LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- It was an all Mesilla Valley front row as Stormy Scott and Fito Gallardo brought Friday night's 26-car, 40-lap USRA Modified Fall Nationals preliminary feature to the green with Scott taking the early race lead.

Not wasting any time from the fourth starting position, twin brother Johnny Scott piloted his #1st into the runner-up spot with Bumper Jones holding down third. Jumping the cushion on the start, Fito Gallardo fell back to fifth with Rodney Sanders looking to steal the position.

Able to hold to position, Gallardo began working on R.C. Whitwell for fourth, who snuck by on the start. Just inside 33 laps to run, the Scott twins began to approach slower traffic. With the high line the fastest way around the Southern New Mexico Speedway, maneuvering through slower cars proved tricky as Stormy abandoned the high line for the bottom, leaving the high side open. But with traffic all around, he held the lead until mechanical problems saw his night come to an abrupt end with 28 laps remaining.

Into the runner-up spot, Jones soon had to contend with Whitwell as slower traffic allowed Whitewell to sail by, along with ninth-starting Jason Hughes, just before the caution waved for the stalled machine of Dustin Hyde.

Back to green with 19 laps in the books, the restart saw Hughes dive to the bottom of the track with Johnny Scott and Whitwell both taking to the high line. Pulling back by for the lead, Scott shadowed Whitwell as the battle on the track was for third and fifth.

Side by side, Jones and Hughes spent the better part of 10 laps in a wheel-to-wheel battle as Sanders worked on holding off several charges by Gallardo, who ultimately was able to claim the fifth spot.

Coming up on the final 10 circuits, Whitwell saw a golden opportunity as it looked like Scott was pinned behind slower cars, but luck would be on Scott's side as the high line opened wide for him to drive away only to see the caution wave with nine laps to run.

In a final showdown to get locked into Sunday's 50-lap, $10,000-to-win main event, Gallardo shot around the high side of Jones and Hughes to take away third as both drivers set their sights on running down Whitwell in hopes of battling for second.

Less than five laps to run and Scott had set sail as he picked up night #1 of the 2011 USRA Modified Fall Nationals while Whitwell, Gallardo and Hughes rounded out the top 5 drivers to lock themselves into Sunday's big show.

Eighty-two USRA RHS Modifieds from 14 states and Canada were on hand for racing action Friday.

Night #2 of the 2011 USRA Modified Fall Nationals begins on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. (MST). Gates open at 5 p.m. Admission is just $10 with kids ages 11 to 15, members of the military, seniors, law enforcement personell and university students just $7. Children 10 years and younger get in for free.

Live audio all weekend can be heard on www.racinboys.com. Updates on the USRA Fall Modified Nationals will also be posted on the Southern New Mexico Speedway’s Facebook page throughout the weekend as well.

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 turn by turn directions, log onto www.snmspeedway.com/maps.php.

For more information on the Speedway, 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 phone.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
12th Annual Mesilla Valley Transportation USRA Modified Fall Nationals
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Friday, November 4, 2011

USRA RHS MODIFIEDS

Heat #1: Johnny Scott, Zach Vanderbeek, Alex Stanford, Dustin Hyde, Kelly Shryock, Grant Junghans, Brian Craighead, Luigi Truden, Peyton Taylor, Mike Petersilie, Joe Lackey.

Heat #2: Rodney Sanders, Greg Jenkins, Max Sadler, Jeremy Payne, Alan Sharpensteen, Mercedes Harris, Greg Jensen, Chad Ayers, Terry Tipton, Chase Allen, Jeff Algayer.

Heat #3: Fito Gallardo, Jake Gallardo, Dickie Gorham, Terry Phillips, Richie Davis, Dusty Riggs, Zane DeVilbiss, James Flemming, Dennis Gates, Tom Georges.

Heat #4: Kellen Chadwick, Pat Carney, Bob Sikes, Tristan Sikes, Roy Don Mason, Hunter Rasdon, Larry Fears, John Calvert Jr., Brett James, Greg Jelvig.

Heat #5: Randy Brown, R.C. Whitwell, Chase Junghans, Dan Lee, Kelly Gorham, Wesley Summers, Chris Sims, Kevin Clark, Bo Martinez, Richard Johnson.

Heat #6: Royal Jones, Ron Schreiner, Jesse Williamson, Christy Georges, Philip Houston, Toby Herring, Jason Cummins, Danny Dozier, Jay Rosales, Robbie Chiles.

Heat #7: Jason Hughes, Jake O'Neal, Jimmy Ray, Randy Reeser, A.J. Sharpensteen, Rick Ortega, Travis Tipton, Donovan Ooley, Wayne Brooks, Jake Boles.

Heat #8: Stormy Scott, Bumper Jones, Luke Driskell, Dana Fite, Chad Falco, Josh Cain, Rick Lovelady, Duane Murphy, Roger Owens, Butch Reid Jr.

B-Main #1 (top 2 advance): Kelly Shryock, Terry Tipton, Richie Davis, Bob Sikes, Wesley Summers, Tom Georges, Alan Sharpensteen, Butch Reid Jr., Danny Dozier, Robbie Chiles, Kevin Clark, Chase Junghans, Travis Tipton, Alex Stanford, Greg Jensen, Dan Lee, Greg Jenkins, Roy Don Mason, A.J. Sharpensteen, Chris Sims, Tom Georges, Luigi Truden, Joe Lackey.

B-Main #2 (top 2 advance): Jeremy Payne, Jesse Williamson, Philip Houston, Jason Cummins, Zane DeVilbiss, Dana Fite, Grant Junghans, Christy Georges, Jimmy Ray, Toby Herring, Larry Fears, Jake Boles, Chad Ayers, Josh Cain, Mike Petersilie, Chad Falco, James Flemming, Duane Murphy, Dennis Gates, Max Sadler, Jay Rosales, Jeff Algayer.

B-Main #3 (top 2 advance): Terry Phillips, Dustin Hyde, Luke Driskell, Dickie Gorham, Hunter Rasdon, Wayne Brooks, Tristan Sikes, Brian Craighead, Kelly Gorham, Rick Lovelady, Brett James, Rick Ortega, Mercedes Harris, Bo Martinez, Donovan Ooley, Roger Owens, Zach Vanderbeek, Randy Reeser, John Calvert Jr., Peyton Taylor, Chase Allen.

A-Main (top 5 advance to Sunday's main event): Johnny Scott, R.C. Whitwell, Fito Gallardo, Jason Hughes, Bumper Jones, Rodney Sanders, Terry Phillips, Randy Brown, Jeremy Payne, Jesse Williamson, Kelly Shryock, Ron Schreiner, Royal Jones, Jason Cummins, Jake O'Neal, Philip Houston, Dustin Hyde, Luke Driskell, Terry Tipton, Jake Gallardo, Kellen Chadwick, Pat Carney, Dickie Gorham, Bob Sikes, Richie Davis, Stormy Scott.