LOOKING IN ON: MOTOR SPORTS

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006 | 6:59 a.m.

Timing is everything in racing - a lesson Jace Meier learned during the Fall Classic open comp race earlier this month at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

During the race weekend Meier, a personable 17-year-old senior at Spring Valley High School, struck up a friendship with Tim Huddleston, a Late Model division driver and owner of one of the top Late Model teams in Southern California. When Huddleston fell out of the 100-lap race early, he decided to stay around and watch Meier.

Obviously, Huddleston liked what he saw. Less than three weeks after Meier finished fifth (in a field of 25) in the open comp race at The Bullring, Huddleston signed Meier to drive for him next season at Irwindale Speedway in Southern California.

"It was a horrible race. I had to go to the back three times and ended up making it up to fifth and (Huddleston) saw that," Meier said. "We ended up talking to them later on that night, and we've ended up striking a deal with them where I'm going to be racing for them down at Irwindale Speedway next year."

But Meier won't be racing just any Late Model; Huddleston is putting Meier in the car that Travis Thirkettle drove to the track championship at Irwindale this season.

"I'm really excited about that," Meier said. "The equipment really is second to none. I think (this) year they won something like 16 out of 19 poles. It's the best of the best equipment, so I'm really excited about what next year can bring as far as the Late Models go."

In addition to winning rookie of the year honors in the Late Model division this year at The Bullring with four top-five finishes in six races, Meier also finished fifth in points in the USAC California Ford Focus Pavement sprint series with a win and five podium finishes in 10 races.

Although he started racing at a relatively late age (13), Meier already is attracting the attention of those in the racing community, including NASCAR West Series team owner Bill McAnally, who recently invited Meier to test one of his touring stock cars.

"The West test went great," Meier said. "We did it up at Stockton 99 Speedway, just before they closed it. There were five drivers testing, and we got 100 laps each and I had the fastest time of the day, so I was really happy with that."

Meier said he has a standing offer to drive for McAnally in the West Series in 2008 - providing Meier and his family can secure the required sponsorship.

"Bill really would like us to be in the West Series by (2008) if we can come up with the funds," Meier said. "His team is probably the best there is in Grand National West.

"The good part about it is that we have 13 or 14 months to find the funding to run 2008, and we have a lot of good things going on. You plant a hundred seeds and hope one of them grows, in regards to sponsorship."

Tough luck

Another up-and-coming local driver, 16-year-old Alex Haase, had a rough go of it last weekend at the inaugural Mason-Dixon Meltdown Super Late Model event at South Boston (Va.) Speedway.

Haase, entered in the race by family friend Kyle Busch, qualified 28th out of 48 drivers and finished fourth in one heat race and third in a consolation race. Haase was leading the last-chance qualifier, attempting to advance to the 250-lap main event, when his engine blew.

Busch qualified ninth and finished 19th among 33 cars in the main event.

Season finale

Las Vegas Motor Speedway officially concludes its racing season Friday night with the final installment of the year of "Midnight Mayhem" at The Strip.

"Midnight Mayhem," which will return to The Strip in 2007, is open to all street-legal cars and motorcycles. Drivers must have a valid driver's license and proof of insurance.

Friday's "Midnight Mayhem" program will run from 7 p.m. to midnight. Additional information can be found at www.lvms.com.

Races won this season (out of 14) by Champ Car World Series champion Sebastien Bourdais

Races won this season (out of 36) by NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson