DirtModifiedRacer.com
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By Dennis Daniel, DirtModifiedRacer.com
March 6, 2010 – Las Cruces, NM……With 5 drivers having locked themselves into Sunday’s $10,000 to win from Friday night’s preliminary feature of the 16th annual Winter Meltdown, 66 cars checked into the pit area on Saturday looking to drive themselves into the finale.
Saturday began the traditional day racing portion of the DIRTCar Winter Meltdown, with action getting underway just past 2:00 PM. They day racing means the track usually dries out quicker and tire wear becomes an issue drivers must content with.
Saturday’s preliminary feature was a 20 lapper, where former track Champion Jeremy Payne, who now resides in Missouri, won from the pole starting spot. The preliminary feature saw 4 other drivers lock themselves into the big show on Sunday, joining Friday’s 5 inside row starts. With Payne winning on Saturday, he will start on Sunday on the outside front row. Behind Payne on the outside line will be Tommy Weder Jr., Mark Dotson, Bumper Jones and Paul Banghart.
Saturday’s feature saw drivers battle early to try to get to one of the coveted top 5 spots. By the mid point of the race, a 5 car breakaway including Payne, Weder, Jr., Jones, Dotson and Jon Tesch, had slowly began to gain on the back of the field. Completing 14 laps, it looked like the leaders would have to contend with lappers, which could prove to be tough, as nearly all cars were running the bottom groove. The caution flag flew, which erased the big lead the front 5 cars had but it also meant that a Delaware double file restart would be used. The restart proved costly for Tesch, as he would lose the 5th and final transfer spot to Banghart, settling for a 6th place finish. Tesch will start Sunday’s B Main from the outside front row.
Two C Mains were run on Saturday, seeing Kellen Chadwick and Richie Tosh earn victories. There were 7 heats ran with wins going to Dotson, Payne, Tesch, Darrell Nelson, Tim Culp, B. Jones and Weder, Jr.
Sunday’s action will include the 50 lap, huge paying feature, along with a B Main, a C Main and likely 2 last chance races. The top 15 drivers from Friday and Saturday’s preliminary features have locked themselves into the A, B or C (top 5 to A, 6-10 to the B and 11-15 to the C).
Official Results:
Southern New Mexico Speedway – Las Cruces, NM – Friday, March 6, 2010
A-Main: (Top 5 to Sunday’s A-main): Payne, Weder Jr., Dotson, B. Jones, Banghart, Tesch, Hansen, Sharpensteen, Whitwell, S. Scott, Ramirez, C. Barnett, Tosh, Holzkamper, Ray, Thomas, Shryock, R. Jones, Cain, Chadwick, Krohn (NF), Nelson (NF), Culp (NF), Taylor (NF)
B-Main: Hansen, S. Scott, C. Barnett, Whitwell, Holzkamper, R. Jones, Shryock, Cain, Ray, Krohn, Chadwick, Tosh, F. Gallardo, Rowland, Landers, D. Gorham, J. Gallardo, C. Georges, Robinson, Jegtvig, Terry Tipton, Boles, T. Georges, Martin, Houston
C-Main1: Chadwick, T. Georges, C. Georges, Cain, Landers, F. Gallardo, Junghans, Bischel, S. Barnett, Davis, Mari, Salas, T. Sikes, Carney, Kokot, M. Gorham, Riggs, Higgins, Poppa, H. Jones, Summers
C-Main 2: Tosh, Rowland, Ray, Terry Tipton, Shryock, Jegtvig, D. Gorham, DeMartino, Travis Tipton, Jenkins, Lackey, Sutton, O’Neal, Bobby Sikes Jr., Bagley, Miller, Majek, Bob Sikes, Chiles, Gates, Mason
Heat 1: Mark Dotson, Alan Sharpensteen, Philip Houston, Steve Holzkamper, Blake Jegtvig, Jimmy Ray, Richie Davis, Dennis Gates, Tristan Sikes, Dickie Gorham
Heat 2: Jeremy Payne, Curt Barnett, Jacob Gallardo, Tom Georges, Holly Jones, Grant Junghans, Terry Tipton, Bob Sikes, Steve Miller
Heat 3: Jon Tesch, Jake Boles, Eddie Martin, Jason Krohn, Lance Mari, Bobby Sikes Jr., Fito Gallardo, Nathan Bischel, Garrett Higgins, Melissa Gorham
Heat 4: Darrell Nelson, Derek Ramirez, Martin Robinson, Stormy Scott, Christy Georges, Sherman Barnett, Roy Don Mason, Joe Lackey, Morgan Bagley
Heat 5: Tim Culp, RC Whitwell, Paul Banghart, Nick O’Neal, Josh Cain, Jared Landers, Robbie Chiles, Dusty Riggs, Ronnie Salas
Heat 6: Bumper Jones, Corky Thomas, Peyton Taylor, Richie Tosh, Josh Majek, Levi DeMartino, Wesley Summers, Greg Jenkins, Travis Tipton
Heat 7: Tommy Weder Jr., Mike Hansen, Kellen Chadwick, Royal Jones, Bryan Rowland, Steve Sutton, Brian Poppa, Jack Kokot, Kelly Shryock, Patrick Carney
March 6, 2010 – Las Cruces, NM……With 5 drivers having locked themselves into Sunday’s $10,000 to win from Friday night’s preliminary feature of the 16th annual Winter Meltdown, 66 cars checked into the pit area on Saturday looking to drive themselves into the finale.
