Thornton blasts to opening night win at 16th Annual S&S Fishing & Rental USRA Fall Nationals


LAS CRUCES, N.M.—Ricky Thornton Jr. fired the first shot Friday night with a decisive victory on opening night of the 16th Annual S&S Fishing & Rental USRA Fall Nationals presented by Barnett Harley-Davidson and NAPA Auto Parts at the Southern New Mexico Speedway.

Thornton, who started fifth in the 30-lap USRA Modified feature, advanced quickly and after taking the lead he took off from the field to claim the win and earn the pole position for Sunday's $10,000-to-win finale.

Defending USRA Modified national champion Fito Gallardo started next to Thornton in the third row and followed him across the finish line. The remainder of the top five finishers—Johnny Scott, Dereck Ramirez and Alex Stanford—also punched their tickets to Sunday's show.

Defending race winner Stormy Scott finished sixth and will join the remainder of the 51 entrants who failed to lock themselves into Sunday's race. Rodney Sanders took the seventh spot, Terry Phillips was eighth, Bobby Malchus ended up ninth and Ryan Gustin completed the top ten.

In USRA Stock Car action, Daniel Hilsabeck took the lead from the outside of the front row and went on to win the main event but was disqualified when his machine was underweight at the scales. Lloyd Turner inherited the win, followed by Race Fisher, Carbie McClearen, Jeremy Wooley and Noah Hollingshead.

Jimmy Ray claimed the USRA B-Mod feature race with Jesse Baldwin, Rex Higgins, John Carney and Donavon Flores rounding out the top five finishers.

The 16th Annual S&S Fishing & Rental USRA Fall Nationals continues on Saturday with another complete show featuring USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and Super Trucks. Heat race passing points will be used to determine main event line-ups. The top five in Saturday’s USRA Modified nightcap will fill the outside five rows of Sunday’s "A" Main.

Sunday’s USRA Modified finale will award $10,000 to the winner and each main event starter will earn no less than $1,500. More than $50,000 is earmarked for Sunday’s feature race alone, with a minimum of $800 guaranteed to all "B" Main starters and at least $500 guaranteed for all "C" Main starters.

This year’s main event winner could walk away with $25,000 by taking the Mesilla Valley Transportation Front Row Challenge. Both front row starters in Sunday’s "A" Main will have the opportunity to start at the back of the field for $25,000 to win.

On Saturday, gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 5 p.m. General admission is $12 and a Family Pack is $25. Sunday’s finale will see gates opening at 12 noon with racing at 2 p.m. General admission is $15 and a Family Pack is $30. Kids ages 10 and under get in free each day with a paid adult. Pit passes are $40 each night.

Hometown favorite Stormy Scott is the defending champion of the event. Other past winners include Terry Phillips (2012-13), Jason Cummins (2011), Rodney Sanders (2010), Johnny Scott (2009), Eddie Martin (2005-07), Ron Jones (2000-01, 2004), Monte Bolton (2003) and Royal Jones (2002).

The Southern New Mexico Speedway is a wide, semi-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located 11 miles west of Las Cruces at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Take I-10 to exit 132 (about 10 miles west of Las Cruces), then go one block south, then west on frontage road (next to Love’s Travel Stop). For more information call 575-524-7913 or 505-524-7913 or visit www.snmspeedway.com online.

To learn more about the USRA, visit www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usraracing, follow us at www.twitter.com/usraracing on Twitter and check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usratv.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
16th Annual S&S Fishing & Rental USRA Fall Nationals presented by Barnett Harley-Davidson and NAPA Auto Parts – Night 1 of 3
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Friday, Oct. 23, 2015

USRA B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. (2) 82 Sherman Barnett, El Paso, TX
2. (5) 33 Justin Allen, Las Cruces, NM
3. (1) 316 Rex Higgins, Bloomfield, NM
4. (6) 12 Rob Madrid, El Paso, TX
5. (7) 11X Clay Gossett, Los Lunas, NM
6. (3) 38 Hector Prigione, El Paso, TX
7. (8) 44D Troy Phillips, Hanover, NM
8. (4) 35 Miles Widmer, Las Cruces, NM

