By Ben Deatherage
AZTEC, N.M. (Mar. 29, 2025) — The Sunoco IMCA Stock Car 25-lap main event capped off the second and final night of the Thaw Brawl at Aztec Speedway’s 73rd season opener, and it ended with 19-year-old Lady Eagle racer Layne Bellm collecting her first win of the year.
1997 track champion Tony Hill won the race to the front on lap one and created early separation. The battle for second heated up between Jeremy Hughes and Casey Murdoch, with Murdoch eventually winning the fight and setting his sights on Hill.
Murdoch began closing the gap as Bellm, the 2023 Phillips County Raceway champion from Bloomfield, Colorado, moved into third. The race took a sudden turn when Hill slowed to a stop on lap 10, retiring to the pits and handing the lead to Murdoch.
Bellm soon overtook Hughes and chased down Murdoch, executing a pass for the lead with six laps remaining. Murdoch didn’t back down and stayed glued to her bumper, challenging the Centennial State chauffeur through the final turns. Bellm’s corner exit speed gave her the edge, and she held off Murdoch’s final attempt out of turn four to score the thrilling victory in the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region.
Murdoch settled for second, and Herman Garcia rounded out the podium.
Tafoya Doubles Down in Modified Action
Brian Carey blasted to the front early in the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, showing why he’s the defending Wyoming Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod State champion.
But night one winner Reagan Tafoya had other plans. The Farmington, N.M. driver—who owns six Aztec track titles and three New Mexico State championships—moved around Carey shortly after a restart from a stoppage to take control of the race lead.
Despite a caution midway through, Tafoya dominated and was untouchable the rest of the way. His victory marked his second of the season in Shaw Race Cars Western Region competition.
Carey held on for second, and Jerry Harpole Jr. completed the top three.
Johnson Stays Perfect in Northern SportMods
Tyler Johnson continued his dominant form in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods with another wire-to-wire win in the 25-lap main event. The 15-year-old phenom from Laveen, Arizona—last year’s National Rookie of the Year and defending Arizona State champion—took the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back.
Aaron Spangler, the 2019 Aztec Stock Car and New Mexico State champion, ran a steady second for much of the contest. A late caution bunched up the field, but Johnson nailed the restart and pulled away again to sweep the weekend and earn his third SportMod win of 2025.
Danny Concelman, a three-time Colorado State champion and the reigning Sherman County Speedway titleholder, climbed to third late in the race as lapped traffic shuffled the order behind the leader.
Bitting Dominates for First Career Regional Win
Arizona’s Revan Bitting was unstoppable in the 25-lap Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stock main event, powering to his first-ever B&B Racing Chassis Southern Region victory.
Bitting stormed to the front on the opening lap and pulled away from the pack. Chad Nelson, the 2020 Colorado State Hobby Stock champion, held second for much of the race until reigning regional champ Nathan DeRagon made a late move for the spot.
Shortly after the pass, Nelson suffered a flat right rear tire and slowed on track, bringing out a caution that erased Bitting’s big lead.
DeRagon and 2023 New Mexico State and track champ Hunter Ferrell resumed the battle for second on the restart. Bitting remained composed and consistent up front, driving to the checkered flag for a milestone win. Ferrell secured second, and DeRagon crossed the line in third.
Jock Outlasts Witcher in Sport Compact Duel
In the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact main event, Colorado’s Cody Witcher looked poised to sweep the weekend after leading early. But Arizona’s Joey Jock had other intentions.
Witcher stayed low while Jock tested the top side, eventually switching lanes and finding speed to close the gap. The two hit lapped traffic early, but both navigated it cleanly.
Jock’s momentum carried him to the lead after starting sixth, and once out front, he pulled away to earn his first win of the year. Witcher settled for second, while Lady Eagle racer Alexandrea Berdge completed the podium in third.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV. Full replays are available through the IMCA TV Replay Subscription Pass for $24.99/month.
