Gallardo’s Make Wind at “The Park”
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Fito Gallardo would win the USRA Modified Feature Event at El Paso Speedway Park Friday night June 5th but it didn’t come easy as he had to battle with his brother, son and nephew almost all night. The 9 of Jimmy Ray put up the best Fight for Fito as he would lead 19 of the 25 laps before Fito could catch him.
The 187, normally J16, of Josh Gallardo would start the USRA Modified main with the pole, as his dad, the M16 of Ricky Gallardo, was just to his outside. Jimmy Ray in the 9 had inside row 2 on lockdown and last weekends Late Models winner Fito Gallardo would start to his outside while looking for another victory here tonight. The fourth and final Gallardo on track tonight was son of Fito, Jake Gallardo who started in 7th.
Jimmy Ray and the 9 machine would make the quickest move of the race as he dove the bottom of the track at the drop of the green, stealing first from both Gallardo’s straight out of the gate. We are just a few laps in and its already looking like Jimmy Ray is gonna check away from the Gallardo pack but it’s a 25 lap feature and you can never count a Gallardo out.
We are only 5 laps in when Fito seems to find his outside line and makes the move on his brother Ricky in the M16. Fito is then going to move inside and start using the entire track to catch his nephew Jacob Gallardo in the 187. It takes 5 more laps for Fito to catch Jacob and they go door to door into 3 with Fito running the very bottom. Jacob Gallardo is going to beat out his uncle in this one but the M16 is right back with them now.
Its still Jimmy Ray out front a ways now over the J17, G17, 186/J16 and M16 when possible accidental contact from the M16 makes the J17 spin all the way around down the back stretch. Caution comes with 15 to go and all cars make it through without contact. J17 will go to the back for causing the caution and we will go back green. The Gallardo wolf pack was running 2,3,4,and 5 before Jacob spun and will restart with Jimmy Ray out front then Fito, Jacob, Ricky and the 131 of Royal Jones moving into the fifth position.
The Pack is ready to pounce on Jimmy Ray as the green flag waves with 12 to go. Jimmy Ray has nerves of steel and gets a great restart. Fito is going to hold it close but doesn’t have the momentum for the pass just yet.
Fito once again runs the whole track to catch Jimmy Ray but Jimmy is on fire tonight! It takes more than a few laps but with 7 to go Fito is there to tango with Jimmy Ray. Things are heating up. Jimmy is going to hold Fito for a couple laps but Fito is kicking it around the middle now and with 5 to go Fito is going to dolphin dive all the way to the bottom of turn 3 and make it stick. Jimmy Ray is there on the outside door to door all the way down the front stretch but the traction Fito pulls from the bottom is just too much and Jimmy Ray will fall in line in second. The last five laps are the Gallrdo show as the G17 Fito Gallardo checks out from the 9 up front. Fito’s nephew Josh is battling hard with Royal Jones for third and the M16 of Ricky Gallardo takes a clean fifth place. Back in seventh Jake Gallardo has pushed his way back up from his spin and is battling the 44 of Christy Georges-Barnett for the most excitement on track. Barnett will hold off Jake and the finishing order will be G17 Fito Gallardo, 9 Jimmy Ray, 187 Josh Gallardo, 131 Royal JOones, and M16 Ricky Gallardo.
As exciting as the Modified’s where it wasn’t just them keeping it interesting. Five of the best super trucks in the area would make it to the main event at “The Park”. The Shermanator, Sherman Barnett, would lead all but 3 laps after a spin from the 25 of Crystal Sampson as she exited turn 4 on lap 1 with the lead. The 44L of Ismael Garcia would lead the first 3 laps until Barnett found his outside line into turn 1 and just grooved it all the way around for first.
Barnett would check out until 5 to go when Ismael Garcia would bring himself to 3 car lengths from the lead. It wasn’t meant to be for Garcia though as Barnett would bring his 82 machine across the line in championship fashion. Ismael Garcia in the 44L finishes a hard learned second with Jaime Bejerano in the 501 bringing in third.
Only 4 street stocks made it to the main feature this eveningas the 70 of Jared Perez lost his drive shaft battling for the lead in the heat. Its quickly the Jason Josselyn after just lap three when the 327 of Robert Vega losses it in turns 3 and 4. Josselyn would lead from lap 3 to the finish and take the checkered over the L750 of Todd Froats. Froats actually brought some of the best action to the race as he battled with the 327 of Vega for second whilst almost loosing a trunk panel in the process. Jason Josselyn, Todd Froats, and Robert Vega are your top 3 with the 777 of Jaime Montelongo rounding out the field in this very quick 15 lap USRA street stock feature.
