and Jr Flagger, Jaxen Pato, flew the green flag to get the race started. Edens Jr jumped out in front to the lead with Rydalch giving chase in second. Everyone did a great job with no drama in this one as Edens Jr drove away from everyone getting his first hornet main event win in many years. Trophy Presenter Emersynn Edens presented her father with the trophy as Emersynn and Jaxen joined in for some photos in victory lane.
The Cactus Pete’s Streets rolled out next and polesitter Josh Cuff led the first lap with Jeff Peck on his right side door. Cuff has been improving each race and looked good in this race. Cuff and Peck battle side by side for the number one spot for the first couple of laps with Steve Edens Sr making his presence known joining in on that battle. Peck was able to wrestle the lead away and as soon as that happened, Willie Dalton spun off turn 4 enabling the yellow flag to wave. Steve Edens Sr got a great restart and drove by Peck for the lead with Shawn Lester in tow. Willie Dalton climbed his back into third after his earlier spin and challenged Lester for second. By this time, Edens Sr pulled away from everyone and showed that he had the setup on his car on this night. This gave Edens Sr his second win of the year and made the Edens family triple winners for the night as son Steven Edens Jr and granddaughter Emersynn Edens were also winners earlier.
The Gibson Diesel Super Late Models entered the track again for their second main event and when the green flew Bruce Quale and Thane Alderman took it side by side for the first few laps before Alderman got sole possession of the lead. Trevor Cristiani and Eddy McKean worked their way through the field to move into second and third. Cristiani wasn’t done as he mounted a challenge for the lead by diving low on Alderman. Cristiani made the pass and was now your leader with McKean following through on his rear bumper. McKean stayed in that spot for several laps before he made his decision to work to the inside of Cristiani. Cristiani was proving to be tough in this race as he was successfully fending off the challenges of McKean each time McKean tried to make a move. McKean made his final move that did stick and cleared Cristiani for the lead. Once out in front, McKean was able to drive it again to victory and still be undefeated this year in the Gibson Diesel Super Late Models. This served as the final tune up for the big Spud 150 on July 10th where the Northwest Super Late Models will invade MVS.
The Project Filter Bombers drove out onto the racing surface for their main event and at the start of the race, Chris Kehrer got a good start and led the field right away. Jeremiah Shope landed in second and was trying his best to keep up with Kehrer. Kehrer, who won the heat race earlier in the day, started to drive away from the field. Behind him Brandon Adams and Shope waged a great war for second. Adams put it up on the high side of Shope and got a good bite off turn 2 and slid into second spot. Kehrer was still driving away from everyone’s view and eventually parked it in victory lane to score his first career win at MVS. Good to see Kehrer finally get the W as he’s been close on multiple occasions.
The ICCU Modifieds returned to the track for their second main event of the night. The field got on the gas for the green flag and the action started happening right away as Jeff Longman spun in turns 1 and 2. Another attempt at a start and polesitter Eddy Cole led the field off turn 2 but Natalie Waters felt racy and put her nose to the inside of Cole heading into turn 3. Waters made the pass for the lead and tried to check out on the field. Tim Fahrner and Zach Webster had a good battle going on for second when heading into turn 3, Fahrner’s car got loose and went around bringing out the caution. On the restart Zach Webster timed it perfectly to get by Waters for the lead while Eric Rhead in the middle of the pack started to get sideways and headed towards the infield in the middle of turns 1 and 2. Rhead gathered it back up and rejoined the field under green flag conditions. As the field settled in, the yellow flew again resulting from contact between Dan Root Jr and Fahrner sending Fahrner for a spin on the fronstretch. The field was back in rows of two for the restart and when the green flag came back out, Webster got back out in front. Jason Quale moved around Waters into second and tried to chase down leader Webster. Quale was inching closer to Webster with the action mid pack starting to pick up. Fahrner and Rhead running wheel to wheel coming off turn 4 made very light contact sending Fahrner into the spin cycle for the third time in this race. Webster and Quale occupied the front row for another restart and when the rpms came up for the green flag, Webster again launched out in front. Webster seems to be the master of all restarts in the ICCU Modified division. As the race progressed, a few more cautions for some minor spins but nobody could handle Webster as he picked up his second win of 2021.
We would like to congratulate Virginia Lowe, Jeff Baptista, Kim Gummow, and Garth Bean for being out selfie winners. Each won a free admission ticket to next week’s event which is Project Filter Night featuring the Brennan’s Carpet Midgets, McClimans Racing Engines Minis, Magic Valley Pipe Hornets, Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers, Bud Light Double Deckers, and the exciting Snake River Legends for their first visit this year! Gates open at 5pm and McDonald’s Timed Trials at 5:30 NASCAR Racing at 6pm! The racing is going to be exciting so you will want to arrive early! We will see all of you loyal fans this Saturday night at Magic Valley Speedway!!