Boise, Idaho’s Meridian Speedway is gearing up for its biggest race of the year, the Idaho 208 Super Late Model race that pays $20,000 to the victor, this Saturday, August 20.

The Idaho 208 pays tribute to the state’s longest existing area code, and was originally created as a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event. Since the event began in 2016, winners have included Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Michael Self, Hailie Deegan, and Derek Kraus, all of whom have gone on to have success in various NASCAR divisions like the Xfinity Series, Camping World Trucks Series, and the ARCA Menards Series. 

Eventually, the Stock Cars of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (now known as the ARCA Menards Series West) departed from Meridian, and the 208 has been turned into a Super Late Model race. Jeremy Doss scored the inaugural Super Late Model Idaho 208 victory in 2020 and last year saw Preston Peltier capture the checkered flag and the $20,000 check.

The Idaho 208 is still looking for its first Meridian Speedway regular to take home the checkered flag, and this year might be the best chance yet for that to happen.

Zach Telford, who calls Middleton, Idaho home, grew up just about 30 minutes away from the quarter-mile bullring that is Meridian Speedway. The teenaged driver finished second in last year’s Idaho 208 to Super Late Model veteran Preston Peltier. 

Another local driver who has to be considered a favorite is Kyle Tellstrom. Originally from Ukiah, California, Tellstrom attended Boise State University and began racing frequently at Meridian. Tellstrom is a two-time Late Model track champion at Meridian with titles coming in 2018 and 2019. Tellstrom has three victories at Meridian this season, two in Big 5 Late Model competition and one in Pro Late Model competition. 

The Idaho 208 is also expected to have a strong number of invaders trying to take the $20,000 back home with them, including the Yackeys from Greeley, Colorado. Brett and Bruce Yackey are fresh off top-10 finishes in the Challenge Cup 150 at the Colorado National Speedway one week ago and are hoping to carry that momentum to an Idaho 208 victory.

Racing will kick off on Friday, August 19 with a 104-lap, $3,000-to-win Pro Late Model race, plus qualifying races for Saturday’s Idaho 208, and racing for the Factory Stocks and Pro Trucks. The qualifying races will be 25 laps each. The first race will determine the inside row of the Idaho 208 starting lineup, with the second race determining the outside line.

Then on Saturday, the Super Late Models headline the evening with the 208-lap Idaho 208, plus features for the Speed Tour Modifieds, NW Trucks and Street stocks.

The Idaho 208 will be run in two 104-lap segments. There will be a 10-minute halfway break on track where teams can make adjustments, but are not allowed to change tires. 

There’s a lot on the line in the Idaho 208, and not just because it pays $20,000 to the winner. The second-place finisher will take home $3,000, making the win extremely important. 

Race fans who cannot attend the weekend’s festivities in person at Meridian Speedway can watch all of the action from both nights of racing live on FloRacing.