LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- With the grandstand packed to beyond capacity, the Southern New Mexico Speedway's annual Independence Day Celebration presented by Mesilla Valley Transportation headlined with the USRA RHS Modifieds and three other classes in action to go along with a huge fireworks show.

USRA RHS Modified heats belonged to Sherman Barnett, Holly Jones, Jimmy Ray and Fito Gallardo.

With 31 cars on hand, a "B" Feature was needed with Josh Cain leading to the drop of the green. Twelve laps with 12 cars moving on it was outside front row starting Christy Georges who jumped into the race lead with the fight for second between Bumper Jones and Cain. Taking the runner-up spot, Jones focused his attention on Georges for the lead before the caution waved.

With 11 laps to run, the green turned to yellow again as Travis Tipton spun to a stop with 10 laps now remaining. To the green the fight for the top spot was on as Jones and Georges worked wheel to wheel, lap after lap, the fight for the lead was unstoppable as Jones worked the low line on Georges. To two laps to run, Cain began to mount a charge on the leaders but as the checkered flag waved Georges held on to win while Jones, Cain, Brian Clark and Chad Falco rounded out the top five.

To the night's 30-lap "A" Feature for the USRA RHS Modifieds and things got interesting. Leading to the green, Mercedes Harris showed the way into the first two turns for racing before Barnett jumped from third to the race lead. With the track lighting-fast from earlier rains, the field had no problem running three-wide at times but the caution had to wave after Jacob Gallardo climbed the right rear of Terry Tipton, spinning Tipton's car to a stop and collecting Tom Geroges and Holly Jones.

Back to the restart, Roger Owens stole away second with Fito Gallardo taking over third but almost losing the handle and handing third to Jimmy Ray and then the lights went out ... all of the sudden the track lights went dark as the field went full out around the Southern New Mexico Speedway. Luckily the field slowed to a stop without any problems as the cause of the outage quickly became apparent as the lighting flashed and the thunder rolled across the now quiet desert night.

As the field sat waiting for the lights to come back on, heavy rains began to fall, forcing the race to be called 23 laps away from the scheduled 30-lap mark, giving the win to Barnett. Owens was scored with second as Ray, Fito Gallardo and Harris rounded out the top five.

The Southern New Mexico Speedway is located 11 miles west of Las Cruces at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Take exit 132 off I-10, turn left to Robert Larson Blvd., and then head west to the Speedway. For more information on the Speedway, log onto www.snmspeedway.com, link up with us on Facebook, and sign up the E-News Letter by texting the word "Speedway" to 22828 from your cell phone.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Saturday, July 2, 2011

USRA RHS MODIFIEDS

Heat #1: 1. Sherman Barnett, 2. Jay Rosales, 3. Stormy Scott, 4. Josh Cain, 5. Bumper Jones, 6. Chad Falco, 7. Royal Jones.

Heat #2: 1. Holly Jones, 2. Donavon Flores, 3. Roger Owens, 4. Christy Georges, 5. Travis Tipton, 6. Austin Adams, 7. Jake Boles, 8. Kenny Medina.

Heat #3: 1. Jimmy Ray, 2. Mercedes Harris, 3. Terry Tipton, 4. Donavon Ooley, 5. James Fleming, 6. Gregory Jenkins, 7. Dusty Riggs, 8. Luigi Truden.

Heat #4: 1. Fito Gallardo, 2. Jacob Gallardo, 3. Tom Georges, 4. Brian Clark, 5. Chris Sims, 6. Brent Tibbs, 7. Philip Houston, 8. Joe Lackey.

"B" Feature: 1. Christy Georges, 2. Bumper Jones, 3. Josh Cain, 4. Brian Clark, 5. Chad Falco, 6. Austin Adams, 7. Donavon Ooley, 8. Jake Boles, 9. Kenny Medina, 10. Luigi Truden, 11. Roger Owens, 12. Royal Jones.

"A" Feature: 1. Sherman Barnett, 2. Joe Lackey, 3. Jimmy Ray, 4. Fito Gallardo, 5. Mercedes Harris, 6. Stormy Scott, 7. Bumper Jones, 8. Brian Clark, 9. Christy Georges, 10. Tom Georges, 11. Brent Tibbs, 12. Chad Falco, 13. Holly Jones, 14. Jay Rosales, 15. Gregory Jenkins, 16. Josh Cain, 17. Travis Tipton, 18. Philip Houston, 19. Terry Tipton, 20. James Fleming, 21. Donavon Flores, 22. Chris Sims, 23. Dusty Riggs, 24. Jacob Gallardo.