Rain doesn’t stop us. This is dirt track racin!
Its Modified Night once again at the Western Tech speedway park and a little rain wouldn’t stop an entire night of high flying action packed slide jobs. The USRA modifieds, USRA Sun Valley Hardware Street Stocks, Casa Nissan legends and Southwest Shaw trucking Late models all brought down the house as the rains came calling.
The Sun Valley Hardware USRA Street Stocks where up first on the night for 15 laps. The 00ET of Ed Engel lead lap one from the pole but the 13 of Victor Colorbio would steal that away quickly and lead lap2 without a doubt. But that didn’t last long either because the 74 of Jason Josselyn was on the move and headed straight for 2 in a row. Josselyn moving to the lead on lap 3 to give us three leaders in three laps! Wouldn’t matter after that though because the 74 was movin’ and grovin’, gettin’ it done tonight. Colorbio would try and hold on for the next two laps but 10 up with 5 to go and Josselyn had set the cruise control to victory. As Josselyn left the field up front the 11 of Cliff Evrage and 20 Ted Cain would go toe-to-toe draggin fenders all the way around the track for the last 3 laps as the battled for third. When the checkered dropped it was Jason Josselyn winning two in a row at the park with Victor Colorbio pulling from the field but not enough to catch Jason as Colorbio finished second. The 11 of Evrage got around the 20 of Cain for the podium position.
Late Models would be up next but as they rolled onto the track and got all lined up, The RAIN would fall! And bunch of it at that. What looked to be a good, dry-slick track was now going to be a hot and heavy muddy son of a gun. The rain would stop after about 20 minutes and after another 20 of rolling it back in the Southwest Shaw trucking Late models where rocking and rolling once again. The 22 of Jonathan Ortega would take the lead on the second lap after a rough bump and run start and he would stay there all night for 24 more laps. The 44 of Christie Georges Barnett moved her way into second on the 3rd lap but not close enough to Ortega to attach the trailer hitch yet. After 7 the 22 was pulling from the 44 just slightly but both where absolutely gone from the field as they where lapping cars left and right. On lap 8 Rick Ortega would take his 24 up and over turn 3 into the wall hard bringing out the first yellow of the evening. The 22 would loose a big lead over the 44 and an almost full track over third place G17 Fito Gallardo, who was less then a quarter lap from getting lapped. The 22 was lapping through 5th place. Jonathan Ortega would have a great restart but so would the G17 as he drags it way down low under the 44 for second. Pretty rough there but everybody out clean and racing continued. The G17 would catch the 22 on lap 11 but nothing happening and the 22 would pull away again with only 10 left on the ticker. On lap 17 of 25 the yellow would fly one more time. The 22 would have another great restart but this time it was the 24x of Xavier Ortega moving into second to make it an Ortega duo doing battle for the lead. With only 5 laps left the G17 was charging back onto the 24x but mechanical issues from a heavy track and his night was done. That would be the last hoorah in this one, as the 22 of Jonathan Ortega would win this one by a mile when the checkered dropped. It was another Ortega, the 24x of Xavier Ortega, taking home second as the 357 of Oscar Perez inherited third from the G17’s issues.
Casa Nissan legends never seems to disappoint as 15 laps was set to rock and roll tonight. The 41z of Chris Smith would take the early lead and put on a great fight all night long but the 902 of Mike Zuloaga was into second after one lap and with that kind of speed he would not be denied. The 902 would dive his way under the 41z on lap 3 to steal the lead away as they crossed the stripe. The 54 of Gunner Harris would also slide his way into third with that move. The 902 was looking to check out at this point as the 41z held off the 54 who was holding a moving and grooving 9 of Tyler Beiter. They would go bumper-to-bumper for a few laps before going door to door for a few more. With 4 to go the 9 of Beiter finally cleared the 41z who was pushing it to the max but it was already to late to look for the lead so Gunner Harris would have to do. As the 902 of Mike Zuloaga took the checkered, the 9 of Tyler Beiter would move underneath the 54 to take second away as Gunner Harris holds on tight in a wild one for third. Chris Smith so close its almost computer close, as he finishes a solid 4th.
Well it’s modified time! The 131 of Royal Jones started on the pole in this one and he would lead quickly away. The 44 of Christie Barnett would slide her way into second but quickly headed their way was the G17 of Fito Gallardo. The j17 of Jacob Gallardo also wasn’t far behind. After 3 laps the G17 would get around the 44 leaving the door open for the J17 and Christie would fall to 4th. The G17 not making up much ground on the 131 who was absolutely dominating early in this one but 10 laps into the 25 lapper and the 131 started loosing a little ground. With 13 laps on the books the G17 would finally drive it hard into the bottom of turn 3 and make it stick to push the 131 ways up the track. The G17 of Fito Gallardo took the lead and never checked the mirrors. The 131 of Royal Jones was slipping from the G17 but still second and not giving up as he fought off a hard charging and door pounding J17. With 10 to go the top 3 where all about 15 lengths apart but running consistent as nobody was catching anybody. With 5 to go the 131 had collected a little better line and was realing the G17 back in but it wouldn’t be fast enough. A little bumper bumping in the last 3 laps would get the fans on their feet but in the end it was Fito Gallardo putting that G17 in the winners circle once again. The 131 of Royal Jones had some serious company at the end but tonight second puts a smile on his face. Jake Gallardo finishes a strong third after his portion of the track seemed to simply run away.
If you missed the action tonight then next weekend we suggest you don’t make the same mistake! The Border International Truck 305 Winged Sprint cars are going to give us one heck of a show as many drivers are prepared to show up. The gates will open at 5:30 with racing starting at 7:45. Don’t be late because lift off is precisely on time!