Heat #2:
1. (1) 93 Gregory Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
2. (2) 3J Jesse Baldwin, Aztec, NM
3. (6) 86 Jared Perez, Las Cruces, NM
4. (7) 44 Nick DeCarlo, Martinez, CA
5. (4) 8 Douglas Meeks, Show Low, AZ
6. (8) 7 Wes Meeks, Show Low, AZ
7. (3) 4 Melissa Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
8. (5) 1 Mychal Lucero, Albuquerque, NM

Heat #3:
1. (6) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, NM
2. (4) 0J Junior Bonesteel, Albuquerque, NM
3. (2) UNO Brian Kleine, Las Cruces, NM
4. (3) 0 Jeramy Hughes, Farmington, NM
5. (8) X15 Rick Hall, Las Cruces, NM
6. (7) 55 Brian Carey, Aztec, NM
7. (1) 13 Zach McCoy, Las Cruces, NM
8. (5) 09 Bill Waltman, Albuquerque, NM

Heat #4:
1. (2) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, NM
2. (7) 52TX Paddy Rush, El Paso, TX
3. (1) 15 Dee Yates, Albuquerque, NM
4. (4) 7C John Carney, El Paso, TX
5. (3) 08 Daniel Lozoya, El Paso, TX
6. (5) 3 Dickie Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
7. (8) 18JR Ricardo Olague Jr., El Paso, TX
8. (6) 14 Sergio Chao, El Paso, TX

"B" Main #1:
1. (1) 12 Rob Madrid, El Paso, TX
2. (2) 0 Jeramy Hughes, Farmington, NM
3. (4) X15 Rick Hall, Las Cruces, NM
4. (3) 11X Clay Gossett, Los Lunas, NM
5. (5) 38 Hector Prigione, El Paso, TX
6. (7) 44D Troy Phillips, Hanover, NM
7. (8) 13 Zach McCoy, Las Cruces, NM
8. (10) 09 Bill Waltman, Albuquerque, NM
9. (6) 55 Brian Carey, Aztec, NM
10. (9) 35 Miles Widmer, Las Cruces, NM

"B" Main #2:
1. (2) 7C John Carney, El Paso, TX
2. (1) 44 Nick DeCarlo, Martinez, CA
3. (4) 3 Dickie Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
4. (7) 1 Mychal Lucero, Albuquerque, NM
5. (5) 4 Melissa Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
6. (8) 14 Sergio Chao, El Paso, TX
7. (6) 18JR Ricardo Olague Jr., El Paso, TX
8. (3) 08 Daniel Lozoya, El Paso, TX
DNS – Wes Meeks, Show Low, AZ
DNS – 8 Douglas Meeks, Show Low, AZ

"A" Main:
1. (3) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, NM
2. (6) 3J Jesse Baldwin, Aztec, NM
3. (9) 316 Rex Higgins, Bloomfield, NM
4. (14) 7C John Carney, El Paso, TX
5. (4) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, NM
6. (2) 93 Gregory Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
7. (5) 33 Justin Allen, Las Cruces, NM
8. (13) 12 Rob Madrid, El Paso, TX
9. (8) 52TX Paddy Rush, El Paso, TX
10. (10) 86 Jared Perez, Las Cruces, NM
11. (7) 0J Junior Bonesteel, Albuquerque, NM
12. (19) 11X Clay Gossett, Los Lunas, NM
13. (20) 1 Mychal Lucero, Albuquerque, NM
14. (15) 0 Jeramy Hughes, Farmington, NM
15. (11) UNO Brian Kleine, Las Cruces, NM
16. (12) 15 Dee Yates, Albuquerque, NM
17. (24) 14 Sergio Chao, El Paso, TX
18. (16) 44 Nick DeCarlo, Martinez, CA
19. (18) 3 Dickie Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
20. (22) 4 Melissa Gorham, Las Cruces, NM
21. (21) 38 Hector Prigione, El Paso, TX
22. (1) 82 Sherman Barnett, El Paso, TX
23. (17) X15 Rick Hall, Las Cruces, NM
24. (23) 44D Troy Phillips, Hanover, NM

