Warf, Giesler Duel for Open-Wheel Win at Meridian Speedway

Gusty winds greeted a packed pit area Monday, September 7, as the Teleperformance Twin 25’s presented by Academy Mortgage by Ryan Shelby took over Meridian Speedway.  The Pit Stop USA NASCAR Modifieds, Pepsi Crate and ISRL Sprint Cars, Teleperformance Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Domino’s Legends, and Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets took to the quarter-mile asphalt oval for two big main events. 

After an action-packed first feature that saw Johnny Giesler take home the victory, the Pepsi Crate and ISRL Sprint Cars roared to green behind Trevor Anderson and Frank Keller.  Anderson got to the gas pedal first in his Bender Electric Services, Flo Light racer and dispatched Draper, Utah’s Keller for the early lead with Ben Hinkle and Casey Tillman in his tire tracks. 

The battle up front was intense, and on lap two hard contact between Hinkle and Tillman stacked the field up on the front stretch.  The twelve Pepsi Crate and ISRL Sprint Car racers were able to avoid a crash for nearly an entire lap before a bump sent Keller around in the middle of the pack and forced a caution. 

On the restart Hinkle bolted to the top spot in his Dick’s Chevron machine, with Preston Henderson and Bryan Warf in tow.  Warf pinned his Allan Marsh RV & Marine Center, CF Floor Coverings sprinter to the low side and worked his way around Henderson and Hinkle to take the lead. 

Behind Warf, Giesler pushed his Giesler Automotive, Direct Solutions racer forward, and after eight laps found himself in the runner up spot and closing on Warf.  With ten circuits left Giesler arrived on Warf’s tail tank and launched his first attack. 

Giesler carved around the low side of turn one, but washed up into Warf’s left rear tire.  The two were able to keep their racers under control, but slammed together again on the exit of turn two.  With a heavy attack coming lap after lap from Giesler, Warf turned his sights ahead and dashed into lapped traffic. 

Giesler dived low and looked high, but each and every challenge was stymied by traffic as Warf hung on to take the second Pepsi Crate and ISRL Sprint Car main event victory of the Teleperformance Twin 25’s Night presented by Academy Mortgage by Ryan Shelby. 

Pit Stop USA NASCAR Modified competitor Josh Jackson mistook the white flag for the checkered after leading the majority of the classification’s first feature.  Jackson realized his mistake in the nick of time, and wheeled his Lestarjette Painting, Motor Mayhem Chassis Dyno modified back on track to score the victory.  In the second main event Jackson found himself pinned behind lapped traffic as division point leader Brendon Fries motored past in his ICON Credit Union, Ausmus Enterprises entry for the win. 

In one of the more physical last laps in recent Mini Stock memory, Travis Pavlacky and Luke Wolverton body-slammed their way across the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe, with Pavlacky taking home the victory in his FVC, Price Painting pickup.  Pavlacky came up one spot short in the second of the night’s Teleperformance Twin 25’s presented by Academy Mortgage by Ryan Shelby, as Don Trafford claimed the night’s second feature flag behind the wheel of his Trident Plumbing machine. 

Jerry Davis and his GCAT Towing, Interstate Batteries racer outlasted the Domino’s Legends field to take home the division’s first Feature Flag of the evening.  After an epic duel with Chad Barker, Brok Kidd pushed his The Winning Edge, Grinkers Arcade ahead by half a car length to win the night’s second main event. 

Josh Fanopoulos dominated the Teleperformance Street Stocks in both of the division’s main events Monday.  At the controls of his Certified Services, Evolution Auto Body machine, Fanopoulos cruised to his third and fourth-straight feature wins of the season. 

Boise, Idaho’s Josh Parkkila and Dale Bolinger of Emmett, Idaho split the Big Daddy’s Barbecue Hornets main events to round out the Teleperformance Twin 25’s presented by Academy Mortgage by Ryan Shelby action. 

Meridian Speedway races back into action this Saturday, September 12, for Big Al’s Lucky Rides for Kids on Les Schwab Tire Race Night.  The Northwest Mini Stocks join your local Mini Stockers, while the Pit Stop USA NASCAR Modifieds, Pepsi Crate and ISRL Sprint Cars, Project Filter Pro-4s, and Junior Stingers go door-to-door for their own Anderson 68 Racing Feature Flags.  General admission to Saturday night’s action is just $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and military members, $7 for kids 7-11, and, as always, free for kids 6 and under.  Gates swing open at 4:45 p.m. with racing action beginning at 6:45 p.m.  Log on to www.meridianspeedway.com for all the latest from around the quarter-mile and to purchase your advance tickets.  Full coverage of Big Al’s Lucky Rides for Kids on Les Schwab Tire Race Night will be available on SpeedCast.tv starting at 6 p.m.  We’ll see you this Saturday, September 12, under the big yellow water tower at your NASCAR Home Track, Meridian Speedway. 

Meridian Speedway PR