8/2/2021
Magic Valley Speedway
Veteran Driver Prevails in the Gibson Diesel Spud 150
By DJ Everett
7/10/2021
We opened the gates to a long line of fans for our biggest race of the year, the Spud 150 on Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Night!! It was the first visit by the Northwest Super Late Model Series that brought many talented super late model drivers from the northwest to challenge our local drivers. Also on the card were the Cactus Pete’s Streets, Project Filter Bombers, McClimans Racing Engines Minis, and the always popular Snake River Legends.
The first main event of the night was the McClimans Racing Engines Minis and as they took the green flag, polesitter Angel Newberry led the first lap until Robbie Hyde took control of the race on lap two. Gary Luck spun to the infield of turn 2 but kept it going to keep the field under green. Roy Boots Jr, Andrew Prince, and Chad Everett slid into the next three spots until Cecil Miles spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. Back to green flag racing and Roy Boots Jr was the new leader with Andrew Prince right on his rear bumper. As the laps started to wind down, Everett, Miles, and Hyde joined the fun up front to battle for the win. The field took the white flag and as the pack rounded turn four heading for the checkers, Chad Everett crossed the line first adding another win to his list in 2021.
The R&A Trucking Big Wheelz race took place for the future racers and in the end it was Emersynn Edens taking home the winner’s trophy.
The Cactus Pete’s Streets rolled out for their main event with Willie Dalton taking the early lead from his outside front row starting spot. Shawn Lester started to put the heat on Dalton with some great side by side racing between the two drivers. Steve Edens Sr and Ronn McClimans also joined the two making it a four-car race at the front of the field. As they entered turn 3, Dalton and Lester came together sending both cars into the wall. Lester was able to drive to the pit area but Dalton needed the aid of a tow truck. On the restart Edens Sr and McClimans were left to do battle for the top spot. McClimans made an outstanding outside move on Edens Sr to lead the race which proved to be the winning move and drove it all the way to the checkered flag.
The McClimans Racing Engines Minis came out next for their second main event of the evening. Jr Flagger Justyn Rodriguez flew the green flag to get the race started and Mirinda Davis took control early with Cecil Miles, Robbie Hyde, and Roy Boots Jr right on the rear doorstep of Davis. Good to see Davis racing on this night as she visits MVS on an abbreviated basis. Miles was able to get by Davis for the lead bringing Boots Jr with him into second. Andrew Prince and Chad Everett entered the picture running third and fourth. Prince was able to muscle his way into second with Miles still leading when the yellow flew for Angel Newberry stopped in turn 1. Back under green and Prince with a great restart became the race’s next leader. Miles wouldn’t be denied as he put it back to the inside of Prince and got by to regain the lead. Miles held his lead to the checkered flag to add to his points lead in the minis class. Trophy Presenter Talon Finch joined in on the victory lane celebration handing over the winner’s hardware.
The Snake River Legends were next up for their main event. Johnethan Davis from the pole led the field at the start with Ken Frickey, Jerry Davis, and Brok Kidd running nose to tail right behind leader Davis. Jerry Davis started to make some moves getting by Frickey on the high side with Kidd following suit into third. The father and son duo of Johnethan and Jerry Davis were now running first and second with Brok Kidd putting his nose in the middle of that running third. The Davis’ now started to draw away from the entire field as they were going to settle it between the two of them. Other drivers we want to mention in this race were 14 year old Roxali Kamper from Utah making her first start at MVS and Travis Kidd, the uncle of Brok Kidd. The white flag flew and Jerry was right on the rear bumper of Johnethan but Johnethan got a great run off turn 2 and brought it back around to the checkered flag to receive his second win of the year at MVS in as many races!
The Project Filter Bombers were ready to go for their main event. Green flag was waving and Robin Finch who was making his first visit of the year at MVS led the way. Jonathan Rich and Chris Kehrer slotted in the next two spots as Finch started to drive away. Rich pulled off the track with mechanical issues as Brandon Adams started to show some muscle moving into third. It didn’t take long for Adams to swing it to the high side on Kehrer to move into second and started to inch closer to Finch for the lead. Heading into turn 3, Adams took a peek to the inside of Finch but Finch held off Adams. Adams tried Finch again on the inside and this time the two drivers ran side by side for a couple of laps until Adams was finally able to get by into the lead. Finch tried to take the lead back but Adams was too strong and was able to cross under the checkered flag for the win.