USRA STOCK CARS

Heat #1:
1. (3) 15R Race Fisher, Dove Creek, CO
2. (1) 106 Jeremy Wooley, Hobbs, NM
3. (6) 0 Lloyd Turner, Las Cruces, NM
4. (2) 5X Rick Boelter, Alburquerque, NM
5. (7) 44JT Jaime Torres, Las Cruces, NM
6. (5) 00 Shawn McCarty, CArlsbad, NM
7. (8) 42 Brent Dreyer, Deming, NM
8. (4) 20S Scott Sullivan, Hobbs, NM

Heat #2:
1. (4) 77N Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, IA
2. (1) 97 Wyatt Loveland, Alamagordo, NM
3. (7) 29M Greg McCoy, Las Cruces, NM
4. (3) 777 Peter Vargas, Las Cruces, NM
5. (8) 92 David Carnes, Alamogordo, NM
6. (6) 37 Robert Trujillo, Las Cruces, NM
7. (5) L750 Todd Froats, Las Cruces, NM
8. (2) 74J Jason Josselyn, Alamogordo, NM

Heat #3:
1. (2) 21Z Martin Robinson, Las Cruces, NM
2. (5) 3H Noah Hollingshead, Las Cruces, NM
3. (6) 15 Carbie McClearen, Seminole, TX
4. (4) 10 Bryan Bennett, Tularosa, NM
5. (3) M77 Cameron Martin, Bosque Farms, NM
6. (1) 11 Cliff Evrage, Las Cruces, NM
7. (7) 812 Danny Carabajal, Las Cruces, NM

"A" Main:
1. (7) 0 Lloyd Turner, Las Cruces, NM
2. (1) 15R Race Fisher, Dove Creek, CO
3. (9) 15 Carbie McClearen, Seminole, TX
4. (4) 106 Jeremy Wooley, Hobbs, NM
5. (6) 3H Noah Hollingshead, Las Cruces, NM
6. (13) 44JT Jaime Torres, Las Cruces, NM
7. (3) 21Z Martin Robinson, Las Cruces, NM
8. (8) 29M Greg McCoy, Las Cruces, NM
9. (14) M77 Cameron Martin, Bosque Farms, NM
10. (12) 10 Bryan Bennett, Tularosa, NM
11. (21) 20S Scott Sullivan, Hobbs, NM
12. (19) L750 Todd Froats, Las Cruces, NM
13. (17) 42 Brent Dreyer, Deming, NM
14. (16) 11 Cliff Evrage, Las Cruces, NM
15. (15) 00 Shawn McCarty, CArlsbad, NM
16. (10) 5X Rick Boelter, Alburquerque, NM
17. (20) 812 Danny Carabajal, Las Cruces, NM
18. (5) 97 Wyatt Loveland, Alamagordo, NM
19. (11) 777 Peter Vargas, Las Cruces, NM
20. (18) 37 Robert Trujillo, Las Cruces, NM
21. (22) 74J Jason Josselyn, Alamogordo, NM
DQ – (2) 77N Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, IA
DNS – 92 David Carnes, Alamogordo, NM

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, AZ
2. (4) M16 Rocko Gallardo, Fair Acres, NM
3. (2) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, NM
4. (7) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA
5. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, MO
6. (8) 117 Toby Herring, Hobbs, NM
7. (3) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, NM
8. (6) 28 Tom Georges, El Paso, TX
9. (9) 85 Neal Flowers, Hobbs, NM

Heat #2 (8 laps):
1. (5) 4D Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, NM
2. (1) 101 Butch Reid, Carlsbad, NM
3. (2) 131 Royal Jones, Las Cruces, NM
4. (4) A16 Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, CO
5. (9) 99 Terry Tipton, Duncan, AZ
6. (3) 85 Austin Adams, El Paso, TX
7. (7) 32 Max Sadler, Springerville, AZ
8. (8) x57 Richie Davis, Springerville, AZ
9. (6) 43 Chad Falco, El Paso, TX

Heat #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, OK
2. (2) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA
3. (8) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, NM
4. (1) 202 Robbie Chiles, Hooper, CO
5. (5) 17M Roy Mason, Hobbs, NM
6. (6) 50 Ralph Adams, El Paso, TX
7. (7) 19 Donovan Ooley, El Paso, TX
8. (4) 23 Kevin Clark, El Paso, TX
9. (9) 55AK Scott Sluka, Fairbanks, AK

