LAS CRUCES, N.M.—Philip Houston brought a brand new racecar to the Southern New Mexico Speedway this week for the 15th Annual Widow Wax USRA Fall Nationals presented by Barnett Harley-Davidson, and now he will lead the field to the green flag on Saturday night after winning Thursday’s preliminary main event in dramatic fashion.

The 37-year-old from Odessa, Texas, started third in the 30-lap feature race for the USRA Modifieds and immediately took the lead away from polesitter Stormy Scott in the contest.

Using the low line around the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval, Houston fended off Alex Stanford during the early stages of the race while Scott tried to make the high side work.

Late in the race, Scott had also found the bottom to his liking and got around Stanford for second before moving in to challenge Houston for the top spot.

Scott was able to get underneath Houston with a handful of laps remaining, but the race’s final caution flag erased his pass and he was never able to make a serious charge at Houston the rest of the way.

Stanford, Johnny Scott and Jay Rosales finished third, fourth and fifth behind Houston and Stormy Scott. Those five will fill the inside five rows for the start of Saturday night’s $10,000-to-win championship feature.

Two-time defending event champion Terry Phillips fought through adversity all night just to get into the main event and was never a factor.

He will give it another try on Friday night along with two-time reigning USMTS national champion Rodney Sanders, who also had his share of misfortune Thursday night.

Track champion Fito Gallardo missed the automatic berth by one spot, but his sixth-place finish tentatively moved him into the lead in the USRA national points race.

Tom Georges, Jimmy Ray, 24th-starting Austin Adams and 21st-starting Donavon Flores rounded out the top 10 finishers.

In USRA Stock Car action, Noah Hollingshead held off fellow Las Cruces driver Patrick Beach to claim the win while a pair of Alamogordo racers—Justin Lasiter and Jon McDaniel—finished third and fourth.

Lloyd Turner, who started 19th, rounded out the top five.

With no other USRA Stock Car events scheduled in the country on the final weekend for USRA national points, Lassiter’s efforts solidified his position at the top of the class to keep the crown in New Mexico for the second straight season.

Tom Conner of Las Cruces cruised to victory in the USRA B-Mod main event.

Action continues on Friday with another complete program of qualifying heats and main events. If you are unable to attend in person, you can watch every lap of every division every night at www.RacinDirt.com.

The Southern New Mexico Speedway is located 11 miles west of Las Cruces at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Take exit 132, turn left and take the frontage road south I-10 heading west. For more information visit www.snmspeedway.com or call (575)-524-7913.

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
15th Annual Widow Wax USRA Fall Nationals presented by Barnett Harley-Davidson – Night 1 of 3
Southern New Mexico Speedway, Las Cruces, N.M.
Thursday, October 16, 2014

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) J7 Jay Rosales, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (1) 49 Duane Murphy, El Paso, Texas.
3. (7) 99 Terry Tipton, Duncan, Ariz.
4. (3) 555 Chad Falco, El Paso, Texas.
5. (5) 32 Max Sadler, Springerville, Ariz.
6. (4) 85 Austin Adams, El Paso, Texas.
7. (8) 10s Rick Spencer II, Tucson, Ariz.
8. (9) 14 Jesse Lynch, Albuquerque, N.M.
9. (6) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, N.M.

Heat #2 (8 laps):
1. (6) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (2) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.
3. (5) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (4) 2B Wayne Brooks, Bald Knob, Ark.
5. (3) 12 Nick DeCarlo, Martinez, Calif.
6. (9) 30 James Newton, Carlsbad, N.M.
7. (7) 88N Nick O'Neil, Vail, Ariz.
8. (1) 05 Randy Knott, Carlsbad, N.M.
9. (8) 2 Greg Jenkins, Hobbs, N.M.

Heat #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
2. (2) 87 Lee Heiligenthal, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (3) 44 Christy Barnett, El Paso, Texas.
4. (5) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (6) 96 Dusty Riggs, Hatch, N.M.
6. (7) 28 Tom Georges, El Paso, Texas.
7. (8) 14 Vanessa Robinson, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (4) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.

