by Gary Jacob
LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Finishing off a wild 50 lap feature, George White from Fort Worth TX retook the lead from Oklahoma's Jason Hughes for good on lap 47 and drove his Wayne Larson built dirt modified to a $10,000 win in the Winter Meltdown 50 at The Speedway of Southern New Mexico on Sunday afternoon. White won the Friday night preliminary feature turning the fastest laps ever at the 3/8 mile clay oval to earn the pole for the 50 lapper, but Saturday winner Hughes took a quick lead from his outside front row start. Hughes led 7 laps before White gained the lead. USMTS star Hughes regained the lead on lap 39, but lost it back to White's late pass. Winner of this race four of the past five years, Minnesota's Ron Jones passed Hughes on the final lap to claim the $4000 runnerup prize in the D&M Performance Chassis House Car. Hughes crossed the line a $2000 third, but his driving style drew the ire of chief official Ted Martin and he was fined $100 for his overly aggressive moves. Third starter Lorne Wofford wheeled the Brian Mundell owned GRT to a $1500 fourth and El Paso star Troy Godwin was the $1000 fifth. White's racing effort is owned by Paul Cook Racing, uses a Wells Racing Engine and is sponsored by Builders Electric and Swofford Electric. His twin crew chiefs for the weekend were Robert Cantrell and Poon Dog. White's season is off to a strong start as he also had a $10,000 win in the Greenville TX in February. White said that he had a perfect car for the first 32 laps, but he and all the other drivers drove into the infield or outside the track on the second caution flag to cool their tires. For White, that effort sealed the tires and he really struggled with his mount for the final 18 rounds. Everyone who started the 50 lapper collected at least $700.
Nearly 70 cars signed in for the third racing day of the weekend and the final 14 starting slots in the big money 50 lapper were determined in the 24 lap B Main. Ron Jones and Oklahoma's Mike Roach had earned the front row assignments for the B with their sixth place finishes the first two nights. Ron Jones took a quick lead over Roach and Anton Salopek. Jimmy Ray ran off the end of the track on lap 6 and Oklahoma's Tommy Weder Jr stalled off the end for a lap 7 caution. A Salopek had taken second from Roach and Amarillo TX star Kelly Cross was now fourth ahead of Royal Jones. Alan Sharpensteen was sent to the rear for spinning El Paso champion Johnny Scott on lap 8. Scott drew a $50 fine for changing a tire and returning to the race to take out Sharpensteen on lap 13. On this restart, Royal Jones retook fourth from Cross and Greg Pratt Jr, R C Whitwell and Terry Kaser tangled for a lap 17 yellow flag. Ron Jones stayed out front for the whole race for the win and the 11th starting spot in the 50 lapper ahead of A Salopek, Roach, Royal Jones, Cross, Southern Colorado star Brady Coen, Tucson AZ teenager Jeremy Payne, Sherman Barnett, Butch Reid Sr and Ricky Stephan. Reid Sr salvaged a tough weekend when he became the only driver to race his way from the D Main action into the A feature on Sunday afternoon.
The front ten positions for the 50 lapper had been determined in the preliminary A Mains on Friday and Saturday with White, Wofford, Toby Herring, Christy Georges and Bumper Jones finishing 1-5 on the tacky fast track on Friday. The daytime dry slick feature on Saturday was won by Hughes ahead of Illinois star Denny Schwartz, Monte Bolton, Godwin and Curt Barnett. As usual, the A Main was run off swiftly with just three short caution flags. The builder of his own race cars, Hughes took a quick lead over White, Wofford, Denny Schwartz and Godwin. C Barnett grabbed sixth from Bolton on lap 6 and Ron Jones followed him into 7th. C Main winner Payne limped off the track with a flat tire on lap 8 and White took advantage of a Hughes bobble to take the lead on the bottom of turn 2 on lap 8. Once in front, White stretched his advantage and Herring slipped off the end of the track on lap 13. The $10,000 winner here in October, Bolton lost his top ten spot with an off track excursion on lap 15 as Billy Roy Harris fell out. White was a quarter-lap in front of Hughes when Nebraska's Ricky Stephan spun for the first caution flag on lap 19. The caution allowed Bumper Jones to change a flat right rear tire and Reid Sr's big day ended as he was run into as the yellow light flashed on to give him a broken front end. Herring also retired and Denny Schwartz was now third ahead of Wofford. At the midway mark, Christy Georges and 12th starter A Salopek drove around C Barnett for the 7-8 slots and Cross had climbed into the top ten. On lap 26, Sherman Barnett clipped the front fence, then drove off the top of the track in turn 2. Bolton, Roach, Stephan and B Jones tangled for a lap 32 yellow flag. Hughes began to pressure White for the lead and his bumping tactics drew a warning from infield official Martin. Las Cruces track champion Terry Tipton spun his Ford to trigger a huge melee on lap 37. The cars of Royal Jones, Justen Yeager and Coen ended up stacked together and Denny Schwartz pitted with a flat tire. Both Royal Jones and Schwartz ran stop signs at the track entrance when they returned from their flat tires and they were not scored for the remainder of the race. Hughes regained the lead from the struggling White with an outside pass coming off turn 4 on lap 39. Ron Jones got around Godwin and Wofford to claim third on lap 45. A Salopek had moved ahead of Georges and Cross for sixth. Again, Hughes bobbled coming off turn 2 and White regained the lead with his inside pass on the backstretch on lap 47. When Hughes tried to pass him back in turn 4, Hughes ran up onto the left rear tire of White. On the final lap, Hughes slipped off the racing surface and Ron Jones got around him for the runnerup prize. Hughes ran third ahead of Wofford, Godwin, A Salopek, Georges, Cross, C Barnett, Tipton, Bolton, Coen, Scott Logston and B Jones.