Heat #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 23k Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, KS
2. (5) 75 Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, TX
3. (6) 20C Chase Hansen, Myton, UT
4. (8) 63 Justin Weber, Albuquerque, NM
5. (4) 54 Carlos Ahumada Sr., El Paso, TX
6. (3) 30 James Newton, Carlsbad, NM
7. (1) 0 Chris Sims, Las Cruces, NM
8. (7) 2 Greg Jenkins, Hobbs, NM

Heat #5 (8 laps):
1. (5) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, NM
2. (3) 8 Steve Miller, Rosanky, TX
3. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, TX
4. (4) 22D Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, IA
5. (6) 44 Christy Georges-Barnett, El Paso, TX
6. (1) 65 Carlos Ahumada Jr., Canutillo, TX
7. (2) 3t Todd Harper, Las Cruces, NM
8. (8) 05 Randy Knott, Carlsbad, NM

Heat #6 (8 laps):
1. (2) 98 Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, CA
2. (7) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, TX
3. (3) 88c Brian Clark, Tucson, AZ
4. (1) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, TX
5. (5) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, NM
6. (6) 16B Randy Brown, Chowchilla, CA
7. (8) 18z Zane Devilbiss, Farmington, NM
8. (4) 73 Gerald Haste, Albuquerque, NM

"B" Main #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (5) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, TX
2. (1) 20C Chase Hansen, Myton, UT
3. (3) 131 Royal Jones, Las Cruces, NM
4. (4) A16 Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, CO
5. (7) 117 Toby Herring, Hobbs, NM
6. (2) 63 Justin Weber, Albuquerque, NM
7. (9) 18z Zane Devilbiss, Farmington, NM
8. (13) 85 Neal Flowers, Hobbs, NM
9. (12) 2 Greg Jenkins, Hobbs, NM
10. (6) 17M Roy Mason, Hobbs, NM
11. (11) 28 Tom Georges, El Paso, TX
12. (10) 19 Donovan Ooley, El Paso, TX
13. (8) 30 James Newton, Carlsbad, NM

"B" Main #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA
2. (1) 101 Butch Reid, Carlsbad, NM
3. (3) 88c Brian Clark, Tucson, AZ
4. (9) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, NM
5. (7) 85 Austin Adams, El Paso, TX
6. (11) x57 Richie Davis, Springerville, AZ
7. (13) 43 Chad Falco, El Paso, TX
8. (4) 202 Robbie Chiles, Hooper, CO
9. (8) 65 Carlos Ahumada Jr., Canutillo, TX
10. (12) 05 Randy Knott, Carlsbad, NM
11. (10) 0 Chris Sims, Las Cruces, NM
12. (6) 54 Carlos Ahumada Sr., El Paso, TX
DQ – (5) 44 Christy Georges-Barnett, El Paso, TX

"B" Main #3 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA
2. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, MO
3. (4) 22D Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, IA
4. (6) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, NM
5. (3) 99 Terry Tipton, Duncan, AZ
6. (10) 3t Todd Harper, Las Cruces, NM
7. (2) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, NM
8. (12) 73 Gerald Haste, Albuquerque, NM
9. (13) 55AK Scott Sluka, Fairbanks, AK
10. (11) 23 Kevin Clark, El Paso, TX
11. (8) 16B Randy Brown, Chowchilla, CA
12. (9) 32 Max Sadler, Springerville, AZ
13. (7) 50 Ralph Adams, El Paso, TX

"A" Main (30 laps):
1. (5) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, AZ
2. (6) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, NM
3. (7) 4D Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, NM
4. (1) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, OK
5. (2) 98 Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, CA
6. (9) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, NM
7. (11) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, TX
8. (18) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, MO
9. (3) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, TX
10. (14) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA
11. (15) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA
12. (24) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, NM
13. (13) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, TX
14. (4) 75 Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, TX
15. (8) 23k Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, KS
16. (21) 22D Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, IA
17. (19) 131 Royal Jones, Las Cruces, NM
18. (20) 88c Brian Clark, Tucson, AZ
19. (16) 20C Chase Hansen, Myton, UT
20. (17) 101 Butch Reid, Carlsbad, NM
21. (23) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, NM
22. (10) M16 Rocko Gallardo, Fair Acres, NM
23. (22) A16 Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, CO
24. (12) 8 Steve Miller, Rosanky, TX