Grabouski, Murray win Duel In The Desert qualifiers

jdearing

Administrator
Staff member
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 11) – Jordan Grabouski and David Murray Jr. were winners of IMCA Modified qualifying features on opening night of Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Duel In The Desert special.

Two hundred and thirty-four Modified drivers from 22 states and three Canadian provinces saw action Thursday. The top two finishers from each of 20 heats and from 10 “B” features advanced to one of the two qualifiers; a Friday night dash will determine where the top four finishers from each of the qualifiers starts on the inside row of Saturday’s $7,777 to win main event.

Grabouski beat Jeremy Mills, Jeremy Payne and Terry Phillips to the checkers in the first qualifier. Murray led all 25 laps of the second race, winning ahead of Brian Mullen, Ryan McDaniel and Todd Shute.

Porter Smith ran up front early before giving way to Grabouski, who used the middle groove to take the lead. Payne, the 2005 and 2006 Duel winner, got in through his “B” race, started 21st and worked his way up to challenge and then pass Grabouski on lap 18.

Grabouski got the front spot back the next time around the track and stayed there to the finish. The ninth starting Mills caught Payne for second late in the contest.
Murray will be looking for a third Duel trophy to add to his collection after starting from the pole and leading flag to flag in his qualifier.

First in the 2003 and 2008 events, Murray was initially pursued by Mullen. Shute made his way into second, then ran side-by-side with Murray and got under the frontrunner before catching an infield tire.

Shute limped home in fourth with a bent front end, while Mullen raced his way one-handed to second, using his other hand to hold up his sun visor, which had been hit and broken by a rock with five laps left.

Modifieds will be joined by IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars on tonight’s card. The Duel is the final sanctioned event of the 2010 IMCA season and the Modified winner joins the ballot for next year’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

The Duel In the Desert is webcast at www.speedwaychannel.com. Cost for viewing the entire weekend special is $19.95.

1st qualifying feature –
1. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.;
2. Jeremy Mills, Garner, Iowa;
3. Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.;
4. Terry Phillps, Springfield, Mo.;
5. Ricky Alvarado, Delta, Colo.;
6. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.;
7. Terry Belcher Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.;
8. Will Brack, Mead, Colo.;
9. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton, Iowa;
10. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark.;
11. Eddie Belec, Lakewood, Colo.;
12. Jason Beaulieu, Campbell River, B.C.;
13. Darin Duffy, Hazleton, Iowa;
14. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.;
15. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa;
16. Porter Smith, Farmington, N.M.;
17. Randy Artz, Battle Mountain;
18. Mike Johnson, Bakersfield, Calif.;
19. Joe Antonetti, Santa Cruz, Calif.;
20. Brady Coen, Wylie, Colo.;
21. Mark Rodgers, Farmington, N.M.;
22. Mike Petersilie, Hoisington, Kan.;
23. Jerry Harpole Jr., Farmington, N.M.;
24. John Cox, Glendale, Ariz;
25. Dan Fitzgerald, Las Vegas;
26. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif.;
27. Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, Colo.;
28. Troy Cordes, Raymond, Iowa;
29. Brian Foote, Essex, Iowa;
30. Matt Brack, Mead, Colo.
2nd qualifying feature –
1. David Murray Jr., Oberlin, Kan.;
2. Brian Mullen, Seymour, Wis.;
3. Ryan McDaniel, Olivehurst, Calif.;
4. Todd Shute, Des Moines, Iowa;
5. Bob Moore, Sioux City, Iowa;
6. Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo.;
7. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.;
8. Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay, Wis.;
9. Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas;
10. Bobby Hogge IV, Salinas, Calif.;
11. Travis Metz, Blackfoot, Idaho;
12. Gene Kay, Yerington, Nev.;
13. Dominic Ursetta, Arvada, Colo.;
14. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa;
15. Jason Schoenberger, Gorham, Kan.;
16. Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, Calif.;
17. Chris Alcorn, Lincoln, Neb.;
18. Wyatt Howard, Price, Utah;
19. Randy Havlik, Madrid, Iowa;
20. Steve Boucher, Susanville, Calif.;
21. Robby Sawyer, Bakersfield, Calif.;
22. Tony Kincade Jr., Hesperia, Calif.;
23. Dusty Safley, Helper, Utah;
24. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson, Iowa;
25. Justin O’Brien, West Union, Iowa;
26. Kellen Chadwick, Oakley, Calif.;
27. Ryan Cotrell, Las Vegas;
28. Brandon Blochlinger, Concordia, Kan.;
29. Christy Georges, El Paso, Texas;
30. Chase Hansen, Myton, Utah.
30
Bill Martin-Director of Public Relations
International Motor Contest Association
1800 West D Street
Vinton, Iowa 52349
Phone: 319 472-2201, ext. 213
Fax: 319 472-2218
E-mail: bmartin@imca.com
Web: www.imca.com
 




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