Legend’s brought the usual stacked field with the 85 of JR Esquivel anf the 66 of Wilbur Wells starting on the front row. At the drop of the green the field immediately goes 3 and 4 wide in the back. The 21 of woody is your biggest mover as he jumps from 9th to second in one swoop.
The 85 and 66 will fall back quickly, leaving room for the 237 of Steven Arellano to jump in and take first. Arellano will lead lap one over the AK47 who put a sweet move on the 21 in turn 3 for the second spot. The Ak47 is gong to run in second until 5 laps in when he will come off turn two spinning in 360’s. We stay green as Jesse Esquivel in the AK47 takes it behind the wall.
CJ Hulsey is now the man to watch as he is up to second after all the commotion from Esquivel. Hulsey started tenth but is driving the track hard. The 21 of Woody is a close third. Woody also started near the back in ninth.
The first Caution of the legends night is going to wave on lap 9 for Woody who was sitting third but seemed to drive straight off turn 1, over the berm and into the wall. This restart there will be 6 laps to go.
Brady LaBree has bobbed his way up to third after falling to the pack earlier on in the race. This one is about to get great as Arellano, Hulsey, and LaBree all run the high line. LaBree is going to dive the inside coming into turn 1 and make it stick like glue against Hulsey and Arellano. When they watch that on replay they aren’t even gonna be mad. It was textbook cornering. 2 laps to go and 77 LaBree leads Hulsey in second and Arellano in third.
Hulsey is gonna lay down the same move as LaBree one lap earlier and take back the lead! It’ll be Hulsey at the line with 1 to go but LaBree is still there and ready to dive the bottom once again. Thatll be what he does and they will come out of turn 2 door to door! Into turn 3 its going to be LaBree with just the inside and Hulsey pushing hard along that outside. Arellano is sitting just in third waiting for the top two to slip.
The slip isn’t going to come though and LaBree 77 goes door to door, nose to nose down to the wire with Hulsey in the 14. Its going to be the 77 who pulls just a little more traction from the bottom groove and he who wins the Casa Nissan Legends feature event by twenty two one-hundreths of a second! CJ Hulsey takes a well fought second and Steven Arelleno finishes off the podium in third.
Mini Sprints put on a show tonight with the 4 of Jett Carney and the 1 of Will Gonzalez jumping out to a very early lead. Carney would lead the first 10 laps smooth but with 5 to go g Gonzalez would grab some gears and slide his way past Carney for first in the first turn. The pass was smooth but all eyes where on the battle for third where the 44 of Tristan Gattis is and the 22E of Emily Hayes where pushing each other hard all the way around. They may not have been par with the leaders tonight but they both drove great. Haley would win the battle and pull away for the rest of the race. Both 3rd and 4th place still went a lap down by the end of the 15 lap main event. The 1 of Will Gonzalez had pulled a hefty lead of Jett Carney in the 4 when they crossed the line but Carney drove it hard throughout the entire main. Emily Haley took home the third spot ahead of Tristan Gattis. Theron Flack finished the race fifth after a malfunction in the very beginning of the race.
The pits where alive after the races but Fito Gallardo still had time to talk about the track and here is what he had to say.
“The track was tricky tonight but that is how I love the track. IT really evens the field and gives every driver the opportunity to run the whole track. IT was a great feel just like last weekend.”
Speaking of Last weekend, How does it feel to dominate two weekends in a row in two different classes?
“It’s a great feeling knowing that I came to compete both weekends and that we got the job done. It’s a dominating feeling ust like you said and I like that. I feel like its gonna be a great season for us and I’m excited to keep racing.”
At one point you where running 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th with your brother, nephew and son. Is that something you notice or think about?
“Well I knew they where out there but no I didn’t know who was running with me and Jimmy Ray up front. Just treat them all like competitors and it normally works out for us.
We will see Fito Gallardo again tomorrow night out at Southern New Mexico Speedway and then again next weekend here at “The Park” in El Paso. You don’t want to miss him shoot for three weekends in a row!!
Tomorrow night at Southern New Mexico Speedway gates will open at 5:30 and racing starting at 7:45. IF you missed your chance tonight, dress like your from the 50’s and get in for just 5$. Come hungry for some good racing and you wont leave disappointed. See you there!