Hughes puts new IMCA Stock Car in Fairgrounds Speedway victory lane

Jeramy Hughes is joined in victory lane by crew members Ramone Saiz and Monte Saiz, and by cousin Jason Duggins following his July 16 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win at Fairgrounds Speedway. Duggins won the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature the same evening at Cortez. (Photo by Shandra Minor)

CORTEZ, Colo. (July 16) – After a month away from the track putting final touches on a new race car, Jeramy Hughes parked that 2020 Terminator ride in victory lane at Fairgrounds Speedway.

The July 16 victory was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car first in 2-1/2 years for the Farmington, N.M., driver. He start on the pole and led flag-to-flag while battling power steering issues all weekend.

“It was a huge relief to know I can still compete. I was starting to doubt myself there for a while,” Hughes said afterwards. “I saw Aaron’s (Spangler) nose one time and knew I had to get up on the wheel.”

Hughes started his IMCA career in 2013. He’s always been a consistent runner and had top five finishes in his two previous starts, at Aztec, but hadn’t been able to seal the deal for two-plus seasons until opening night of the doubleheader at Cortez.

“Taking the checkers was great,” he said. “It’s great to know I can still do it and can put a brand new car in victory lane.” 

Hughes’ cousin Jason Duggins was the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock winner the same night. He came within a lap of sweeping the weekend, finishing second after Spangler drove by on the white flag circuit on Saturday.