Outlaws Shine as Dirt Racing Returns to Meridian Speedway

MERIDIAN, Idaho—Meridian Speedway returned to its racing roots Saturday as the stars of both the asphalt quarter-mile and the one-tenth mile Dirt Track at Meridian Speedway took part in Aaron’s Sales and Lease Night.  The Teleperformance Claimer Stocks, College of Western Idaho Super Stocks, and Junior Stingers joined dirt track competitors in the 500 Open, 250 Open, Predator Stox, Hot Rod, and Box Stock for a full night of racing action.

The Junior Stingers kicked off asphalt main event action with a fifteen lap sprint.  On the green Mary Sharp shot to the lead in her A-1 Chem Dry, La Sierra Tire and Wheel entry.  Behind Sharp, Meridian, Idaho’s Rusty Houpt knifed his way through traffic and took second place in his Boise Spring Works, Catapult 3 machine.  Houpt wasn’t done there as on lap three he roared past Sharp to take the lead, followed by Cody Castricone and Alyse Schildhauer.

Schildhauer’s CCT machine came alive on lap five as she blasted around Castricone to take the runner up spot.  Two laps later, Schildhauer ducked low to move past Houpt for the top spot.  As the leaders moved into lapped traffic Schildhauer was forced off line, and the Lotus, Idaho driver shot into the backstretch wall.  Schildhauer emerged from her wrecked racer okay after the incident, and the lead was handed back to Houpt.  On the restart Houpt sailed away from the field and crossed the Caleb’s Chop Shop Victory Stripe first.

The College of Western Idaho Super Stocks sped through their thirty lap feature.  On the break Nampa, Idaho driver Hunter Gates put his YMC, PBT Auto Sales machine in the lead.  Melissa Arte followed Gates forward and on lap two pulled to Gates’ outside.  Gates did everything he could to hold off Arte’s Marv’s Tire Service, Dillon Performance Engines entry, but on lap two the lady racer made her way to the lead.  This dropped Gates into the clutches of Ben Crow, who used lap six to put his Excel Equipment Company, Caldwell Transportation racer in the runner up spot.

A midrace caution bunched the field and brought Crow to Arte’s outside for the restart.  Arte sprinted ahead of Crow when the green flag waved, but Crow kept the pressure on as Arte battled an ill-handling machine.  A bunch of lapped traffic slowed Arte with two laps to go.  While Crow was able to close the gap, he wasn’t able to make a move and Arte claimed her second main event win of the season.

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