Heat #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) M16 Rocko Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (8) 98 Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, Calif.
3. (3) 18z Zane Devilbiss, Farmington, N.M.
4. (1) 5 Shane Sprinkle, Andrews, Texas.
5. (6) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (7) 20R Robbie Chiles, Hooper, Colo.
7. (4) 75 Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas.
8. (5) 5* Casey Penn, Shreveport, La.

Heat #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (1) 19 Donavon Ooley, El Paso, Texas.
3. (3) 131 Royal Jones, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (8) 40F Dana Fite, Tucson, Ariz.
7. (5) 28 Ron Frazier, Bosque Farms, N.M.
8. (7) 10L Joe Lackey, Las Cruces, N.M.

“B” Main #1 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (5) 96 Dusty Riggs, Hatch, N.M.
2. (3) 555 Chad Falco, El Paso, Texas.
3. (8) 40F Dana Fite, Tucson, Ariz.
4. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
5. (15) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (14) 5* Casey Penn, Shreveport, La.
7. (12) 28 Ron Frazier, Bosque Farms, N.M.
8. (2) 131 Royal Jones, Las Cruces, N.M.
9. (9) 20R Robbie Chiles, Hooper, Colo.
10. (13) 05 Randy Knott, Carlsbad, N.M.
11. (10) 10s Rick Spencer II, Tucson, Ariz.
12. (7) 32 Max Sadler, Springerville, Ariz.
13. (4) 5 Shane Sprinkle, Andrews, Texas.
14. (11) 88N Nick O'Neil, Vail, Ariz.
15. (1) 44 Christy Barnett, El Paso, Texas.

“B” Main #2 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (5) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (2) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (8) 28 Tom Georges, El Paso, Texas.
5. (3) 2B Wayne Brooks, Bald Knob, Ark.
6. (9) 85 Austin Adams, El Paso, Texas.
7. (11) 75 Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas.
8. (7) 12 Nick DeCarlo, Martinez, Calif.
9. (6) 30 James Newton, Carlsbad, N.M.
10. (10) 14 Vanessa Robinson, Las Cruces, N.M.
11. (15) 2 Greg Jenkins, Hobbs, N.M.
12. (14) 10L Joe Lackey, Las Cruces, N.M.
13. (1) 18z Zane Devilbiss, Farmington, N.M.
14. (12) 14 Jesse Lynch, Albuquerque, N.M.
15. (13) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.

“A” Main (30 laps, top 5 locked in for Saturday):
1. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
2. (1) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (2) 98 Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, Calif.
4. (12) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (8) J7 Jay Rosales, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (16) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (20) 28 Tom Georges, El Paso, Texas.
8. (18) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M.
9. (24) 85 Austin Adams, El Paso, Texas.
10. (21) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, N.M.
11. (10) 87 Lee Heiligenthal, Las Cruces, N.M.
12. (4) 49 Duane Murphy, El Paso, Texas.
13. (11) 19 Donavon Ooley, El Paso, Texas.
14. (15) 555 Chad Falco, El Paso, Texas.
15. (5) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
16. (19) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
17. (17) 40F Dana Fite, Tucson, Ariz.
18. (6) M16 Rocko Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
19. (7) 99 Terry Tipton, Duncan, Ariz.
20. (13) 96 Dusty Riggs, Hatch, N.M.
21. (22) 2B Wayne Brooks, Bald Knob, Ark.
22. (9) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.
23. (14) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
24. (23) 5* Casey Penn, Shreveport, La.

USRA STOCK CARS

Heat #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 1C Patrick Beach, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (3) 64 Derek Demartino, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (7) 48T Paul Telles Jr., Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (6) 44JT Jaime Torres, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (4) 29M Greg McCoy, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (2) 88 George Ross, Roswell, N.M.
7. (5) 0 Lloyd Turner, Las Cruces, N.M.

Heat #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 44X George La Rose, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (4) L750 Todd Froats, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (3) 20S Sullivan Scott
4. (5) 17 Jon McDaniel, Alamogordo, N.M.
5. (6) 80 Mari Aguilar, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (2) 22 Justin Lasiter, Alamogordo, N.M.

