LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- The skies over the Southern New Mexico Speedway showed blue but that was not the case anywhere else your compass pointed as heavy downpours surrounded the 5/16-mile oval just west of Las Cruces. Even with the threat of a downpour, the USRA Western Flyer HotMods hit the track.

Dickie Gorham, Greg Gorham and Donovan Flores picked up heat race wins while the trophy dash for the night went to Greg Gorham.

The A-Main began with 13 rows of USRA Western Flyer HotMods taking to the track for 20 laps with Dickie Gorham leading from the pole. After some water had to be applied to the racing surface during intermission, the track was slick to start things off but the racing was still three wide throughout the field.

Starting to move through the running order, Christy Georges and Sherman Barnett worked from the sixth row with Patrick Carney shadowing them through the field.

Back up front, Dickie Gorham started to run down lapped traffic, allowing second place Josh Gallardo within striking distance of the lead. Thirteen laps to go and the fight was on for the top spot with the Gallardo getting the run but the caution waved.

Back to green and Gorham slid high on the start, allowing Gallardo to sneak by for the lead but the spun racecar of Austin Adams put the Gorham back into the top spot. But the next green saw Gorham again hit the slick as Gallardo and Jeremy Navarro drove by for first and second.

Showing the way, Gallardo saw his night start to go up in a shower of sparks as mechanical problems slowed him. Able to get going again, Gallardo tried to get back in the mix but contact from another car with 11 laps to go piled up a half-dozen cars.

Losing five laps on the race due to time and weather, the restart put Greg Gorham out front with Carney and Georges right on his back bumper. Into the final laps of racing, Gorham looked to be sailing to victory but off of turn 4 to the white flag, Gorham tripped the cushion, allowing Carney to steal the lead and the win.

Georges, Rob Madrid, and Steven Villegas rounded out the top 5.

The next show will be Satruday, July 30, as 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, members of the military, seniors, law enforcement personnel 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 for the e-newsletter by texting the word "Speedway" to 22828 from your mobile phone.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Saturday, July 23, 2011

USRA WESTERN FLYER HOTMODS

Heat #1: 1. Dickie Gorham, 2. Christy Georges, 3. Joshua Gallardo, 4. Austin Adams, 5. Pat Carney, 6. Alex Gonzalez, 7. Rick Garcia, 8. Duane Murphy, 9. Jonathan Barcena.

Heat #2: 1. Greg Gorham, 2. Steven Villegas, 3. Israel Ortega, 4. Mike Gonzalez, 5. Rob Madrid, 6. Phil Locke, 7. Larry Tolliver II, 8. Justin Allen.

Heat #3: 1. Donavon Flores, 2. Jeremy Navarro, 3. Sherman Barnett, 4. Miles Widmer, 5. Zach McCoy, 6. Kenny Medina, 7. Donald Gorham, 8. James Fleming, 9. Willie Quintero.

Trophy Dash: 1. Greg Gorham, 2. Joshua Gallardo, 3. Steven Villegas, 4. Dickie Gorham, 5. Jeremy Navarro, 6. Kenny Medina.

"A" Main: 1. Pat Carney, 2. Greg Gorham, 3. Christy Georges, 4. Rob Madrid, 5. Steven Villegas, 6. Jeremy Navarro, 7. Austin Adams, 8. Donavon Flores, 9. Jonathan Barcena, 10. James Fleming, 11. Duane Murphy, 12. Phil Locke, 13. Zach McCoy, 14. Rick Garcia, 15. Sherman Barnett, 16. Mike Gonzalez, 17. Kenny Medina, 18. Miles Widmer, 19. Dickie Gorham, 20. Alex Gonzalez, 21. Donald Gorham, 22. Joshua Gallardo, 23. Justin Allen, 24. Willie Quintero, 25. Larry Tolliver II, 26. Israel Ortega.