Marriott celebrates birthday with Winter Challenge checkers 

By Lonnie Wheatley

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 23) – Hunter Marriott celebrated his 24^th birthday by winning the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified main event on Saturday, night two of the five-race Winter Challenge at Canyon Speedway Park.

Marriott denied Friday winner Ricky Thornton Jr.’s effort at going two-for-two by battling into the lead on the 18^th round en route to victory lane.

“It took a little while for me to get rolling. Ricky picked his line and I picked mine, and I thought mine was a little faster,” Marriott said.

While Thornton led from the front row at the drop of the green flag, Marriott worked into second and pressured Thornton much of the way before sliding into the lead with just seven laps to go.

Thornton tried to slide back into the lead with the white flag in sight, only to slide too far sideways and nearly loop it. Marriott took the win by nearly a straightaway while Thornton recovered and held on to the runner-up position ahead of Ethan Dotson, Jason Noll and 13^th-starter Paul Stone.

“It felt good to be able to beat Ricky on his home track,” said Marriott, who earned $1,250 for his efforts and was already vote eligible for the 2016 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot.

One hundred and one cars packed the pits Saturday at Peoria.

Feature results – 1. Hunter Marriott; 2. Ricky Thornton Jr.; 3. Ethan Dotson; 4. Jason Noll; 5. Paul Stone; 6. Anthony Roth; 7. Cody Laney; 8. Lance Mari; 9. Tim Ward; 10. R.C. Whitwell; 11. Kyle Strickler; 12. Brian Schultz; 13. Collen Winebarger; 14. Chaz Baca Jr.; 15. Curt Lund; 16. John Parmeley; 17. Ryan Gaylord; 18. Guy Norton; 19. Zack Madrid; 20. Bryson Curry; 21. Austin Ku­ehl; 22. Steve Stultz; 23. Jesse Rogotzke; 24. Marlyn Seidler.

1^st heat – 1. Noll; 2. Dotson; 3. Laney; 4. Baca; 5. Steve Simpson Jr.; 6. Garth Dushanek; 7. Wil­liam Slocum; 8. Chase Alvez.

2^nd heat ­– 1. Roth; 2. Marriott; 3. Madrid; 4. Schultz; 5. Nate Warren; 6. Kuehl; 7. Mike Strobl; 8. Ross Statham.

3^rd heat – 1. Winebarger; 2. Whitwell; 3. Gaylord; 4. Parmeley; 5. Josh Rogotzke; 6. Brent Schlaf­mann; 7. Trent Gaust, 8. Bubba Stafford.

4^th heat – 1. Curry; 2. Thornton; 3. Seidler; 4. Stone; 5. Strickler; 6. Norton; 7. Jeff Stafford; 8. Lund.

5^th heat – 1. Mari; 2. Jesse Rogotzke; 3. Ward; 4. Stultz; 5. Mark Stewart; 6. Justin Miller; 7. Bryan Gabbard; 8. Nelson.

1^st “B” feature – 1. Seidler; 2. Norton; 3. Kuehl; 4. Stultz; 5. Josh Rogotzke; 6. Slocum; 7. Gaust; 8. Dushanek; 9. Nelson; 10. Alvez; 11. Warren; 12. Statham.

2^nd “B” feature – 1. Laney; 2. Strickler; 3. Lund; 4. Madrid; 5. Strobl; 6. Stewart; 7. Jeff Stafford; 8. Simpson; 9. Miller; 10. Gabbard; 11. Schlafmann; 12. Bubba Stafford.