March 3rd, 2013 | (FYE Motorsports Promotions) Las Cruces, NM — The 19th running of the annual $10,000 to win Winter Meltdown at the Southern New Mexico Speedway just outside of Las Cruces provided some outstanding racing action in all four divisions during the three day stretch of events from March 1st – 3rd but in the end saw Terry Phillips come out on top of the 50-lap USRA Modified finale for the third consecutive year in a row.

Phillips took the lead from the start of the event front outside of the front row and took command early and ran out to a sizeable advantage lead early in the race, while polesitter Blake Jegtvig and Bumper Jones battled for the runner up spot behind Phillips, who was rapidly running away from the field. Jegtvig and Jones had a great early race for second, while Johnny Scott, Stormy Scott and Dereck Ramirez were locked in battle just behind.

All the while, Phillips ran alone out front and stretched his advantage to nearly a half lap before the first caution of the race flew on lap 29 for a Mercedes Harris breakdown. On the restart, Phillips took off again and left nothing to the imagination as he strolled away from the field, while Jegtvig and the Scott twins continued to wage a war for second. Behind them, another great battle had resumed between Bumper Jones, Ramirez and Jason Hughes.

With under twenty laps remaining, the battle for second heated up as Stormy Scott got by his brother into third and set his sights on Jegtvig for the runner up spot. A lap later, Stormy dove to the inside of Jegtvig and tried to maneuver his #2s by, but made contact and spun himself in turn four, bringing out the second caution of the race and ending hi hopes at a top five run.

On the restart, Phillips again checked out, but suddenly Johnny Scott came to life and stole second from Jegtvig and rapidly began to run down Phillips with under ten to go. With six to go it appeared as if Scott was going to be able challenge Phillips for the lead, but just as Phillips was working toward the tail of the field, the third and final caution flew on lap 45, which killed the momentum Scott had built up and put a clear track in front of Phillips.

T.P. then cruised the final five laps to his third straight Winter Meltdown title ahead of Scott, Jegtvig, Jones and Whitwell.

Ramirez, Hughes, 11th starting Fito Gallardo, 17th starting Jimmy Owens, who earned hard charger honors and 15th starting Christy Georges rounded out the top ten.

USRA Modifieds – B-MAIN
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 2 G17 Fito Gallardo Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
2 4 96 Rc Whitwell Tucson , Az 0.00
3 12 01 Joey Galloway Manor , Sk 0.00
4 6 131 Royal Jones Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
5 16 44 Christy Georges El Paso, Tx 0.00
6 10 71 Philip Houston Odessa , Tx 0.00
7 11 20R Bryan Rowland Woodward , Ok 0.00
8 13 5X Patrick Carney El Paso, Tx 0.00
9 7 M16 Rick Gallardo Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
10 5 32 Max Sadler Springerville , Az 0.00
11 8 99 Terry Tipton Duncan , Az 0.00
12 9 87 Lee Heiligenthal Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
13 19 20 Robbie Chiles Hooper , Co 0.00
14 18 49 Duane Murphy – 0.00
15 14 00 Masen Bigeagle Manor , Sk 0.00
16 20 23 Kevin Clark El Paso, Tx 0.00
17 3 0 Chris Sims Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
18 17 29 Mercedes Harris Deming , Nm 0.00
19 1 121 Holly Jones Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
20 15 187 Scott Logston Las Cruces, Nm 0.00

USRA Modifieds – FEATURE
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 2 75 Terry Phillips Springfield , Mo 100.00
2 3 1ST Johnny Scott Las Cruces, Nm 95.00
3 1 2J Blake Jegtvig Hawley , Mn 91.00
4 4 111 Bumper Jones Mesilla Park, Nm 87.00
5 12 96 Rc Whitwell Tucson , Az 84.00
6 5 4R Dereck Ramirez Woodward , Ok 81.00
7 10 12 Jason Hughes Watts , Ok 78.00
8 11 G17 Fito Gallardo Las Cruces, Nm 76.00
9 17 20R Bryan Rowland Woodward , Ok 74.00
10 15 44 Christy Georges El Paso, Tx 72.00
11 14 131 Royal Jones Las Cruces, Nm 70.00
12 13 01 Joey Galloway Manor , Sk 68.00
13 16 71 Philip Houston Odessa , Tx 66.00
14 6 2S Stormy Scott Las Cruces, Nm 64.00
15 21 99 Terry Tipton Duncan , Az 62.00
16 7 117 Toby Herring Hobbs , Nm 60.00
17 9 9 Jimmy Ray Las Cruces, Nm 58.00
18 19 M16 Rick Gallardo Las Cruces, Nm 56.00
19 23 20 Robbie Chiles Hooper , Co 55.00
20 22 187 Scott Logston Las Cruces, Nm 54.00
21 24 49 Duane Murphy – 53.00
22 8 J17 Jacob Gallardo Las Cruces, Nm 52.00
23 20 32 Max Sadler Springerville , Az 51.00
24 18 5X Patrick Carney El Paso, Tx 50.00

USRA Modifieds – HEAT
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 2 20R Bryan Rowland Woodward , Ok 1.50
2 4 01 Joey Galloway Manor , Sk 0.00
3 1 5X Patrick Carney El Paso, Tx 0.00
4 14 00 Masen Bigeagle Manor , Sk 0.00
5 6 187 Scott Logston Las Cruces, Nm 1.50
6 7 44 Christy Georges El Paso, Tx 1.50
7 5 29 Mercedes Harris Deming , Nm 0.00
8 11 49 Duane Murphy – 0.00
9 3 20 Robbie Chiles Hooper , Co 0.00
10 8 23 Kevin Clark El Paso, Tx 0.00
11 19 75J John Carney El Paso, Tx 0.00
12 13 23J Greg Jelvik – 1.50
13 21 777 Steven Villegas Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
14 12 555 Chad Falco El Paso, Tx 0.00
15 17 17 Billy Mcdaniel – 0.00
16 16 93 Gregory Gorham Las Cruces, Nm 0.00
17 20 52 Paddy Rush – 0.00
18 9 19 Donavon Ooley El Paso, Tx 0.00
19 10 7V Vince Ogle – 0.00
20 15 22 John Calvert Jr Rio Rancho, Nm 0.00
21 18 25 Levi Roberts Alamogordo , Nm 0.00