LAS CRUCES, N.M.—It wasn’t a quick night as 86 racecars showed up for the showdown at the Southern New Mexico Speedway on this great Saturday in June. There were 19 USRA Stock Cars and 24 USRA Modifieds all ready to battle for the glory this evening. Not one of the over 80 drivers pulled onto the track believing they couldn’t win and it showed in every feature start.

With 18 USRA Stock Cars making the call for the main, it wasn’t going to take long for things to get hot on the track. Lap 1 turn 1 four drivers would go 4 wide for second place and the 3D of Rudy Munoz would take a spin. Before everyone can clear him Jason Josselyn in the 74J, who started inside row 8 will come into turn 1 hard and give him a good smack! It will be the 74J who gets the short end of the stick, receiving the most damage. The 3D will go to the tail and just before we go green Josselyn will come roaring back onto the track missing the front left half of his car. Looks like Josselyn changed a tire behind the berm over there so he will be allowed to keep racing but starts from the rear with Munoz. Haven’t even completed on lap so we do a full restart here we go!

It’ll be the 10 of Bryan Bennet leading lap 1 with George LaRose right on his tail in 44x. Entering turn 1 on lap 2 the 44JT and MR13 are going to get together and spin around but we stay green as they get it going again while the leaders enter turn 3. As the leaders entered turn three Todd Froats in L750 drives in hard and losses the front end. He does a couple 360’s and before the leaders can cross the stripe the yellow will have to fly for Froats who is backward turn 4. With that caution before the completed lap the 44JT of Jaime Torres and the MR13 of Rudy Tarin will both receive back their last crossing position. It’s a rule and it saved these two drivers nights here at Southern New Mexico Speedway.

On the restart the 3H of Noah Hollingshead will rocket from 9th to first and not even take a second look. 44JT Torres and Patrick Beach in 1C are bumper to bumper with Hollingshead as caution waves again. Three cautions in three laps is making for some tight packed racing all over the board and the announcing booth is absolutely loving it up there tonight. IT was the lone 74 of Preece who went around in turn 2 and caused that third caution. Back to green we go with 22 laps remaining and the 3H dragging around Torres and Beach.

It’s going to be a fight for the next few laps and would you look at that, the 3D of Rudy Munoz has made his way all the way back to fourth after being involved in that very first wreck. He is a man on a mission and it shows here tonight! 7 laps in and Beach finally gets the nose of his 1C just inside of Hollingshead to lead a lap. It won’t last long though as the 1C and 3H go door to door, nose to nose all the way around turn 1&2 then sliding side by side down the backstretch. Becah is choosing to run the middle while Hollingshead is forcing that very low line to work in his favor. It will be the 3H back in front by a nose at the stripe for 12 laps to go. The leaders have caught lapped traffic now and the 1C will have to drop in tow right behind 3H or risk smacking a lapper. Jaime Torres runs solo third but as the leaders battle hard he is slowly pulling them in.

Patrick Beach is using every inch of racing surface to try and get around Noah Hollingshead but Noah is strong tonight down low and Beach is running out of time as we are 15 laps in with only 5 to go. They will run nose to tail and side by side back and forth for the next 2 laps until the 1C finally gets drive out of turn 4 and will lead at the line by just a hair. It won’ hold again through 1&2 but he is still there just like all night with 2 to go this time by the stand. 3H might have gained a car length on that lap and at the white he leads by about 1 length but Patrick Beach ain't no quitter and he will drive into 1 with a full head of steam for one more try! He is right there to the inside but Hollingheads is going to have an amazing drive off of turn 2 that all but leaves the 1C in the dust. Out of turn 4 it will be the 3H of Noah Hollingshead taking the victory by half a car length over Patrick Beach in the 1C. Jaime Torres in 44JT was pushing hard for the leaders but he won’t quite have the speed so he rounds out the top three in the USRA Stock Car feature event. The 1C gave it everything he had for the entire race tonight but Noah Hollingshead was on absolute fire and there was no beating him tonight.