The 24 car, 24 lap C Main ran the distance without a single caution flag and transferred 15 cars into the B Main as prequalified Wayne Pelkey did not appear on Sunday. Logston led the first 8 laps in his Dirt Works before Payne pushed his Ford powered Larry Shaw into the lead. At the same time, 14 year Scott grabbed third from Wyoming superstar Yeager. A late race flat made Arkansas ace Richie Tosh the only car to fall out as Payne won ahead of Logston, Scott, Yeager, Oklahoma's Tommy Weder Jr, Stephan, Reid Sr, Royal Jones, Terry Kaser and Ricky Alvarado. The two 15 lap D Mains were lined up by a pill draw and each transferred 7 cars to the back of the C Main lineup. Albuquerque's John Tanner led the first 5 laps of the first D Main before former El Paso champion Greg Pratt Jr took over. Tanner pushed high late in the action and Iowa's Chad Waples placed second ahead of Rett Salopek with Tanner fourth in front of Colorado's J D Gresham and Eastern New Mexico star Bob Sikes. National star Eddie Martin from Oklahoma spun on the green flag and got drilled hard by Wyoming's Philip Canaday to end the weekend for both. Albuquerque's Richard Johnson was sent to the rear for his role in this incident. Track co-promoter Jimmy Ray was a wire to wire winner in the second 15 lap D Main. Teenaged female racer Holly Jones took second from Colorado's Monty Nordyke on lap 5 and finished there. Nordyke was third ahead of Reid Sr, Arkansas long tow Dave Grigg and Tosh.
The Southern New Mexico State Fair show in early October is again slated to follow this three day format and pay $10,000 to win for a second straight year. It was announced that Kansas star Brook Phillips was showing signs of improvement from his neck and back injuries suffered in Friday night's fierce flip and he could be flown home early in the week.
RESULTS
1st D Main-Greg Pratt Jr, Chad Waples, Rett Salopek, John Tanner, J D Gresham, Bob Sikes, Matt Newkirk, Bill Brack, Taylor Yazzie, Garrett Higgins, Richard Johnson.
2nd D Main-Jimmy Ray, Holly Jones, Monty Nordyke, Butch Reid Sr, Dave Grigg, Richie Tosh, R C Whitwell, Jay Rosales, Conner Pullen, Danny Schwartz, Tyrone Yazzie, Bill Lundock, Roy Don Mason, Joe Alvarado.
C Main-Jeremy Payne, Scott Logston, Johnny Scott, Justen Yeager, Tommy Weder Jr, Ricky Stephan, Reid Sr, Ray, Terry Kaser, Ricky Alvarado, Pratt Jr, H Jones, Whitwell, R Salopek, Terry Tipton, Nordyke, Grigg, Newkirk, Gresham, Tanner, Waples, Jerry Garrett, Sikes, Tosh. B Main-Ron Jones, Anton Salopek, Mike Roach, Royal Jones, Kelly Cross, Brady Coen, Payne, Sherman Barnett, Reid Sr, Stephan, Terry Tipton, Billy Roy Harris, Logston, Yeager, H Jones, Whitwell, R Salopek, Kaser, Ray, R Alvarado, Pratt Jr, Weder Jr, Alan Sharpensteen, Scott.
