From Meridan Speedway
Meridian, ID — (May 30, 2014) — The Meridian Speedway grandstands were near capacity Friday night as the quarter-mile oval hosted night one of the twenty-fifth Diamond Cup as fans took full advantage of the Stinker Stores Family Pass promotion. Those on hand got to see thrilling finishes and hard-fought racing from a variety of divisions.
the main attraction roared onto the asphalt for the first leg of the annual Diamond Cup. Though Friday’s action was only to accrue points for the overall Diamond Cup championship the action was as tight as it was fast. Out of the blocks it was polesitter Richie Larson to the point. Locals Bryan Warf and Johnny Giesler tangled deep in the pack, but both continued to march through the field undamaged. Third place Sierra Jackson used the tenth lap to work over Rick Brown for second, but instead found the tire smoking Brown able to thwart her advances. Only Colton Nelson’s stalled car could cool the action. The green reappeared with 27 laps remaining. Gremlins also struck leader Larson, whose cut right rear tire forced him to the pits and the tail end of the field.
Back at race speed Brown’s hot rod pulled to the lead with teammates Jackson and Giesler giving chase. With right rear smoking in protest Brown gave up the low line with seventeen laps to go. Gielser would follow Jackson to second two laps later and turn his attention to tracking down her tail tank. The next lap Brown’s car issued a ball of flame as he pulled into the pit area. The ensuing caution brought the teammates side-by-side. Victoria, British Columbia’s Matt Mansell restarted third and all-time track record holder Andy Alberding rounded out the first two rows. Giesler would try both high and low lanes, but didn’t have enough to pass Jackson, whose sprinter thundered away from the field to claim night number one of the Diamond Cup. Further back Alberding dispensed of Mansell for third and weekly Mountain Dew Winged Sprintcar driver Warf took fifth.