The Northwest Super Late Model Series geared up for the Spud 150 as the cars were gridded on the frontstretch and driver introductions taking place on the walkway in front of the fans. Northwest stars such as Garrett Evans, Kole Raz, Randy Marshall Jr, Bryce Bezanson, and McDonald’s quick qualifier earlier in the day Tayler Riddle were taking on the local veterans such as Eddy McKean, John Newhouse, Trevor Cristiani, and Zach Telford. The big question was, could anyone dethrone McKean who has won all of the super late models races at MVS this year up to this point. NWSLMS starter Troy Blanton flew the green and polesitter by virtue of the top 8 redraw, Thane Alderman led the field through turns 1 and 2. McKean slotted into second with some great racing going on right behind with Evans, Raz, Telford, and Riddle. Alderman started to pull away from McKean as Bezanson, Riddle, and Telford rounded at the top five early on. Alderman still in front but McKean kept the leader in the cross hairs not letting Alderman get more than a few car lengths in front. While that was going on Riddle was able to work past Bezanson into third. Lap 22 and McKean worked his way past Alderman for the lead off turn 2 but Alderman wasn’t letting McKean get away. Riddle running third at the time started to close the gap on the top two with Alderman taking a look to the inside of McKean but the former Nascar Southwest Tour Champion held off the challenge coming from Alderman. The top three of McKean, Alderman, and Riddle were now nose to tail. A great battle started to develop for fifth as Telford was under fire from Cristiani and Evans. Cristiani poked the nose down low on Telford and after working over Telford numerous laps, Cristiani got the position and brought Evans with him into sixth. By the halfway point of the race, attrition started to take place as heavy hitters such as Max Schroeder and Telford dropped out of the race. As leader McKean entered lapped traffic, Alderman was back on McKean’s rear bumper and again poked his nose to the inside but McKean was still strong out in front retaining the top spot. Riddle was next to experience problems as he dropped out of the race while running third. That moved Bezanson up to third as Evans started to put pressure on Cristiani for fourth and Kole Raz was silently running in sixth. As the field hit lap 90, Evans moved past Cristiani and decided it was time to go. Alderman again looked to the inside of McKean on lap 100 but again McKean still held serve. Amazing racing happening with 50 laps to go and all under green flag conditions from the start of the race. Bezanson started to hunt down Alderman for second and Evans still closing in on the top three. Strategy started to play out as we got indication on who was saving their equipment for the end of the race. On lap 125, Bezanson made an inside move on Alderman to grab second and it was Evans’ turn next to get by Alderman into third a few laps later. In the closing laps of the race, the march of Evans continued by getting past Bezanson for second. Evans was turning quicker laps than McKean with 10 laps to go but McKean had a full straightaway lead at this point and cruised to victory winning the Spud 150 and remains unbeaten on the season in super late model competition at MVS. NWSLMS points leader Garrett Evans finished second with Bryce Bezanson rounding out the top three. Evans commented in victory lane applauding McKean for the victory and stating that old guys rule. All 150 laps went green without any caution flags, a huge testament to the talent of each driver.
We would like to also congratulate our selfie winners Tiffany Gill, Amber Ann, Jennifer Sanders, and Mountain Breeze Brans. The other big winner of the night was James Springer winning the Lowes BBQ grill. The Impact Softball team also came out to raise money by doing a 50/50 raffle in their efforts to make the softball World Series in Florida at the end of the month. Over $1200 was raised with driver Tayler Riddle winning the 50/50 raffle and donating his winnings back to the softball team, a great gesture on his part. We are back in action again this Saturday with Falls Brand Night featuring the ICCU Modifieds, Cactus Pete’s Streets, Project Filter Bombers, Magic Valley Pipe Hornets, and the Quale’s Electronics Jr Stingers. We will see everyone at the party place of the valley………..Magic Valley Speedway!!
