LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- A solid field of cars lined the pits of the Southern New Mexico Speedway as the summer sun slowly dipped in the western sky. With another solid crowd in the grandstands, the USRA Western Flyer HotMods headlined the night along with three other classes.

Heat races began the night with Josh Gallardo, Israel Ortega and Kenny Medina taking the wins.

The feature started with Jeremy Navarro taking the race lead from the front row before Gallardo raced by in the first couple laps of racing. Taking third in a three-wide battle, Donovan Flores started his march to the front, taking over second in no time from Navarro.

Working on lap five, Flores challenged for the lead from Gallardo and took the top spot, running away to over half a straight-away advantage before the caution waved with 13 laps to run.

Back to green and the fight was on the way to the front as Christy Georges, Sherman Barnett and Patrick Carney sliced their way around traffic with Georges leading the charge as the field raced to the caution with 10 laps to go.

With Flores showing the way, Austin Adams and Georges lined up for the restart and the shot at the lead. To the green, Georges stole away second as Carney went three wide with Barnett and Adams to jump from fifth to third. Back up front, the fight for the lead was wheel to wheel with Georges stealing it away on the high line, leaving Flores to fight for second with Carney taking as the field raced to five to go and the caution.

Back to green and the fight for the lead was red hot as Carney clawed tooth and nail on the inside line, running wheel to wheel with Georges. Into every corner, down every straight, both drivers running to the absolute limits of their cars with Georges holding the lead at times by only a few feet at the line as the caution waved again with three laps to go.

Back to green and the fight was on again as Carney dove to the inside line with two to go, pressuring Georges who had no choice but to run the top for everything she had but as the white flag gave way to the checkered flag it was Georges walking away with the win.

Carney, Flores, Barnett and Adams rounded out the top 5.

Next Saturday, July 16, the USRA RHS Modifieds return to the Southern New Mexico Speedway. Gates to the grandstands will open at 5:30 p.m. with racing getting underway at 7:45. General admission is $10 with discounts for kids ages 11-15, military, seniors, law enforcement and university students. Kids 10 and under get in the grandstands for free.

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, log onto www.snmspeedway.com, link up with us on Facebook and sign up the e-newsletter by texting "SPEEDWAY" to 22828 from your mobile device.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Saturday, July 9, 2011

USRA WESTERN FLYER HOTMODS

Heat #1: 1. Joshua Gallardo, 2. Christy Georges, 3. Sherman Barnett, 4. Jeremy Navarro, 5. Dustin Smith, 6. Steven Villegas, 7. Alex Gonzalez, 8. Greg Gorham.

Heat #2: 1. Rick Ortega, 2. Austin Adams, 3. Donavon Flores, 4. Rob Madrid, 5. Miles Widmer, 6. Justin Allen, 7. Phil Locke, 8. Rick Garcia. 9. Tom Conner,

Heat #3: 1. Kenny Medina, 2. Zach McCoy, 3. Pat Carney, 4. Todd Harper, 5. James Fleming, 6. Mike Gonzalez, 7. Duane Murphy, 8. Melissa Gorham.

Feature: 1. Christy Georges, 2. Pat Carney, 3. Donavon Flores, 4. Sherman Barnett, 5. Austin Adams, 6. Dustin Smith, 7. Greg Gorham, 8. Rob Madrid, 9. Alex Gonzalez, 10. Mike Gonzalez, 11. Jeremy Navarro, 12. Duane Murphy, 13. Kenny Medina, 14. Justin Allen, 15. Joshua Gallardo, 16. Rick Ortega, 17. Miles Widmer, 18. Phil Locke, 19. Dickie Gorham, 20. James Fleming, 21. Tom Conner, 22. Todd Harper, 23. Zach McCoy, 24. Rick Garcia, DNS - Melissa Gorham, Steven Villegas.