A Main-George White, Ron Jones, Jason Hughes, Lorne Wofford, Troy Godwin, A Salopek, Christy Georges, Cross, Curt Barnett, Terry Tipton, Monte Bolton, Coen, Logston, Bumper Jones, Stephan, Roach, S Barnett, Denny Schwartz, Royal Jones, Yeager, Reid Sr, Toby Herring, Harris, Payne.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Finishing off a wild 50 lap feature, George White from Fort Worth TX retook the lead from Oklahoma's Jason Hughes for good on lap 47 and drove his Wayne Larson built dirt modified to a $10,000 win in the Winter Meltdown 50 at The Speedway of Southern New Mexico on Sunday afternoon. White won the Friday night preliminary feature turning the fastest laps ever at the 3/8 mile clay oval to earn the pole for the 50 lapper, but Saturday winner Hughes took a quick lead from his outside front row start. Hughes led 7 laps before White gained the lead. USMTS star Hughes regained the lead on lap 39, but lost it back to White's late pass. Winner of this race four of the past five years, Minnesota's Ron Jones passed Hughes on the final lap to claim the $4000 runnerup prize in the D&M Performance Chassis House Car. Hughes crossed the line a $2000 third, but his driving style drew the ire of chief official Ted Martin and he was fined $100 for his overly aggressive moves. Third starter Lorne Wofford wheeled the Brian Mundell owned GRT to a $1500 fourth and El Paso star Troy Godwin was the $1000 fifth. White's racing effort is owned by Paul Cook Racing, uses a Wells Racing Engine and is sponsored by Builders Electric and Swofford Electric. His twin crew chiefs for the weekend were Robert Cantrell and Poon Dog. White's season is off to a strong start as he also had a $10,000 win in the Greenville TX in February. White said that he had a perfect car for the first 32 laps, but he and all the other drivers drove into the infield or outside the track on the second caution flag to cool their tires. For White, that effort sealed the tires and he really struggled with his mount for the final 18 rounds. Everyone who started the 50 lapper collected at least $700.
Nearly 70 cars signed in for the third racing day of the weekend and the final 14 starting slots in the big money 50 lapper were determined in the 24 lap B Main. Ron Jones and Oklahoma's Mike Roach had earned the front row assignments for the B with their sixth place finishes the first two nights. Ron Jones took a quick lead over Roach and Anton Salopek. Jimmy Ray ran off the end of the track on lap 6 and Oklahoma's Tommy Weder Jr stalled off the end for a lap 7 caution. A Salopek had taken second from Roach and Amarillo TX star Kelly Cross was now fourth ahead of Royal Jones. Alan Sharpensteen was sent to the rear for spinning El Paso champion Johnny Scott on lap 8. Scott drew a $50 fine for changing a tire and returning to the race to take out Sharpensteen on lap 13. On this restart, Royal Jones retook fourth from Cross and Greg Pratt Jr, R C Whitwell and Terry Kaser tangled for a lap 17 yellow flag. Ron Jones stayed out front for the whole race for the win and the 11th starting spot in the 50 lapper ahead of A Salopek, Roach, Royal Jones, Cross, Southern Colorado star Brady Coen, Tucson AZ teenager Jeremy Payne, Sherman Barnett, Butch Reid Sr and Ricky Stephan. Reid Sr salvaged a tough weekend when he became the only driver to race his way from the D Main action into the A feature on Sunday afternoon.
The front ten positions for the 50 lapper had been determined in the preliminary A Mains on Friday and Saturday with White, Wofford, Toby Herring, Christy Georges and Bumper Jones finishing 1-5 on the tacky fast track on Friday. The daytime dry slick feature on Saturday was won by Hughes ahead of Illinois star Denny Schwartz, Monte Bolton, Godwin and Curt Barnett. As usual, the A Main was run off swiftly with just three short caution flags. The builder of his own race cars, Hughes took a quick lead over White, Wofford, Denny Schwartz and Godwin. C Barnett grabbed sixth from Bolton on lap 6 and Ron Jones followed him into 7th. C Main winner Payne limped off the track with a flat tire on lap 8 and White took advantage of a Hughes bobble to take the lead on the bottom of turn 2 on lap 8. Once in front, White stretched his advantage and Herring slipped off the end of the track on lap 13. The $10,000 winner here in October, Bolton lost his top ten spot with an off track excursion on lap 15 as Billy Roy Harris fell out. White was a quarter-lap in front of Hughes when Nebraska's Ricky Stephan spun for the first caution flag on lap 19. The caution allowed Bumper Jones to change a flat right rear tire and Reid Sr's big day ended as he was run into as the yellow light flashed on to give him a broken front end. Herring also retired and Denny Schwartz was now third ahead of Wofford. At the midway mark, Christy Georges and 12th starter A Salopek drove around C Barnett for the 7-8 slots and Cross had climbed into the top ten. On lap 26, Sherman Barnett clipped the front fence, then drove off the top of the track in turn 2. Bolton, Roach, Stephan and B Jones tangled for a lap 32 yellow flag. Hughes began to pressure White for the lead and his bumping tactics drew a warning from infield official Martin. Las Cruces track champion Terry Tipton spun his Ford to trigger a huge melee on lap 37. The cars of Royal Jones, Justen Yeager and Coen ended up stacked together and Denny Schwartz pitted with a flat tire. Both Royal Jones and Schwartz ran stop signs at the track entrance when they returned from their flat tires and they were not scored for the remainder of the race. Hughes regained the lead from the struggling White with an outside pass coming off turn 4 on lap 39. Ron Jones got around Godwin and Wofford to claim third on lap 45. A Salopek had moved ahead of Georges and Cross for sixth. Again, Hughes bobbled coming off turn 2 and White regained the lead with his inside pass on the backstretch on lap 47. When Hughes tried to pass him back in turn 4, Hughes ran up onto the left rear tire of White. On the final lap, Hughes slipped off the racing surface and Ron Jones got around him for the runnerup prize. Hughes ran third ahead of Wofford, Godwin, A Salopek, Georges, Cross, C Barnett, Tipton, Bolton, Coen, Scott Logston and B Jones.
