Saathoff wins Vegas Duel in the Desert

Saathoff hits jackpot with IMCA Modified checkers
at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 14) – He’s had a lot of big wins during his
IMCA Modified career, but none of them paid better than the one on
Saturday night.

Johnny Saathoff passed Ricky Alvarado on the 36th of 40 laps Saturday
night at Las Vegas Motor Speed way, then held off Terry Phillps to
take the $7,777 Duel In The Desert checkers.

An event record 262 Modifieds, representing 23 states and three
Canadian provinces, were on hand for the IMCA season-ending special
at the half-mile dirt oval. Alvarado, Dominic Ursetta and Scott Drake
rounded out the top five.

Chris Abelson started on the pole but slid high and watched Alvarado
take the lead away on just the sec ond lap. Saathoff, the 2004 race
winner, was quickly in contention from his eight starting spot and
locked onto Alvarado’s back bumper in lap 15.

Bob Moore and Phillps did their best to stay in the chase, but
Alvarado and Saathoff made it a two-car race. The feature passed
midway before the first yellow came out, when Kellen Chadwick rolled
to a stop on lap 21, but the rest of the pack couldn’t take advantage
of the restart.

A spin by Steve Arpin with six to go resulted in a pile-up that
knocked out Brad Pounds, national champion Dylan Smith and Zane
DeVilbiss.

Alvarado got out of line following the ensuing restart, giving both
Saathoff and Phillips the opportunity they were looking for to get
by. Saathoff crossed the stripe three car lengths ahead of Phillips.

Winners of 12 last chance races on Saturday joined top four finishers
from two qualifying features both Thursday and Friday in the 28-car
starting grid. The previous event record of 221 Modifieds had been
set last year.

Alvarado took charge on the third circuit and led to the finish of
the Wild West Shootout. That field included top 20 point drivers from
the EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Northern Tour and Rotating Right Wild
West Southern Tour.

Paul Stone advanced nine spots but ran out of time to reel Alvarado
in and settled for second in the 20 lapper. Lance Mari ran in front
the first two circuits and ended in third. Tyrone Yazzie and Jimmy
Reeves rounded out the top five.

Two drivers kayoed by an early crash when the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars
made their first-ever appear ance at LVMS last year went at it again
Saturday, and a last-lap pass gave Trent Murphy the $777 win over
Kevin Opheim.

Robby Rosselli set the fast pace before giving way to Murphy
following a lap eight restart. Opheim buzzed by on the next lap and
ran at the front while Murphy, Rosselli, Joe Flory and Cary White
jostled back and forth.

Murphy finally got the best of the battle and caught Opheim on lap
19. Rosselli, Flory and White were scored in that order behind the
front pair.

Stephenville Starter Southern Region champion Rex Higgins was sixth.

Feature Results
Modifieds
1. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.;
2. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.;
3. Ricky Alvarado, Delta, Colo.;
4. Dominic Ursetta, Arvada, Colo.;
5. Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo.;
6. Eddie Belec, Lakewood, Colo.;
7. Bobby Hogge IV, Salinas, Calif.;
8. Jeremy Mills, Garner, Iowa;
9. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.;
10. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa;
11. Will Brack, Mead, Colo.;
12. Shane Stutzman, Milford, Neb.;
13. Darrick Klima, Belleville, Kan.;
14. Vern Jackson, Waterloo, Iowa;
15. Jason Brees, Strasburg, Colo.;
16. Brandon Carley, Farmington, N.M.;
17. Bob Moore, Sioux City, Iowa;
18. Steve Arpin, Cornelius, N.C.;
19. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif.;
20. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.;
21. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M.;
22. Sonny Wahl, Mohave Valley, Ariz.;
23. Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.;
24. Jay Steffens, North Platte, Neb.;
25. Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.;
26. Kellen Chadwick, Oakley, Calif.;
27. Justen Yeager, Green River, Wyo.;
28. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa.