(November 4, 2011 – Las Cruces, NM) It was an all Mesilla Valley front row as Stormy Scott and Fito Gallardo brought Friday night’s 26 car, 40 lap feature to the green with the 2s taking the early race lead. Not wasting any time from the fourth starting position, twin brother Johnny Scott would pilot his 1st into the runner up spot with Bumper Jones holding down third. Jumping the cushion on the start, the G17 of Gallardo would fall back to fifth with the 20 of Rodney Sanders looking to steal the position.
Able to hold to position, the G17 would begin working on RC Whitwell for fourth who snuck by on the start. Just inside 33 laps to run, the Scott Twins would begin to approach slower traffic. With the high line the fastest way around the Southern New Mexico Speedway, maneuvering through slower cars would prove tricky as Stormy would have to abandon the high line for the bottom; leaving the high side open but with traffic all around the 2s would hold the lead until mechanical problems would see Stormy’s night come to an abrupt end with 28 laps remaining.
Into the runner up spot, Bumper Jones would soon have to contend with RC Whitwell as slower traffic would allow the 96t to sail by along with ninth starting Jason Hughes just before the caution waved for the stalled 8j of Dusty Hyde.
Back to green with 19 laps in the books, and the restart would see the 12 of Hughes dive to the bottom of the track with the 1st and the 96t both taking to the high line. Pulling back by for the lead, the 1st of Scott would shadowed by Whitwell as the battle on the track was for third and fifth. Side by side, the 111 of Jones and 12 of Hughes would spend the better part of ten laps in a wheel to wheel battle as the 20 of Sanders worked on holding off several charges by Fito Gallardo with the G17 ultimately able to claim the fifth spot.
Coming up on the final 10 circuits, Whitwell would see a golden opportunity as it looked like the 1st of Scott looked to be pinned behind slower cars but luck would be on Johnny’s side as the high line opened wide for the 1st to drive away only to see the caution wave with nine laps to run.
In a final showdown to get locked into Sunday’s 50 laps, $10,000 to win A-Main, the G17 of Fito Gallardo would slingshot around the high side of Bumper Jones and Jason Hughes to take away third as both drivers set their sights on running down the 96t in hopes of battling for second.
Less than five laps to run and Scott had set sail as the 1st picked up night #1 of the 2011 USRA Fall Modified Nationals. RC Whitwell, Fito Gallardo, and Jason Hughes would round out the top five drivers who have locked themselves into Sunday’s big show.
Night #2 of the 2011 USRA Fall Modified Nationals begins on Saturday November 5, 2011 at 6:30pm (MST). Gates open at 5pm. Admission on November 5th is $10 with kids 11-15, Military, Seniors, Law Enforcement, and University Id are $7. Children 10 years and younger get in free.
The Southern New Mexico Speedway is located 11 miles west of Las Cruces at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Take exit 132 off I-10, turn left to Robert Larson Blvd., and then head west to the Speedway. For turn by turn directions, log onto http://www.snmspeedway.com/maps.php.
For more information on the Speedway, log onto http://www.snmspeedway.com, link up with us on Facebook, and sign up the E-News Letter by texting the word “Speedway” to 22828 from your cell phone.
12th Annual Mesilla Valley Transportation Fall Nationals
Southern New Mexico Speedway ~ Las Cruces, New Mexico
USRA Modified Event Winners
(Friday, November 4th 2011)
Heat 1: Johnny Scott, Zach Vanderbeek, Alex Stanford, Dustin Hyde, Kelly Shryock, Grant Junghans, Brian Craighead, Luigi Truden, Peyton Taylor, Mike Petersilie, Joe Lackey
Heat 2: Rodney Sanders, Greg Jenkins, Max Sadler, Jeremy Payne, Alan Sharpensteen, Mercedes Harris, Greg Jensen, Chad Ayers, Terry Tipton, Chase Allen, Jeff Algayer
Heat 3: Fito Gallardo, Jake Gallardo, Dickie Gorham, Terry Phillips, Richie Davis, Dusty Riggs, Zane DeVilbiss, James Flemming, Dennis Gates, Tom Georges
Heat 4: Kellen Chadwick, Pat Carney, Bob Sikes, Tristan Sikes, Roy Don Mason, Hunter Rasdon, Larry Fears, John Calvert Jr., Brett James, Greg Jelvig
Heat 5: Randy Brown, RC Whitwell, Chase Junghans, Dan Lee, Kelly Gorham, Wesley Summers, Chris Sims, Kevin Clark, Bo Martinez, Richard Johnson
Heat 6: Royal Jones, Ron Schreiner, Jesse Williamson, Christy Georges, Philip Houston, Toby Herring, Jason Cummins, Danny Dozier, Jay Rosales, Robbie Chiles
Heat 7: Jason Hughes, Jake O’Neal, Jimmy Ray, Randy Reeser, A J Sharpensteen, Rick Ortega, Travis Tipton, Donovan Ooley, Wayne Brooks, Jake Boles
Heat 8: Stormy Scott, Bumper Jones, Luke Driskell, Dana Fite, Chad Falco, Josh Cain, Rick Lovelady, Duane Murphy, Roger Owens, Butch Reid Jr.
B-Main 1: Kelly Shryock, Terry Tipton, Richie Davis, Bob Sikes, Wesley Summers, Tom Georges, Alan Sharpensteen, Butch Reid Jr., Danny Dozier, Robbie Chiles, Kevin Clark, Chase Junghans, Travis Tipton, Alex Stanford, Greg Jensen, Dan Lee, Greg Jenkins, Roy Don Mason, AJ Sharpensteen, Chris Sims, Tom Georges, Luigi Truden, Joe Lackey
B-Main 2: Jeremy Payne, Jesse Williamson, Philip Houston, Jason Cummins, Zane DeVilbiss, Dana Fite, Grant Junghans, Christy Georges, Jimmy Ray, Toby Herring, Larry Fears, Jake Boles, Chad Ayers, Josh Cain, Mike Petersilie, Chad Falco, James Flemming, Duane Murphy, Dennis Gates, Max Sadler, Jay Rosales, Jeff Algayer
B-Main 3: Terry Phillips, Dustin Hyde, Luke Driskell, Dickie Gorham, Hunter Rasdon, Wayne Brooks, Tristan Sikes, Brian Craighead, Kelly Gorham, Rick Lovelady, Brett James, Rick Ortega, Mercedes Harris, Bo Martinez, Donovan Ooley, Roger Owens, Zach Vanderbeek, Randy Reeser, John Calvert Jr., Peyton Taylor, Chase Allen
A-Main: Johnny Scott, RC Whitwell, Fito Gallardo, Jason Hughes, Bumper Jones, Rodney Sanders, Terry Phillips, Randy Brown, Jeremy Payne, Jesse Williamson, Kelly Shryock, Ron Schreiner, Royal Jones, Jason Cummins, Jake O’Neal, Philip Houston, Dustin Hyde, Luke Driskell, Terry Tipton, Jake Gallardo, Kellen Chadwick, Pat Carney, Dickie Gorham, Bob Sikes, Richie Davis, Stormy Scott (Top 5 to Sunday’s A-main)
**82 Modifieds from 14 states and Canada – (OK, MO, CA, NM, AR, CO, TX, AZ, IA, MN, KS, OR, WI, LA and AB)
El Paso, Texas driver Curt Barnett won the Legends of the Southwest feature (22 cars).
Las Cruces, New Mexico driver Donovan Flores won the Street Stock feature (32 cars).