The 24 car, 24 lap C Main ran the distance without a single caution flag and transferred 15 cars into the B Main as prequalified Wayne Pelkey did not appear on Sunday. Logston led the first 8 laps in his Dirt Works before Payne pushed his Ford powered Larry Shaw into the lead. At the same time, 14 year Scott grabbed third from Wyoming superstar Yeager. A late race flat made Arkansas ace Richie Tosh the only car to fall out as Payne won ahead of Logston, Scott, Yeager, Oklahoma's Tommy Weder Jr, Stephan, Reid Sr, Royal Jones, Terry Kaser and Ricky Alvarado. The two 15 lap D Mains were lined up by a pill draw and each transferred 7 cars to the back of the C Main lineup. Albuquerque's John Tanner led the first 5 laps of the first D Main before former El Paso champion Greg Pratt Jr took over. Tanner pushed high late in the action and Iowa's Chad Waples placed second ahead of Rett Salopek with Tanner fourth in front of Colorado's J D Gresham and Eastern New Mexico star Bob Sikes. National star Eddie Martin from Oklahoma spun on the green flag and got drilled hard by Wyoming's Philip Canaday to end the weekend for both. Albuquerque's Richard Johnson was sent to the rear for his role in this incident. Track co-promoter Jimmy Ray was a wire to wire winner in the second 15 lap D Main. Teenaged female racer Holly Jones took second from Colorado's Monty Nordyke on lap 5 and finished there. Nordyke was third ahead of Reid Sr, Arkansas long tow Dave Grigg and Tosh.
The Southern New Mexico State Fair show in early October is again slated to follow this three day format and pay $10,000 to win for a second straight year. It was announced that Kansas star Brook Phillips was showing signs of improvement from his neck and back injuries suffered in Friday night's fierce flip and he could be flown home early in the week.
RESULTS
1st D Main-Greg Pratt Jr, Chad Waples, Rett Salopek, John Tanner, J D Gresham, Bob Sikes, Matt Newkirk, Bill Brack, Taylor Yazzie, Garrett Higgins, Richard Johnson.
2nd D Main-Jimmy Ray, Holly Jones, Monty Nordyke, Butch Reid Sr, Dave Grigg, Richie Tosh, R C Whitwell, Jay Rosales, Conner Pullen, Danny Schwartz, Tyrone Yazzie, Bill Lundock, Roy Don Mason, Joe Alvarado.
C Main-Jeremy Payne, Scott Logston, Johnny Scott, Justen Yeager, Tommy Weder Jr, Ricky Stephan, Reid Sr, Ray, Terry Kaser, Ricky Alvarado, Pratt Jr, H Jones, Whitwell, R Salopek, Terry Tipton, Nordyke, Grigg, Newkirk, Gresham, Tanner, Waples, Jerry Garrett, Sikes, Tosh. B Main-Ron Jones, Anton Salopek, Mike Roach, Royal Jones, Kelly Cross, Brady Coen, Payne, Sherman Barnett, Reid Sr, Stephan, Terry Tipton, Billy Roy Harris, Logston, Yeager, H Jones, Whitwell, R Salopek, Kaser, Ray, R Alvarado, Pratt Jr, Weder Jr, Alan Sharpensteen, Scott.
A Main-George White, Ron Jones, Jason Hughes, Lorne Wofford, Troy Godwin, A Salopek, Christy Georges, Cross, Curt Barnett, Terry Tipton, Monte Bolton, Coen, Logston, Bumper Jones, Stephan, Roach, S Barnett, Denny Schwartz, Royal Jones, Yeager, Reid Sr, Toby Herring, Harris, Payne.
