Wild Racing Night at El Paso Speedway Park

The skies did not look promising around the El Paso Speedway Park as dark clouds dropped rain all around as the Renegade Sprint Car Series set to headline Friday night’s racing along with the MSD Limited X-Mods, Legends, and Street Stocks.

Heat races would begin with some rain dropping on The Park as the X-Mods kept the show rolling with Rob Madrid and Christy Georges scoring wins. The Legends hit the track with Don Reynolds and Allen Gattis on top of heat race action while the Street Stock heats went to Jaime Montelongo and Jarred Warhurst. The Renegade Sprint Car Series saw three heats that went to Colt Treharn, Curt Barnett, and Robert Herrera.

Trophy Dashes went to Rob Madrid and Julian Garcia.

The MSD Ignitions with twenty laps on the scoreboard took the green with the 1 of Phil Locke setting the pace to the green but it would be the 52 of Paddy Rush showing the way. On the move from the start, the 44 of Christy Georges and the 82 of Sherman Barnett started splitting cars from the fourth row.

Leading the charge, the 44 of Georges would start smoking heavily out the left side of the car but did not seem to be slowing as the 44 took over third with just over half the race to run.

Still working his way through the field, the 82 of Barnett would be joined by the 12 of Rob Madrid as both cars worked into the top five before the engine on Georges? 44 finished going up in smoke with nine laps to run. Taking over second, the 12 or Madrid would work on running down the 52 of Paddy Rush as the field approached five laps to go.

Working in slower traffic, the 52 held a comfortable advantage until Rush found himself held up by the 22b of Blaze; allowing Madrid to close in a battle until the caution waved for the spun car of Phil Locke. Five laps to go as the green flag waved and it was game on as the 82 of Sherman Barnett shot to the runner up spot. Side by side with Rush, the 82 would bolt into the lead with the 12 of Madrid shadowing Barnett into second.

To two laps to go the fight was on for the top spot as the 12 of Madrid worked all over Barnett with the fight going side by side as the white flag waved. Wheel to wheel down the back straight, the 12 of Madrid would have to win it or wear it as the race went in to the final two turns with the 12 of Rob Madrid winning over Sherman Barnett. Patrick Carney, Paddy Rush, and Michael Gonzales rounded out the top five.

The Legends took slot #2 in the night?s order of Mains with the 21 of Allen Gattis leading on lap one. With twenty laps to run the fight for the runner up spot would get good right from the start as the 902 of Mike Zuloaga and the 3d of Don Reynolds both stalked the 45 of Ricky Rodriguez. Almost going three wide at times, the 45 would hold his ground as the 902 and the 3d worked high and low on Speedway Park.

With the caution waving on lap four for a pair of cars parked in turns one and two, the field would line up for the Delaware Double File Restart with the 902 of Mike Zuloaga getting a great restart to jump from third to lead but there was no stopping the fight for the top spot as the 21 of Gattis and the 3d of Don Reynolds worked on the 902 with the 3d of Reynolds taking the lead.

Moving from the eleventh starting spot, the 43 of Curt Barnett would fight in to second on the high line as the half-way point of the race approached. Working into slower traffic, the 3d was able to keep the 43 at bay as the two drivers dodged in an out of slower cars unit the caution waved with five laps to run. On the restart, the 21 of Allen Gattis would jump from third to challenge for the top spot but the 3d would hold it as the 21 now had to hold off the 43 of Barnett for second.

Back into the runner up spot, the 43 of Barnett stalked the 3d of Reynolds as both drivers flew to the white flag lap as Barnett made on last effort to get the glory but the 3d of Don Reynolds would hold on for the win. Curt Barnett, Allen Gattis, Mike Zuloaga, and Jim Funk rounded out the top five.

Rolling to the green for twenty laps of racing, the Street Stocks would see the 1 of Anthony Vega jump from the outside pole to grab the lead as the 83 of Troy Wells shot into the runner up spot after starting sixth. To the back bumper of Vega?s 1, the battle for the lead would not go the way of the 83 as the Anthony Vega continued to lead as the caution waved for the spun 12 of Iris Neri with five laps in the books.

Back to green and the 47 of Mingo Jauregui would put his name in the mix for the runner up spot but the 83 would not give up as Wells continued to work on Vega for the race lead. To ten laps to go and slower traffic was about to become an issue for the 83 and the 47 as the two drivers continued to battle for second. Held up behind a slower car, the 83 of Wells would have to go three wide in slower traffic with the hard charging 47 of Jauregui taking away second.

As the 83 and the 47 battled on, the 1 of Vega was able to build a huge lead but with five to go the transmission would give up the fight; ending Anthony Vega?s night in the infield. Taking the lead, the 47 of Jauregui would have his hands full as Troy Wells worked every angle to get the run. To two laps to go, the battle would go to a whole new level as the 47 would get held up; allowing the 83 of Wells the advantage as the white flag waved.

Wheel to wheel into turns one and two; the battle was still side by side down the back-straight as both drivers leaned on each other into turns three and four for the final time with the 83 of Troy Wells taking the win. Mingo Jauregui, Julian Garcia, Sean Bowman, and Ozzie Noder rounded out the top five.

The final A-Main of the night at the El Paso Speedway Park would belong to the Renegade Sprint Car Series with thirty laps to run. With the initial start being called back, the field would get lined up for the redo with the 99 of Chuck Jackson the 43 of Curt Barnett made to swap starting spots; moving Barnett to the pole.

Taking off to the lead, the 43 would work the high line to run to almost a straight-a-way advantage as the 98 of Jerry Gonzales tried to hold off the 1m of Dylan Harris. Taking the runner up spot, the 1m would work on running down the 43 of Barnett; doing so in record time. To the bottom of the track and into the lead with just over 20 laps to run, Dylan Harris would begin working in and out slower traffic as the battle for third would go to the 5 of Kyle McCutcheon.

Taking the runner up spot in no time, the chase was on as the 1m continued to set a blistering pace around the El Paso Speedway Park. Working high and low however, the 5 of McCutcheon was on a mission; closing the gap to only a few car lengths as the field raced to ten laps to go. Still able to keep the 5 at bay, the battle to be in the top five was good as the 77 of Colt Treharn and the 131 or Royal Jones were joined by the 18 of Lorne Wofford to make it a three car battle before the caution waved as the 1m of Dylan Harris slammed the outside wall in a side by side battle for the lead; destroying the front suspension on the 1m.

Back to green with five laps to run, the Wofford family would gang up on the top three spots as the 18 of Lorne timed the start to perfection; going wheel to wheel with the 19 of Wes Wofford for second. Holding the runner up spot, the 19 would not be able to touch the 5 as Kyle McCutcheon took the win. Wes Wofford, Lorne Wofford, Kyle Sager, and Royal Jones rounded out the top five.

For full results & pictures log onto www.epspeedwaypark.com