Saturday began the traditional day racing portion of the DIRTCar Winter Meltdown, with action getting underway just past 2:00 PM. They day racing means the track usually dries out quicker and tire wear becomes an issue drivers must content with.
Saturday’s preliminary feature was a 20 lapper, where former track Champion Jeremy Payne, who now resides in Missouri, won from the pole starting spot. The preliminary feature saw 4 other drivers lock themselves into the big show on Sunday, joining Friday’s 5 inside row starts. With Payne winning on Saturday, he will start on Sunday on the outside front row. Behind Payne on the outside line will be Tommy Weder Jr., Mark Dotson, Bumper Jones and Paul Banghart.
Saturday’s feature saw drivers battle early to try to get to one of the coveted top 5 spots. By the mid point of the race, a 5 car breakaway including Payne, Weder, Jr., Jones, Dotson and Jon Tesch, had slowly began to gain on the back of the field. Completing 14 laps, it looked like the leaders would have to contend with lappers, which could prove to be tough, as nearly all cars were running the bottom groove. The caution flag flew, which erased the big lead the front 5 cars had but it also meant that a Delaware double file restart would be used. The restart proved costly for Tesch, as he would lose the 5th and final transfer spot to Banghart, settling for a 6th place finish. Tesch will start Sunday’s B Main from the outside front row.
Two C Mains were run on Saturday, seeing Kellen Chadwick and Richie Tosh earn victories. There were 7 heats ran with wins going to Dotson, Payne, Tesch, Darrell Nelson, Tim Culp, B. Jones and Weder, Jr.
Sunday’s action will include the 50 lap, huge paying feature, along with a B Main, a C Main and likely 2 last chance races. The top 15 drivers from Friday and Saturday’s preliminary features have locked themselves into the A, B or C (top 5 to A, 6-10 to the B and 11-15 to the C).
Official Results:
Southern New Mexico Speedway – Las Cruces, NM – Friday, March 6, 2010
A-Main: (Top 5 to Sunday’s A-main): Payne, Weder Jr., Dotson, B. Jones, Banghart, Tesch, Hansen, Sharpensteen, Whitwell, S. Scott, Ramirez, C. Barnett, Tosh, Holzkamper, Ray, Thomas, Shryock, R. Jones, Cain, Chadwick, Krohn (NF), Nelson (NF), Culp (NF), Taylor (NF)
B-Main: Hansen, S. Scott, C. Barnett, Whitwell, Holzkamper, R. Jones, Shryock, Cain, Ray, Krohn, Chadwick, Tosh, F. Gallardo, Rowland, Landers, D. Gorham, J. Gallardo, C. Georges, Robinson, Jegtvig, Terry Tipton, Boles, T. Georges, Martin, Houston
C-Main1: Chadwick, T. Georges, C. Georges, Cain, Landers, F. Gallardo, Junghans, Bischel, S. Barnett, Davis, Mari, Salas, T. Sikes, Carney, Kokot, M. Gorham, Riggs, Higgins, Poppa, H. Jones, Summers
C-Main 2: Tosh, Rowland, Ray, Terry Tipton, Shryock, Jegtvig, D. Gorham, DeMartino, Travis Tipton, Jenkins, Lackey, Sutton, O’Neal, Bobby Sikes Jr., Bagley, Miller, Majek, Bob Sikes, Chiles, Gates, Mason
Heat 1: Mark Dotson, Alan Sharpensteen, Philip Houston, Steve Holzkamper, Blake Jegtvig, Jimmy Ray, Richie Davis, Dennis Gates, Tristan Sikes, Dickie Gorham
Heat 2: Jeremy Payne, Curt Barnett, Jacob Gallardo, Tom Georges, Holly Jones, Grant Junghans, Terry Tipton, Bob Sikes, Steve Miller
Heat 3: Jon Tesch, Jake Boles, Eddie Martin, Jason Krohn, Lance Mari, Bobby Sikes Jr., Fito Gallardo, Nathan Bischel, Garrett Higgins, Melissa Gorham
Heat 4: Darrell Nelson, Derek Ramirez, Martin Robinson, Stormy Scott, Christy Georges, Sherman Barnett, Roy Don Mason, Joe Lackey, Morgan Bagley
Heat 5: Tim Culp, RC Whitwell, Paul Banghart, Nick O’Neal, Josh Cain, Jared Landers, Robbie Chiles, Dusty Riggs, Ronnie Salas
Heat 6: Bumper Jones, Corky Thomas, Peyton Taylor, Richie Tosh, Josh Majek, Levi DeMartino, Wesley Summers, Greg Jenkins, Travis Tipton
Heat 7: Tommy Weder Jr., Mike Hansen, Kellen Chadwick, Royal Jones, Bryan Rowland, Steve Sutton, Brian Poppa, Jack Kokot, Kelly Shryock, Patrick Carney
