There was a buzz around Meridian Speedway last Saturday, August 22, as thirty-five Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets took to the quarter-mile asphalt oval for the 125-lap Neil Alan Fine Jewelry Hot August Race for Hunger presented by ATS Inland Northwest benefitting the Boise Rescue Mission. The Pit Stop USA NASCAR Modifieds, Project Filter Pro-4s, and Coors Super Stocks rounded out a Saturday slate of short track action.
The Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets stretched around more than half of the speedway as front row starters Doug McGarva and Jake Combs led the field to the green flag.
Predictably, chaos ensued as competitors ducked and weaved through traffic.
On the move early were Tommy Harrod and James Pahl, who plowed up the gut and into the top five in just four short laps. Pahl wasn’t content to simply ride around in the top five, and with a flurry of bold moves and close calls the Caldwell, Idaho wheelman surged to the top spot in his Vets 4 Success, Cloverdale Plumbing entry. Harrod tried to follow in his PBT Auto Sales machine, but instead was drawn into a hard-fought battle with second place runner Josie Nelson.
Pahl and Harrod maintained the top two spots through the race’s early stages while a second fast pack formed and began to climb their way up the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard. This group included Cody Garrett, top five standings runner Dale Bolinger, and division point leader Jeff Matuska.
Pahl’s luck in traffic ran out just after the halfway point when contact sent him headlong into the turn two concrete on lap 68. This opened the door for Garrett and Josh Parkkila to make their bid for the lead. Garrett would take full advantage of the restart and open a commanding lead over Parkkila and Bolinger.
Garrett continued to put cars between himself and his competitors until the caution flag waved again with 22 circuits left on the Pepsi-Cola scoreboard. On this restart Parkkila’s Pop’s Shop, Boise Bath and Kitchen Company racer was trapped behind a stalled car on the start, and fell to the back of the pack. This left Garrett out front with Bolinger and Matuska in pursuit.
As the laps wound down Garrett continued to race away from Bolinger, who fell into a battle with Matuska for the runner up spot. As Garrett flashed across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe, Bolinger held of Matuska’s Top Wrench Repair, Neil Alan Fine Jewelry racer to take second, with Tommy Harrod and Nick Durbin rounding out the top five.
Post race inspection revealed issues with all three of the podium finishers’ cars and they were disqualified for the event. This transferred the win to Harrod, who donated his winnings to the Boise Rescue Mission. Neil Alan Fine Jewelry also made a donation to the Boise Rescue Mission for ten-thousand dollars.
Middleton, Idaho’s Zach Telford took both Pit Stop USA NASCAR Modified main event wins in his Builders First Source, Wild West Welding and Excavation machine.
Ryan Bailey stunned the Project Filter Pro-4 ranks as the Nampa, Idaho racer parked his Project Filter, Specialty Supply racer in the Caleb’s Chop Shop Winner’s Circle. After a hard-fought Coors Super Stocks feature, Pat Tully emerged from his Pinnacle Appraisal, Bruce and Rod’s Point “S” Tire entry victorious over Daytona Wurtz and Melissa Weaver.
Next Saturday, August 29, NAPA Auto Parts Big 5 Late Models roar to life for the NAPA Idaho 208 presented by Pit Stop USA, YMC Mechanical, PBT Auto Sales, A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning, Gem County Auto and Truck, Powers Transport, Dave Parrie—Dave’s Auto Body and Paint, Precision Framing Gibson Diesel Performance, Maxwell Plumbing, Boise Boys Transportation, and Trevor Cristiani Racing. General admission to the NAPA Idaho 208 is just $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and military members, $7 for kids 7-11, and as always kids 6 and under get in free. Gates open at 4:45 p.m. with racing at 6:45 p.m. As part of Meridian Speedway’s sponsor obligations, race coverage featuring the SpeedCast.tv crew will be available exclusively on FloSports.tv beginning at 5:30 p.m. We’ll see you next Saturday, August 29, for the NAPA Idaho 208 presented by Pit Stop USA, YMC Mechanical, PBT Auto Sales, A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning, Gem County Auto and Truck, Powers Transport, Dave Parrie—Dave’s Auto Body and Paint, Precision Framing Gibson Diesel Performance, Maxwell Plumbing, Boise Boys Transportation, and Trevor Cristiani Racing.
Meridian Speedway PR