Heat #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 3H Noah Hollingshead, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (5) 3D Rudy Munoz, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (1) 21 Mariah Turnbow, Deming, N.M.
4. (4) MR13 Rudy Tarin, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (6) 00ET Ed Engel, El Paso, Texas
6. (3) 74J Jason Josselyn

“A” Main (25 laps):
1. (3) 3H Noah Hollingshead, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (1) 1C Patrick Beach, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (17) 22 Justin Lasiter, Alamogordo, N.M.
4. (11) 17 Jon McDaniel, Alamogordo, N.M.
5. (19) 0 Lloyd Turner, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (6) 3D Rudy Munoz, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (10) 44JT Jaime Torres, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (9) 21 Mariah Turnbow, Deming, N.M.
9. (8) 20S Sullivan Scott
10. (2) 44X George La Rose, Las Cruces, N.M.
11. (5) L750 Todd Froats, Las Cruces, N.M.
12. (12) MR13 Rudy Tarin, Las Cruces, N.M.
13. (16) 88 George Ross, Roswell, N.M.
14. (7) 48T Paul Telles Jr., Las Cruces, N.M.
15. (15) 00ET Ed Engel, El Paso, Texas
16. (14) 80 Mari Aguilar, Las Cruces, N.M.
17. (18) 74J Jason Josselyn
18. (4) 64 Derek Demartino, Las Cruces, N.M.
19. (13) 29M Greg McCoy, Las Cruces, N.M.

USRA B-MODS

Heat #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 17 Billy McDaniel
2. (3) 33 Justin Allen, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (7) 13 Zach McCoy, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (6) 50 Ralph Adams Jr., El Paso, Texas
5. (5) 15 Dee Yates, Albuquerque, N.M.
6. (4) 25 Michael Gonzalez, El Paso, Texas
7. (1) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, N.M.

Heat #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 7C John Carney, El Paso, Texas
2. (2) K3 Kevin McDonald, Belen, N.M.
3. (3) 52TX Paddy Rush
4. (4) K31 Keith McDonald, Las Vegas, Nev.
5. (6) 93 Gregory Gorham, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (5) 1 Mychael Lucero, Albuquerque, N.M.
7. (7) UNO Brian Kleine, Las Cruces, N.M.

Heat #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) X15 Tom Conner, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (1) AK47 Rex Higgins, Bloomfield, N.M.
3. (4) 82 Sherman Barnett, El Paso, Texas
4. (6) 20A Alex Gonzalez, El Paso, Texas
5. (7) 0 Junior Bonesteel
6. (5) 75J Billy Braswell
7. (2) 21 Clayton Donnelley, Las Cruces, N.M.

“A” Main (25 laps):
1. (2) X15 Tom Conner, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (8) 52TX Paddy Rush
3. (18) 07 Donavon Flores, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (3) 7C John Carney, El Paso, Texas
5. (1) 17 Billy McDaniel
6. (14) 15 Dee Yates, Albuquerque, N.M.
7. (4) 33 Justin Allen, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (11) 20A Alex Gonzalez, El Paso, Texas
9. (9) 82 Sherman Barnett, El Paso, Texas
10. (7) AK47 Rex Higgins, Bloomfield, N.M.
11. (5) 13 Zach McCoy, Las Cruces, N.M.
12. (19) UNO Brian Kleine, Las Cruces, N.M.
13. (12) 93 Gregory Gorham, Las Cruces, N.M.
14. (17) 75J Billy Braswell
15. (10) 50 Ralph Adams Jr., El Paso, Texas
16. (6) K3 Kevin McDonald, Belen, N.M.
17. (16) 1 Mychael Lucero, Albuquerque, N.M.
18. (13) 0 Junior Bonesteel
19. (15) 25 Michael Gonzalez, El Paso, Texas
20. (20) 21 Clayton Donnelley, Las Cruces, N.M.
DNS - K31 Keith McDonald, Las Vegas, Nev.