Flores, Gallardo claim Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series checkers at Southern New Mexico Speedway

Mother Nature played nice with the racers at the Southern New Mexico Speedway as a light sprinkle and heavy dark clouds crossed the race track minutes before the pit meeting on Saturday.

A stellar Holley USRA Stock Car main event took place before the battle for the big $5,000 to win next weekend. Sixteen drivers checked in making it a 20-lap main event.

Josh Reynolds started on the pole and gave the front-runners a run for their money tonight as he led the first eight laps until a caution flew for debris in turn two. Another caution flew right away for Victor Colobrio stopped in turn two.

Pete Vargas had a good restart, jumping to the lead, but couldn't escape easily as Reynolds and Bryan Benit made it three wide for the lead. Donovan Flores then showed up to the party on lap 12 after starting 11th. By lap 13, Flores split the whole gang up and got to the runner-up position. Vargas was on a rail as he held off Flores for three laps until a two-caution era came around.

On the restart with five laps to go, Vargas continued to show the way with Flores following. They shaved off two laps until the final caution flew with three to go. Flores showed Vargas some sheet metal, but Vargas held his ground. On the final lap they drag-raced down the back straight-away going head-to-head in turns three and four and Flores pulled a trick out of the hat and picked up the win in a photo-finish.


Donovan Flores won the Holley USRA Stock Car feature.

A full 24 Out-Pace USRA B-Mod field on hand called for a great 25-lap feature. Justin Allen started his night strong from third to win in his heat race and kicked off the main event by leading the first three laps until a caution flew for Gregory Gorham in turn four. Allen continued to lead until a caution flew on lap five for John Carney Sr. in turn one.

Fito Gallardo, who started 11th, jumped to the lead on the restart but Allen didn't let Gallardo run away quickly as he side-stepped him and got up on the wheel of his his No. 33 machine. They went side-by-side for the lead for four laps until Gallardo did a veteran move on Allen and shot high in turn two, killing Allen's momentum and allowing Gallardo to run away.

Gallardo was gone, but his lead would go away as a caution flew on lap 12 for Don Parra spun in turn two. At the green Gallardo had company as Jimmy Ray was knocking on the door and Christy Barnett was in third. Three laps later, a caution flew again and this time for Barnett as she hit the infield tire in turns three and four. On the restart, Gallardo was able to run away as Allen challenged Ray for runner-up.

Four laps later, a caution flew again. Ray held off Allen for second on the restart allowing him to get to work on Gallardo for the lead. One more caution flew with three laps to go and it was game on from there. Ray gave Gallardo some worries as he made it a side-by-side battle for the lead. Ray was strong off of turn two, but Gallardo won the battles off of turn four.

Ray took the lead at the white flag, and fans hopped off their seats as Gallardo and Ray went side-by-side coming to the checkered flag. Gallardo held Ray off for the feature win in a close one.


Fito Gallardo won the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod feature.