USRA Modifieds would end the night for us at Southern New Mexico Speedway but there is a reason you save the best for last and that’s what we did tonight. The Street Stocks Race would be hard race to beat but these guys never disappoint. It would be a father son showdown in the first three rows as the 187 of Joshua Gallardo would start inside pole with his dad Rick Gallardo to his outside in the M16. Row two was Fito and Jacob Gallardo with row three starting Bumper Jones inside and his father Royal Jones just outside! With this lineup it’s hard to believe some people still think this isn’t a family sport! I’ve got money that says they all still run each other hard and that’s exactly what’s gonna happen as we go green.

Jacob will make the first move in the 30 lap main event but we stay pretty even for the first lap. The 82,23, and 20 are all going to collect in turn 3 but the leaders already cross the stripe before yellow flies. We will complete one lap but 29 laps to go. The restart sees the exact same lineup as the start but on the drop of the green Royal Jones in the 131 will go around into turn 1 and as the 65 spins to avoid him he will lose traction and give it a full barrel roll. He will be ok but that kind of tumble rattles him and the car bringing his night to and end. The 131 takes it to the rear of the field for causing that caution.

The 111 of Bumper Jones and J17 of Jacob Gallardo are going to make this interesting early as they go nose and nose for first. 5 laps in and it’ll be Bumper leading at the stripe by a nose. Fito Gallardo slipped back early but has found his car and is back in third. Fito looks to have found the high line just like last night at El Paso Speedway Park where he took the win.

Look away for half a second and you miss something here. Caution will fly as the 49, 54,82, and 69 are all jammed together in the exit of turn 2. Only 7 laps completed so far but Bumper Jones will lead father son rows of Gallardos just behind him. Royal Jones, Bumpers dad, is fighting his way up from the rear after that last restart and is coming in hot. Won’t be long until we have all father son at the front again.

On the restart Bumper Jones will drag the Gallardo wolf pack from turn 4 but they all shoot high with Fito leading them and Bumper Jones is in for a fight! Out of turn 2, all the Gallardos will drop low except Fito who loves that outside line. Fito is charging hard and wants that weekend sweep. 10 laps in and 20 to go the caution comes out again for the 85 spinning through turn 2.

With 20 laps to go Bumper Jones still leads the Gallardo pack back to fourth. Jimmy Ray is there in the 9 just like last night and Royal Jones has brought his 131 machine all the way back to sixth.

Father, son Gallardo J17, G17 are running high outside as 111 starts to pull away but caution as the 54 spins with the 0 again. 54 is having the worst luck of the night being collected in almost every caution but not causing a single one. We will restart with 16 to go.

Fito switches line on the restart and is making the low line work for him. Bumper Jones must have taken notes from Fito running high because just as Fito goes low Bumper will go high and grab up all that extra traction.

We are 20 laps in with 10 to go and Fito Gallardo is pushing Bumper Jones all the way around. Royal Jones is also on the move to inside the top 5 after spinning early on. Christy Georges is also putting in a heater as she is up to 6th from starting the race dead last. The 111, J17 and G17 are all going to bunch it back together after the 20 of Michael Wall spins again. 9 laps remain.

They restart strong and Royal Jones takes third! HE is there but does he have enough for Fito Gallardo in G17 and his son Bumper in the 111 up front. They run that way for four laps but with 5 to go Fito and Royal have both caught Bumper and this one is going to go to the wire.

The top 4 are pushing each other hard the last three laps but Bumper Jones will hold on strong from the hard charging Fito to win by a length. Jacob and Fito Gallardo go door to door out of turn 4 for second but it will be Fito taking the spot over his son by mere inches! Royal Jones drove hard through the finish and takes home fourth from the very back on lap 2. Jimmy Ray rounds out the top 5 with a solid run and that brings an end to our racing weekend!!

If you missed us this weekend join us next weekend June 12th out “The Park” in El Paso and here again at Southern New Mexico Speedway on the 13th. The 305 winged Sprint cars will be joining us after a weekend break as well as the late models, USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and Hornets. Lorne Wofford swept the weekend last time we saw the 305 winged sprints after driving from the very rear early on. You won’t want to miss this.

Gates open at 5:30. Racing starts at 7:45 with the pits opening after the races to see all your favorite drivers. Come hungry for some good racing and you won’t leave empty handed! See you there!